Officials urge vigilance, adherence to Covid travel and gathering guidelines By Polly Mikula For the second straight week, Vermont and the Northeast region have seen Covid cases decline. Governor Phil Scott called the trend a “promising sign,” before cautioning listeners at his regular Covid-19 press conference, Tuesday, Dec. 29, that it was “too early to…

Ski resorts attract crowds, but protocols appear to be working By Emma Cotton/VTDigger On the snowy ascent to Killington Resort, blue road signs instruct out-of-state skiers to turn away if they haven’t quarantined according to Vermont’s Covid-19 guidelines. The signs are a final plea by the resort, and the state, for those who haven’t followed the…

Case count at 19, including one staff member By Lee J. Kahrs PITTSFORD — Almost the entire current class of recruits at the Vermont Police Academy has now tested positive for Covid-19, but director William Sheets said recruits have not lost much training and class time, and graduation is tentatively set for Jan. 4. When…

By Polly Mikula It’s now ok to take a walk or ski with a friend — as long as you are outdoors, wear masks and stay six feet apart, Governor Phil Scott said at the state press conference, Tuesday, Dec. 22. In addition to recreating outdoors, families can now gather with one other trusted family…

State says immunity is still months away By Polly Mikula Governor Phil Scott announced the arrival in Vermont of the first 1,950 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the regular press conference Tuesday, Dec. 15. It was the first portion of the 5,850 doses expected to arrive in Vermont this week. The first doses…

The state of Vermont is experiencing a shortage of nurses and caregivers for both paid and volunteer positions and is calling on volunteers and professionals to do all they can to help. The Vt. Dept. of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) has contracted with TLC Home Care, a staffing agency based in Williston, to…

By Polly Mikula Governor Phil Scott was cautiously optimistic as he addressed Vermonters at the regular news conference Tuesday, Dec. 15. The arrival of a Covid vaccine coupled by recent data about Vermont’s plateauing infection rates, were reason for hope, he said. But Scott refrained from hinting at possibilities for holiday gatherings or youth winter…

WOODSTOCK — On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Woodstock Union Middle and High School Principal Garon Smail and Windsor Central Supervisory Union Covid Coordinator Katie Burkel sent a letter to school families informing them “of a potential Covid-19 exposure at the Woodstock Union Middle & High School campus.” As a result some students and teachers were required…

By Mike Dougherty/VTDigger Covid-19 cases attributed to social events receded after the state’s ban on multi-household gatherings went intoeffect Nov. 13. Now outbreaks in facilities like nursing homes have become the primary driver of the ongoing surge, according to a new contact tracing data analysis released Friday, Dec. 4, by the Vermont Dept. of Health. Gov.…

By Katie Jickling/VTDigger If all goes smoothly, doses of a Covid -19 vaccine could be distributed throughout Vermont this week, but likely won't be administered to anyone until next week. Doctors, state officials, and nursing home administrators are scrambling to get ready to offer the first doses, which will go to high-risk Vermonters.  Medical teams are…

The Covid-19 Local Support and Community Action Team appointed by Governor Scott released its final report on Nov. 16 for economic and community recovery, praising the hard work and dedication of community leaders and local volunteers who have led Covid response and recovery efforts throughout Vermont. The report celebrates the “commitment [of Vermonters] to each…

During the current Covid-19 pandemic, many families and individuals are struggling financially. Isolation and fear can increase as well, creating a feeling of worry or even desperation in some people. Such circumstances are highly conducive to criminals trying to take advantage of people in a variety of ways, including financial scams. Efforts to separate people…

Staff report The state will continue to add more testing sites this week. Mike Smith, secretary of the Agency of Human Services, said on-demand testing sites opened last week in Rutland, Brattleboro, Burlington, Middlebury, and Waterbury. The Rutland site is located at Rutland Regional Medical Center, 160 Allen St. Additional testing sites are being opened…

By Polly Mikula Governor Phil Scott said he was "cautiously optimistic" at the regular news conference, Tuesday, Dec. 1. Thus far, the mitigation measures enacted Nov. 13 banning multi-family gatherings among other restrictions, have decreased the rate of Covid-19 spread, he said. But it's too early to tell what the effect of the Thanksgiving holiday…

Adherence to prohibition on gatherings is critical to prevent worst-case scenario By Polly Mikula In the first three weeks of November, Vermont has added more Covid cases than in the first five months of the pandemic combined  (March-July) — 40% of the state's total cases. “With the amount of virus in our communities right now,…