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

Woodstock Village mask ordinance amended to align with state

The Village Green in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

In the Village of Woodstock, people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer have to wear masks indoors or outdoors, or stay socially distanced from others. 

At a special meeting held on Zoom, the Woodstock Village Trustees unanimously voted Monday evening to make this change, in accordance with the state of Vermont’s amendment to its mask mandate last Friday. “Fully vaccinated” means that two weeks have passed since a person’s final vaccine dose. 

Those who are not fully vaccinated must still follow the village mask ordinance — which allows people to un-mask outdoors as long as they can maintain a social distance of six feet. This also matches the state’s policy. People who aren’t fully vaccinated must still wear masks at all indoor spaces serving the public. Businesses are allowed to have stricter rules if they so choose.  

Businesses and events operating outdoors must still adhere to mask requirements under the Vermont Forward reopening plan. See more details here. The state aims to remove its mask rule and all pandemic restrictions by July 4, and the Village Trustees expect to suspend their ordinance when that happens.

At Monday’s meeting, there was no discussion of the mask ordinance after a motion was made and seconded, and Trustees quickly got to the 5-0 vote. The Woodstock Town Select Board, which has a resolution in line with the village ordinance, had previously voted to support the trustees in their mask ordinance changes and keep the resolution aligned with state guidance. The Select Board’s next meeting is Tuesday at 6 p.m. on Zoom.

— Gareth Henderson

Vermont eases mask rule again; speeds up reopening

A mountain view from Cox District Road in Bridgewater, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Vermont is no longer requiring fully vaccinated people to wear masks or adhere to social distancing, following a Thursday update to CDC guidance. This applies to indoor and outdoor spaces.

A second change also took effect Friday: Vermont moved up its statewide reopening schedule, as the state is hitting its COVID-19 vaccination targets over two weeks early. That means further relaxing capacity limits for gatherings and events, and there is now no COVID test required due to any travel.

For indoor gatherings and events, capacity limits were lowered to 1 unvaccinated person per 50 square feet or up to 300 people (whichever is lower), plus any number of vaccinated people. Outdoors, the limit is 900 people, plus any number of vaccinated individuals. For more details, check out the state's Vermont Forward web page.

Announcing the big news, Gov. Phil Scott thanked Vermonters for aiding this important progress.

"Because of you stepping up for the greater good, doing your part in getting vaccinated, we're able to do this," he said at Friday's press briefing.

Those who are not fully vaccinated must still follow the state's mask rule — which allows people to un-mask outdoors as long as they can maintain a social distance of six feet. Masks are still required in indoor public spaces. "Fully vaccinated" means that two weeks have passed since your final vaccine dose, the governor emphasized. Several settings will still require masking and social distancing, such as schools, public transportation, healthcare settings, long-term care facilities, and prisons.

Some Vermont municipalities still have their own mask policies. Earlier this week, prompted by the state’s May 1 update, Woodstock Village altered its mask ordinance and no longer requires face coverings to be worn outdoors in the village limits, as long as six feet of social distance can be maintained. The local ordinance still requires masking for indoor public spaces and businesses. There is no mention of vaccination status. On Friday, Woodstock Village Trustees Chair Jeff Kahn said the board will discuss the state's latest update. This will take place at a special meeting Monday, May 17, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Connection information is on the town’s website.

At the state press conference, officials acknowledged that some vaccinated individuals might still choose to mask up, even after this latest change.

"Now, I understand there might be some who are still uncomfortable, a little hesitant, and that's OK. That's their choice, and I sincerely hope Vermonters can show understanding," Scott said. "But the fact is, if you're fully vaccinated, the health experts at the CDC have determined there is very little risk, and it's time to reward all the hard work you've done over the past 14 months to help make Vermont's pandemic response the best in the country."

State Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said it may feel weird for some people to not wear a mask, even after being immunized.

"But know that when you do feel ready, vaccines work, and you are protected," he said.

Vermont still leads the nation in per-capita administration of the COVID vaccine, and over 61% of Vermonters have received at least one dose. On Thursday, for the first time since November, the University of Vermont Medical Center had no COVID in-patients.

The vaccination numbers continue to rise, as more than 7,300 Vermonters ages 12-15 had signed up for vaccine appointments as of Friday morning, after their age group became eligible on Thursday. Only the Pfizer vaccine is approved for 12-15-year-olds, who must have the consent of their parents or guardians to be immunized. To accelerate these vaccinations, Vermont will receive 5,000 additional Pfizer doses next week, as part of a federal program allowing states to request more than their usual weekly allotment.

In his remarks Friday, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith announced that the Vermont chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is holding a series of online forums in the coming weeks about the COVID vaccine and adolescents. The list of forums is available at aapvt.org.

Smith encouraged parents to reach out to their pediatricians with any specific questions.

"Pediatricians are thrilled that more of their patients and family members are ready to be vaccinated, and they are willing to help in any way that they can," he said.

The state continues to add vaccination clinics, including walk-in opportunities. Visit healthvermont.gov/myvaccine for more information or call 855-722-7878.

— Gareth Henderson

Village mask ordinance amended; Vt. prepares to vaccinate ages 12-15

The Village Green in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

A mask is no longer required to be worn outdoors within the Village of Woodstock, after a decision by the Woodstock Village Trustees on Tuesday night. 

Trustees voted 3-1 to suspend the portion of the local mask ordinance which required a face covering to be worn outside. However, state guidelines will be followed, including wearing a mask when six feet of social distancing is not possible. Masks must still be worn inside all public buildings and businesses. 

Tuesday’s discussion was prompted by a recent change to Vermont’s statewide mask mandate, which was made in accordance with CDC guidance. The state no longer requires mask-wearing outside, except when six-foot social distancing can’t be maintained. The CDC recently announced that less than 1% of COVID-19 transmission occurs outdoors.

Businesses and events operating outdoors must still adhere to mask requirements under the Vermont Forward reopening plan. See more details here.

Woodstock Village expects to suspend its entire mask ordinance once the state ends its mask mandate. On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Scott said the state may lift the mandate ahead of schedule in June, as the state is hitting its vaccination goals faster than expected. Over 61% of all Vermonters have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. 

The governor expects to share more details on Friday about the state potentially speeding up its reopening plans.

State preparing to expand vaccination to ages 12-15

Vermont is preparing to add another age group to the COVID-19 vaccination effort this week. 

The FDA announced Monday it has approved use of Pfizer vaccine doses for children ages 12-15, and with final approval, state officials say vaccine registration for that group could begin immediately. If the final decision comes in the evening, registration for this age group will open at 8:15 a.m. the next morning, Vermont officials confirmed.  

That final approval rests with the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which meets to vote on Wednesday. In a weekly call between governors and White House and CDC leaders Tuesday, that final stage of approval was not in doubt, according to Vermont Gov. Phil Scott.

“They sounded optimistic that full approval would be coming very, very soon,” Scott said at a Tuesday press conference. 

In preparing for this change, the state has ordered a total of 4,480 extra Pfizer doses, through a new federal program allowing states to request doses above their weekly allocation. Pending federal approval of the request, those extra doses could arrive as soon as next week. 

Additionally, the state and school districts are planning over 40 school-based vaccination sites to accommodate the 12-15 age group. Those new sites will be open to the public as well. The recently unveiled walk-in clinics around the state will also be available to this new group, however, once eligible, officials are encouraging this group to sign up for their doses online. That’s because they can only have the Pfizer vaccine, noted Human Services Secretary Mike Smith. If they do visit a walk-in clinic, a parent will need to be with them to give permission.

Also on Tuesday, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said parents of children ages 16 and 17 (ages which are already eligible) and of children ages 12-15 should speak to their child’s pediatrician if they have questions or concerns regarding vaccinating their children. 

“They are there for you and your child, and many (pediatricians) are making appearances in your region of the state to emphasize the importance of vaccine for children in the age groups we’ve just discussed,” Levine said. 

He also said people are welcome to view information on the state’s vaccine website, healthvermont.gov/myvaccine, notably the “Frequently Asked Questions” section. 

As the state’s COVID cases keep trending downward, there has been a marked improvement in the rate of vaccination among those 30 years old and younger, according to Michael Pieciak, the financial regulation commissioner, who spoke about state trends on Tuesday. 

“Last week, those age bands sat just below the national average, and this week, they’re sitting comfortably above the national average,” Pieciak said. “So certainly, there’s more work to be done, but progress is being made.” 

— Gareth Henderson

5/12/2021 Update: On Wednesday afternoon, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to approve the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for ages 12-15.

Helping the environment, one life at a time

The Ottauquechee River, as seen from East End Park in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Around the world, 129 billion single-use face masks are used each month, and 3 million are thrown out every minute. They’ve entangled wildlife and polluted waterways, and some marine animals have eaten them. 

That situation might look too big for any of us to make a positive impact. But we can each do something to minimize the damage of this pandemic-specific waste, if we ever have to dispose of a single-use mask. In short, when you throw one out, cut or remove the straps — which makes it harder for animals to be strangled in them. By doing so, you can make a difference, noted Maria Algarra, founder of Clean This Beach Up, an environmental organization in Miami Beach, Florida.

“The idea is to dispose of your mask properly, put it in the bin, but also remember to cut or rip off the straps. That will be saving so many lives,” Algarra said in a PBS NewsHour segment, which aired on Earth Day last week. 

Part of the issue is that, how to properly dispose of something is not a top priority for many people, according to Jenna Jambeck, of the University of Georgia. For example, someone who goes shopping with a single-use mask and gloves, may not know how they’re going to throw them out after their errand is done. That gap has a big impact on the environment over the past year. 

“It just really came to light, I think, through the PPE that we were wearing,” Jambeck told the NewsHour. 

That culture of waste is especially worrisome, when you combine it with a number like 129 billion of those single-use masks being used and discarded each month. However, that means, as a global community, we have billions of opportunities to do what’s right. If we ever have the need to pick up a single-use mask, we can know that cutting those straps before throwing them out can have a true, positive impact on the world’s precious creatures.

Furthermore, we can know we’re very much not alone in caring about such issues. Maria Algarra and Jenna Jambeck, from the PBS NewsHour piece, are involved in constant efforts to clean up and benefit the environment, and there are many more people working to protect our natural surroundings and the animals that depend on them. We support those initiatives when we engage in loving, thoughtful treatment of the world around us, and take steps to reduce harmful human impacts on wildlife. We can truly make a difference, one life at a time. 

— Gareth Henderson

First week under mask ordinance

A number of shops in Woodstock, Vermont, are posting this sign which notes a local face-covering requirement. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Most people are complying with the face-covering ordinance enacted in Woodstock, Vermont, on July 9 — and many have been grateful it's in place. That's the feedback from business owners, speaking on Wednesday about the emergency ordinance Village Trustees approved last week. The town Select Board approved a resolution for areas outside the village. 

The ordinance requires that face-coverings be worn in all municipal buildings and establishments in the village, and also at village-owned public outdoor spaces including sidewalks and public parks. Exceptions are spelled out for some situations, several of which include toddlers age 2 and younger, people with breathing issues, strenuous outdoor work, or athletic activity such as running or bicycle riding. 

Parking attendants, police, or the health inspector are tasked with enforcing the regulation, and will also have extra masks to offer to those who don’t have one. The Woodstock Welcome Center on Mechanic Street has a supply as well. The face-covering requirement will remain in place until Vermont’s state of emergency order ends, or the trustees vote to remove their ordinance, whichever happens first.

Village Trustees Chair Jeff Kahn said people have been appreciative of the new rule and, so far, enforcement has gone smoothly. Individuals without masks are usually fine with accepting one to wear, he said. Some businesses have free masks available, and the Welcome Center has given out a number of them. Small signs about the ordinance and resolution have been handed out to local businesses, and Kahn said larger metal signage is in the works for several locations around the village.

He emphasized the new measure is for everyone’s safety. 

“We certainly want people to know we're not just doing this for ourselves,” Kahn said. “We want the visitors to be safe, also.”

Most local businesses have required masks since reopening to in-person retail, and Kahn’s shop, Unicorn, is one of them. In keeping with the overall trend, he said most shoppers have been open to wearing masks, and honoring the store’s request to sanitize hands, with no issues. He recalled only one couple who “left in a huff” after refusing both. 

“We’re pretty sure they were trying to make a political statement,” Kahn said. 

Kim Smith, co-owner of 37 Central Clothiers and Red Wagon Toy Company, reported the same positive response to the mask requirement, a rule that she, too has had in place since reopening. Free masks are at her stores if people need them. Smith said not one person has refused to comply, and visitors have praised the new rule. 

“I think they're happy that we're on it for them, too, not just for us," Smith said. 

That’s also been her experience at 37 Central’s location in Hanover, New Hampshire, where many of her customers are students from the local high school and Dartmouth College.

“They've all been great about wearing masks," said Smith, who also has them for sale. "We sell kids masks like crazy, too."  

— Gareth Henderson

Vermont’s progress gets national spotlight

Vermont’s steady progress against the coronavirus has grabbed the national spotlight. 

On Wednesday, CNN Health highlighted Vermont along with New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut as states that have “tamed the coronavirus, even after reopening.” 

The article emphasizes Vermont’s contact-tracing program which has helped contain the virus as well as several outbreaks.

“Vermont has the lowest test positivity rate in the nation - 0.78% as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University,” the CNN article states “It also has the 3rd lowest number of coronavirus cases per capita and the 10th lowest Covid-19 death rate of any state.”

Gov. Phil Scott officially extended Vermont’s state of emergency on Wednesday to help the state manage the crisis and respond to outbreaks. The state is currently responding to a possible outbreak in Manchester. 

It’s worth noting that local communities have been a big part of keeping the state’s overall pandemic numbers low. Woodstock last week became the latest Vermont town to enact a face-covering ordinance. The emergency ordinance passed by Woodstock Village Trustees requires that face-coverings be worn in all municipal buildings and establishments in the village, and also at village-owned public outdoor spaces including sidewalks and public parks. Some exceptions are included in the new requirement, which the town Select Board passed as a resolution. The ordinance and resolution will be in effect until the state of emergency ends, or the trustees lift the requirement, whichever happens first.

So far, businesses in Woodstock Village report most shoppers have been compliant with the new rule, and appreciate that it’s there (more on this Thursday). That shows the best response to the pandemic, is a community response, and it seems to be having a statewide impact in Vermont, and in other states which have shown the greatest progress in combating the virus. One of the most important points: More progress means more reopening, while of course monitoring what’s happening elsewhere.

As Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday: "As long as the data stays consistent, we will stick with our effort to incrementally lift restrictions and get closer to a point where this (emergency) order is no longer necessary."

— Gareth Henderson