Frontline workers honored
As Vermont headed into Labor Day Weekend, Gov. Phil Scott recognized workers on the front lines during the pandemic.
A view from Fletcher Hill Road in Woodstock, Vermont (Gareth Henderson Photo)
As the state of Vermont headed into Labor Day Weekend, Gov. Phil Scott recognized those workers on the front lines of the efforts to keep people safe and sustain the economy during the pandemic.
Scott noted that this time of year honors the workers who keep the economy and our communities going. But as we all know, 2020 is an unprecedented time.
"This year, I especially want to recognize the frontline heroes of this once-in-a-century health emergency," Scott said in a Friday statement, including "the nurses, custodians, grocery store workers, childcare providers, and all of those who have helped to keep Vermont one of the safest states in the country during one of most uncertain times many of us can remember."
Vermont continues to have the lowest COVID-19 infection rate in the U.S., and Scott said achieving that result is a statewide effort.
“Our success has been earned by the labor of so many Vermonters: Those who volunteered to deliver lunches to students at home, spent their own money to make homemade masks to distribute to frontline workers, our teachers and school employees getting ready for the start of the school year, and those who have found ways to do their work from home to slow the spread and protect our most vulnerable," Scott said.
Still, this Labor Day Weekend comes at a time when many are still out of a job due to COVID-19, as the governor noted. State data shows 40,000 people are receiving unemployment benefits. Leading up to the long weekend, officials in Vermont and other states have again encouraged people to wear masks, follow social distancing, keep their hands washed, and stay home when not feeling well. That’s not only the road to better public health; it's the road to reopening further.
"Being smart this weekend will help make sure we can continue to responsibly reopen our economy so these hardworking Vermonters can get back to work. So, while we celebrate this weekend, please do so responsibly," Scott said. “Let’s continue to show the nation that by listening to the data and science, and working together, we will get through this unprecedented time."
— Gareth Henderson