Governor Phil Scott declared a State of Emergency March 13, 2020, and subsequently signed dozens of Executive Orders aimed to keep Vermonters safe —many disrupted normal life.
Two years of major milestones can become a blur. All the executive orders, mandates and guidance — which at times felt like rapid fire — gone now, in the past. For those who care to remember, here are a few key dates that help put the two-year timeline in perspective.
- March 7, 2020, the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Vermont
- March 13, 2020, state of emergency began
- March 19, 2020, the first two Vermonters died of Covid
- June 14, 2021, state of emergency ends, over 80% of eligible Vermonters vaccinated
- March 14, 2022, state lifts masking guidance for all Vermonters indoors, schools
SCHOOLS
- March 15, 2020, pre-K-12 schools closed
- March 17, 2020, childcare centers closed
- March 26, 2020, announcement: schools will remain closed through school year
- Sept. 8, 2020, pre-K-12 schools reopened
BUSINESSES, SOCIAL
- March 16, 2020, all bars and restaurants closed (takeout/delivery permitted)
- March 19, 2020, takeout/delivery of alcoholic beverages okayed
- March 24, 2020, “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, closure of in-person non-essential businesses, gatherings limited to households
- March 30, 2020, restricted travel and 14-day quarantine mandate for residents and non-residents for all non-essential travel
- May-June, 2020, phased reopening with capacity limits slowly increasing
VACCINATIONS
- Dec. 14, 2020, the first American was vaccinated
- Dec. 15, 2020, the first Vermonter was vaccinated
- Jan.-Feb., 2021, oldest and most vulnerable Vermonters eligible for vaccine
- March-April, 2021, all Vermonters age 16+ were eligible by age bracket
- June 14, 2021, Vermont hits 80% vaccination threshold, ending state of emergency
- May 13, 2021, vaccine becomes available for 12- to 15-year-olds
- Nov. 2, 2021, vaccine becomes available for 5- to 11-year-olds
