Vermont reporters provide a roundup of top news takeaways about the coronavirus, proposed federal stimulus, the Everyone Eats program, bear hunting and more for Friday, Jan. 15.
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1. The Vermont Department of Health reports 142 new COVID-19 cases
There were 142 new COVID-19 cases in Vermont reported Friday, and one additional virus-related death.
It's the eleventh day in row Vermont has seen more than 100 new infections.
Today's COVID-related fatality puts the state's coronavirus death toll at 163.
Hotspots for new infections were Chittenden County, with 44 new cases, Windsor County with 22, and Bennington County, with 19.
As of today there are 44 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including six people in the ICU.
- Matthew Smith
Health commissioner says most new Vt. COVID-19 cases are not tied to outbreaks
Vermont’s top health official says that most of Vermont’s new coronavirus cases are not tied to outbreaks.
New infections are being driven primarily by contact with a known case of COVID-19, according to health department data released Friday.
Health Commissioner Mark Levine says that could indicate more community spread of the virus.
Levine says one of the largest outbreaks in the state – at Victory Baptist Church in Vergennes – doesn’t seem to be causing more outbreaks.
“The majority of those cases are primary cases and in multiple households who attended some of the three services or all of three services over Christmas. There do not appear to be any secondary outbreaks,” Levine said.
On Friday, the state reported 142 new coronavirus cases and one more fatality, bringing the death toll to 163. Forty-four people are currently hospitalized with the virus and six are in the ICU.
- Liam Elder-Connors
New COVID-19 cases at Vermont prisons
A Vermont inmate and three prison staffers, at different facilities, have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Department of Corrections.
The department says the inmate is at Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury. That facility is on full lockdown pending contact tracing.
Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield is also in a lockdown after two staff members tested positive for the virus.
Another staffer at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland also tested positive this week. That facility is on a modified lockdown after contact tracing found no risk to the prison population.
DOC says staff and incarcerated people who were in close contact with infected individuals are in quarantine.
Since March, 244 Vermont inmates and 41 prison staffers have tested positive for COVID-19.
- Liam Elder-Connors
Gov. Scott allows drills with limited contact, scrimmages for high school sports
The high school winter sports season in Vermont is moving closer to getting started with competitive games.
Previously, Gov. Phil Scott limited all school winter sports activities to non-contact drills with players keeping a safe distance from each other.
Scott said Friday the first phase has been a success and he's now moving to Phase 2.
“Since then we've seen no spread of the virus tied to these activities and spread within the schools remains low. Phase 2 allows for teams to expand practices to include drills with limited contact and scrimmages,” Scott said.
If the current favorable trends continue, Scott said he hopes to be able to allow competitive games to start in the next few weeks.
- Bob Kinzel
2. Vermonters 75 and older can get a COVID-19 vaccine January 27
Vermonters 75 or older will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine beginning on Jan. 27 – the next phase of a massive effort to inoculate the state’s population.
Ther are about 49,000 Vermonters above the age of 75, and state officials say it’ll take about six weeks to vaccinate them all. Once that is done, people 70-and-older will be able to get the shot, and then those 65-and-up.
Human Services Secretary Mike Smith says beginning on Jan. 25, eligible residents can make vaccine appointments online or by calling a special number.
"We are going to need children, grandchildren or other relatives to help their older loved ones to use the online tool as much as possible, to keep our call centers from being overwhelmed," Smith said
“Once you have an appointment, it will be very important that you make every effort to keep it,” Smith said. “Cancellation and unplanned no-shows would causes doses to be spoiled.”
Smith said clinics will be held around the state and EMTs will help get the vaccine to homebound Vermonters.
More from VPR: Vt. AstraZeneca Vaccine Trial Leader ‘Optimistic,’ Analysis Expected Within A Month
- Liam Elder-Connors
3. Scott administration denies bid for teachers to be prioritized for vaccines
The Scott administration has rejected a request from the state's teachers union that their members be vaccinated before the state moves to a full "in person" school model after April vacation.
The state has just released its vaccine distribution plan that's based on age and chronic medical conditions.
Education Secretary Dan French says the positivity rate for teachers and school staff is far below that of the state as whole.
"I think we can conclude these test results are a good indicator that our schools are operating very safely,” French said. “In addition, our epidemiological data continues to show that little evidence of school level transmission of the virus."
State officials hope all Vermonters 65 and older will be vaccinated by the end of winter.
- Bob Kinzel
4. Gov. Scott says President-elect Biden's proposed COVID-19 relief package would be a boon to Vermont
Gov. Phil Scott says a new COVID-19 stimulus package proposed by president elect Joe Biden would be a huge benefit to the Vermont economy.
On Thursday night, Biden unveiled a nearly $2 trillion plan that would send $1,400 checks to most people. It would provide billions of dollars to help small businesses, and it would make direct grants to states that are experiencing significant revenue shortfalls because of the pandemic.
“We're hopeful – this would be great news for Vermont if it came to fruition and it's much needed in a lot of different sectors,” Scott said Friday. “The economic need in particular for those the hospitality industry would be very beneficial for Vermont.”
Vermont's Congressional delegation is also expressing strong support for the proposed Biden package.
- Bob Kinzel
5. State treasurer seeks 'painful' cuts to retirement benefits for government workers
State Treasurer Beth Pearce is calling for significant cuts to retirement benefits for teachers and state employees.
Pearce says Vermont’s pension system is on course to become insolvent if Vermont doesn’t reduce retirement benefits.
“We need to be able to assure that we’re going to have money in the future for all retirees,” Pearce said.
Pearce issued a report today on Friday that recommends reducing or eliminating cost-of-living adjustments for future retirees.
Officials for the Vermont teachers union say they oppose the plan.
And they say elected officials should shore up the pension system by increasing taxes on wealthier residents.
- Peter Hirschfeld
6. 2020: A record year for bear hunters in Vermont
The numbers are in: 2020 was a record season for bear hunters in Vermont, according to the Fish and Wildlife Department.
The previous record for bears taken in Vermont was 750, which was set in in 2019. In 2020, hunters broke that record – 914 bears were harvested last year.
The department says it saw a surge in hunter numbers, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those hunters may also have had more time to spend outdoors. Nearly 14,000 hunters bought a tag for the early season in the fall, which is when the majority of the bears were taken.
More from VPR: Amid Pandemic, Deer Hunting Sees A Resugence
- Anna Van Dine
7. Vermont expects to restart the Everyone Eats program by the end of January
A statewide program that paid restaurants to cook free meals for Vermonters during the pandemic will restart later this month.
The Everyone Eats program lost its federal Covid relief funding at the end of the year.
But Stephanie Bonin, who helps run the program, says the Scott Administration was able to get it going again.
“The entire Vermont Everyone Eats is restarting. And the majority of the hubs are starting the week of Jan. 18,” Bonin said.
More than 100 restaurants will be getting $10 per meal. The meals are provided for free at sites across the state.
More from VPR: State Hopes Brattleboro Food Program Can Help Restaurants Across Vermont
- Howard Weiss-Tisman
Correction 4:15 p.m. 1/18/2021: The headline of this post has been updated to indicate that Vermonters 75 and older, not just Vermonters over 75, will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 27.
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