Vermonters urged to order at-home COVID tests

A trail near Lake Pinneo in Quechee, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday strongly encouraged Vermonters to order at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests at covidtests.gov.

This Biden Administration’s initiative – which launched this week – is similar to a program piloted by the State, according to a Thursday statement from the governor. Through this new federal program, each household is eligible to receive four tests, which are expected to ship within 7-12 days of ordering, state officials said. Supplies are limited. 

“Rapid at-home tests are a useful tool that will help us continue to move forward,” Scott said in the statement. “Vermont has worked hard to gain supply of these tests, and I appreciate President Biden’s recent efforts to do the same. The USPS website is up and running now, but federal supplies remain limited, so Vermonters should act fast.”

Any Vermonter without internet access can call the Governor’s Constituent Services Office at 802-828-3333. “My team will help complete the online request form for you,” the Governor continued.

The federal effort is similar to the state of Vermont’s pilot partnership with the National Institutes of Health, which sent 350,000 tests to Vermonters. Many of these tests have already arrived at Vermonters’ homes.

As the state awaits the arrival of an additional 150,000 tests it ordered for the pilot program, it is reevaluating the best use of these tests – including potentially allocating them directly to schools, child care programs and long-term care facilities – now that the general public has access to the new federal program.

Vermont is the national leader in both PCR testing and the distribution of at-home tests, according to state officials. They noted Vermont has consistently performed the most PCR tests per capita of any state. Since late December, the state has also distributed about one million at-home tests directly to Vermonters, schools, child care programs, long term care facilities and other community partners.

States’ access to supplies of at-home tests continues to be a challenge, and the state of Vermont will continue to work to acquire more. The nation’s governors are working with the federal government to improve coordination in procurement and distribution, according to the governor’s statement on Thursday.

— Gareth Henderson

Vermont masking bill becomes law

A view from River Street in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson)

Vermont municipalities can now create their own mask ordinances for indoor public spaces, if they so choose. 

On Monday, the Legislature passed a bill granting this local authority on masks, and Gov. Phil Scott signed it into law Tuesday. The bill removes this authority on April 30, 2022, meaning any local mask mandates put in place under this new law will end on that date.

Scott has been under pressure from lawmakers for weeks to reimpose a statewide mask mandate, given the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Vermont. The governor, wary of bringing back such statewide measures, offered the special session and the locally-focused masking bill as a compromise, with the caveat that this authority be temporary. Legislative leadership took him up on the offer, while criticizing Scott for not using his authority to require masks statewide amid the large increase in cases. They also worried the town-by-town approach would be divisive. Meanwhile, in Tuesday remarks, Scott repeated the argument that broad, statewide restrictions are not needed, given Vermont’s success in COVID vaccination and testing, and its low fatality and hospitalization rates.

As for the new law, it does not require anything of municipalities; it just gives them the option of creating their own local mask mandates. If a town or city imposes a mask mandate, the ordinance can apply to indoor public spaces, but the law leaves it up to local officials to define “public space” under their ordinance, according to Vermont Public Radio. Also, municipalities are allowed to enact penalties for non-compliance if they so choose, VPR added. However, the ordinance can’t apply to schools, as local school boards still have jurisdiction over school district mask policy.

So far, Burlington and Montpelier are reportedly planning to enact mask mandates, but some other communities are not doing so. Woodstock Village, which had a mask mandate for about a year until this past June, is not planning to reinstate one at this time. Village Trustees have said the mask policies already in place at local businesses and organizations are sufficient at this point, but they’ll review this decision in December. 

Welch to run for U.S. Senate

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch will run for the U.S. Senate in 2022, according to media reports.

VPR reported on Monday that Welch plans to seek the Senate seat that will open up after Sen. Patrick Leahy’s announced retirement. Leahy said last week he will not run for reelection, after nearly five decades in the Senate. 

Welch, 74, is Vermont’s lone congressman and has served eight terms in the U.S. House. On Monday, he told VPR that the priorities highlighted in the “Build Back Better” bill, which the House recently passed, will be key to his Senate campaign.

Welch, originally from Massachusetts, has a political career spanning over four decades. After graduating from law school at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1973, he settled in White River Junction, Vermont. There, he worked as a public defender and later founded a small law practice. Welch was first elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont Senate in 1980. In 1985, he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to lead the chamber, becoming the first Democrat in Vermont history to hold the position of president pro tempore.

In 2006, Welch was elected to Vermont’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

— Gareth Henderson

Officials: Vt. ready to vaccinate children ages 5-11 against COVID-19

The Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Parents of children ages 5-11 will soon be able to have their kids vaccinated against COVID-19.

CDC advisers voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for this age group. Following that panel’s decision, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is widely expected to issue final approval. This vaccine for children ages 5-11 will be given in two doses three weeks apart. It is one-third the dosage of the Pfizer vaccine for adults. 

In anticipation of the final CDC approval, registration will open at 8 a.m. for Vermont parents to sign their children up. People will be able to go to healthvermont.gov/myvaccine or call 855-722-7878 to make an appointment. With support from EMS and other health care partners, the state Health Department has also arranged for clinics in nearly 100 schools across the state over a six-week period, beginning on Monday, Nov. 8.

“Our goal is to get as many doses as possible into students’ arms before the holiday break at the end of December — that’s first and second dose,” said Mike Smith, Vermont’s secretary of human services. 

At a Tuesday press conference, it was clear the gears were fully in motion in Vermont. The state was receiving 6,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11 by Tuesday night — part of 23,400 doses being shipped to the state this week. Of those, 15,900 are going to the state, with the remaining 7,500 heading to clinics at pharmacies and health care sites around Vermont, according to officials.  

“This will be an enormous step forward and a significant opportunity to protect as many people as possible,” Gov. Phil Scott said of the expected vaccine.

At the briefing, Scott urged those who are skeptical about vaccinating their kids to consider the following factors.

“We know from recent experience how important in-person instruction is for our kids, and by getting them vaccinated, you’re not only reducing their chance of getting COVID, but you’re taking an important step to keep them in school, improving their education, and all the social and mental health benefits that come along with it,” Scott said.  

Dr. Rebecca Bell, president of the Vermont chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said this has been “a long-awaited and much-anticipated development.” This low-dose Pfizer vaccine was shown to be 91% effective against COVID-19 infection, Bell said. The doses are expected to be available at local pediatrician offices by mid-November.

Bell also noted the success of the effort to vaccinate older children, adding that 31,000 Vermonters ages 12-17 have been vaccinated against the virus. 

“Those are our patients, and we have been so grateful that they are vaccinated and protected from serious illness,” she said. 

The governor was hopeful that most parents of kids ages 5-11 would have their children inoculated. He said Vermont leads the country in a number of vaccination-related categories, including youth vaccination. 

“About a week ago, we were the first state to cross the 80% vaccination threshold for kids 12-17, with over 70% of them being fully vaccinated,” Scott said. 

There are about 44,000 children ages 5-11 in Vermont; the state’s total population was just over 643,000 as of April 2020.

— Gareth Henderson

Officials: Vt. well-prepared for vaccine distribution

(Gareth Henderson Photo)

When a COVID-19 vaccine is available to Vermont, the state will be ready to distribute it.

That was the key message from Vermont officials on Friday, as the state unveiled its distribution framework for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Last week, the state submitted responses to a series of questions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), laying out Vermont’s framework for vaccine distribution and Vermont’s preparedness. Gov. Phil Scott said the state is still waiting on some logistical details from the federal government, which is responsible for nationwide distribution of vaccines. But he said Vermont’s interim COVID-19 vaccination plan will evolve as new information comes forward. 

“With so many unknowns, this is difficult work,” Scott said in a statement. “But we have a strong infrastructure in place, and we have been working with a talented team of world-class experts for months to learn from past experiences and to further strengthen our systems. The bottom line is: We will be ready.”

When that time comes, the vaccine quantity Vermont will receive is unclear, but under Vermont’s plan the vaccine will first go to health care workers and the staff and residents of long-term care facilities. Those who are most at risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19 will also be prioritized, and the vaccine will be made available to other vulnerable populations as supplies increase, health officials said. The vaccine may arrive in Vermont as soon as the end of this year, but will most likely not be available to the general population until well into 2021, according to state Health Commissioner Mark Levine.

Vermont’s Vaccination Planning Team has been working on the state’s distribution framework since July. On Thursday, the U.S. topped 70,000 coronavirus cases in one day, a mark not passed since July, according to National Public Radio. Vermont continues to have the nation’s lowest test positivity rate for COVID-19.

“Having a safe and effective vaccine is an essential tool to stop the virus from spreading. ... I encourage everyone to get vaccinated when it’s available to them,” Levine said in prepared remarks. “We are all ready for this next step toward ending the pandemic. But let me be clear — safety comes first. Any vaccine must meet all FDA safety standards and be recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, free from politics.”

It is expected the initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine will likely be limited. Assuming that holds true, the state’s interim plan lays out a phased approach, subject to change, as seen in its full proposal submitted to the CDC.

Within the state’s framework, this effort also includes a range of partners, such as pharmacies, hospitals, primary care providers, community service organizations, privately run clinics, long-term care facilities and correctional facilities.

“This is an enormous undertaking with a number of crucial considerations,” Levine said. “But one thing is clear, in Vermont, we’ll be ready for the vaccine before the vaccine is ready for us.”

Friday’s announcement was another example of Vermont’s steady approach to this crisis, guided by science, common sense and community-mindedness. Many people will be glad at the reiteration of something Levine has said before: that the pull of politics won’t influence Vermont’s actions regarding the vaccine. The focus will be on what Vermont needs to do to keep communities safe and healthy, as numerous people work to help the state take this important next step. As Vermonters approach this next challenge, their innate strength to succeed in spite of great obstacles will help ensure progress. 

— Gareth Henderson

Our foundation of good

Fall foliage is illuminated while hiking up Cadillac Mountain in Maine earlier this month. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Despite so much struggle, we're still here — with all that entails, including hope. 

This thought came to mind while reflecting on the many challenges of recent months, in which people have grappled with wave upon wave of changes in their lives. We've been through so much, but at the same time, there is a lot of good being shared.

We're still sharing our music and poetry, we're helping our neighbors in need, we're celebrating special moments in our lives — or even making socially distanced celebrations possible for others. 

I was treated to a celebration last week, hearing the Woodstock group The Wednesday Poets read their work on the steps of Norman Williams Public Library. Two-dozen community members showed up to listen, and everyone was engaged in this wonderful, profound sharing. It was socially distanced, yet intimate, because something from someone else's soul reached out and touched yours. When someone shares their talent with you, you're deeply engaged with that individual, and it gives new meaning to those precious moments. 

Those are the kinds of moments people are missing these days, and it's the reason why that poetry reading was so well received by everyone there. I expect those kinds of events to pop up more often (done safely of course), because we really can't do without them for too long. They speak to who we really are, and how connected we really are.

Other things that connect us are the challenges we face. They're part of what this experience entails, too. As we've seen, there is much to take on in this world, and much that needs to be resolved. From COVID-19 and the economy to racial injustice, it can seem like too much at once. 

But then, we're reminded about how amazing we are, and how much propensity for good there really is. Through small, steady steps, we can muster the goodness and love that underpins our very being, and join hands to find the solutions this world needs, in a way that makes people want to unify. The journey is long, but it's ours to walk, and the time to move forward is now. 

— Gareth Henderson

Vt. still a leader in COVID response; caution urged

A view of the Ottauquechee River near the Woodstock-Pomfret town line. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Vermont continues to be a leader in a number of COVID-19 metrics, even as major challenges abound throughout the region and the country. 

On Tuesday at a press conference, state officials said Vermont had the lowest seven-day infection rate in the country, and still had a low test positivity rate. There were no COVID-related deaths in Vermont in September, nor anyone in the ICU with the virus that entire month in the whole state — a fact that Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, called "pretty remarkable.” He also noted that cases among young Vermonters from age 0 to 19 were down by 41 percent going into September, which was a good sign for the start of school.

The most difficult data point was the number of cases, which was higher this week, mainly due to an outbreak in Addison County among guest workers at Champlain Orchards in Shoreham. A total of 27 of the workers tested positive for COVID-19. On Tuesday, Health Commissioner Mark Levine said the outbreak had been contained to the site, contact tracing was complete, and quarantine measures were in place. There is no known threat to the public from the situation, Levine said, noting that none of Vermont’s four new cases on Tuesday were in Addison County. The same was true for Wednesday's six new cases.

He also cautioned people to stick to the facts, saying that transmission of the virus works the same for any group.

"It's vital that Vermonters know the facts about COVID, learned from trusted sources who will tell you the truth even as we learn more about the virus," Levine said at the press briefing. "Do not be distracted or swayed by so much chaos and political theater at the top. COVID-19 spreads because it is a highly contagious virus that is in the air we all breathe." 

Levine also urged the importance of mask-wearing, social distancing and avoiding large crowds. That reminder came as cases rose over the past week in New York, Massachusetts and Quebec. 

"Generally, the number of individuals allowed to come in (to Vermont) without a quarantine has gone down to 2.9 million, which is the lowest number since we released the travel map," Pieciak said Tuesday. He was referring to an online map showing the counties from which people can come to Vermont without observing quarantine rules.

Clearly, the Addison County outbreak and rising cases elsewhere in the country show the need for continued vigilance and caution. That said, maybe that vigilance is not only needed around our own actions around public health, but also around how we treat others. We’ve all felt the rising tide of tension around the pandemic, coupled with economic turmoil and growing political rancor. While we deal with these challenges, we can still take a moment to regard our neighbors kindly, and be good to others. Using Levine’s wording, we don’t have to be “distracted or swayed” from those opportunities to lift others up. They might be the best opportunities we have to make any given day a better one.

— Gareth Henderson

Woodstock's library adjusts to virtual life

The Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

From the knitting group and book reviews to a festival, the Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock, Vermont, dove into virtual offerings in recent months like many nonprofits have — and that's expected to continue into the long term.

Clare McFarland, the library's director, expected that to hold true even after the pandemic, with any new program having some kind of online component. 

"Going forward, I think there'll always be a virtual presence," she said. "I think people are becoming more and more comfortable with doing things virtually." 

A number of programs have been online now for weeks, including children's programs and a YouTube channel featuring book reviews. That channel, run by Adult Services Director Kathy Beaird, will soon feature a new cooking series. This past week, the library helped launch the virtual version of the Bookstock Literary Festival, which presents four authors this year. Next up for the local library: a virtual book launch for "Sustainable Kitchen: Recipes and Inspiration for Plant-based, Planet Conscious Meals" with Upper Valley authors Heather Wolfe and Jaynie McCloskey, coming up at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (email programs@normanwilliams.org for an invite to this free Zoom Webinar). 

At top left, Meg Brazill, director of communications and events for the Norman Williams Public Library, speaks during Thursday’s virtual Bookstock event with poet Reuben Jackson, at top right, with New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum as host for the evening. (Image Provided)

McFarland said it's not possible to plan everything during the evolution of these online events, and so, it's important to be flexible. 

"It's a matter of letting it evolve," she said, adding, "People are definitely learning new strengths they didn't know they had."   

It's now been a month since the library reopened its building, located near Woodstock's picturesque Village Green. McFarland was appointed to be the library's director in July, after having worked there for eight years. She said the library’s reopening has gone well in spite of the challenges amid the pandemic, and the staff has worked together very well to keep operations moving forward. The public has also been greatly supportive.

"There's been no issue with mask-wearing, and people following the rules," McFarland said. "It's been better than we could have hoped for." 

Current hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday are curbside only, same hours. There’s a 30-minute limit for patrons on the main floor, where there is a five-person limit as well.

“We’re trying to cycle people through the building as best we can, without having people hanging around,” McFarland said.

For those coming in, there’s a table in the entrance way with hand sanitizer, and there are five tickets on the table. Each person is asked to take a ticket, and if someone comes in and all five tickets are gone, that person needs to wait until one comes back.

The children’s room is by appointment only, and there is also a five-person limit in that space.

McFarland said the curbside pick-up option continues to be popular, and overall library operations are going well under the new procedures.

“Things are working very smoothly right now.”

— Gareth Henderson

Vt. eases rules on lodging, restaurants

Traffic moves through downtown Woodstock, Vermont, during the summer. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

In a bid to help strengthen the hospitality sector before foliage season, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Friday loosened several state restrictions on businesses amid the pandemic. 

Scott announced that lodging establishments — which had been limited to 50 percent capacity — can now rent all their rooms, as long as guests follow all required health precautions. Those include mask-wearing, physical distancing and travel and quarantine requirements. Additionally, the governor said restaurants can now open up bar seating, with six-foot physical distancing and a lexan barrier between customers and staff working behind the bar. Both of these rule changes were effective immediately. 

Scott acknowledged many of these businesses are struggling to survive.

"I know this is not enough to soften the economic blow to our hospitality sector, and we'll continue to work with the Legislature to support these businesses that were hit the hardest, in order to help save the jobs and revenue they create," he said.    

Along those lines, Scott announced the state has a new program to help businesses. There are now five organizations across Vermont offering free expert advice on how businesses can navigate the financial pressures of the pandemic. Any businesses or nonprofits wanting to learn more are welcome to visit accd.vermont.gov for details.

To date, Vermont has been able to open most sectors to some extent, Scott said, thanks to Vermonters' adherence to public health measures. The state still has the lowest COVID-19 test positivity rate in the nation. However, to continue those good results, everyone must remain vigilant and keep following the same health practices to make further progress, Scott said. 

"If we all do our part — both Vermonters and visitors — we can continue to safely open up the economy, put people back to work in order to provide for their families, and prevent our local small businesses from closing their doors for good," he said.

Vermont continues to maintain an online map which shows which travelers can visit Vermont without a quarantine, per state requirements. Travelers from a county with less than 400 active COVID-19 cases per million residents are allowed to visit the Green Mountains with no quarantine.   

On Friday, state officials announced the total number of travelers able to visit quarantine-free increased by 2 million over the past week, to a total of 7.4 million. That is due to recent declines in cases in some of the most populous counties in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

— Gareth Henderson