Vermont reporters provide a roundup of top news takeaways about the coronavirus, dangerously hot weather and more for Wednesday, Aug. 11.
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As Vermont's pandemic state of emergency has ended and coronavirus restrictions lifted statewide, we will no longer be reporting daily case numbers at the top of this post. Click here for the latest on new cases, and findthe latest vaccination data online any time.
1. Vermont officials report 85 new COVID-19 cases
Vermont health officials reported 85 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday, with 30 of those cases in Chittenden County.
Virus-linked hospitalizations ticked down slightly to 23. Seven people are in intensive care.
That state's vaccination rate remains at 84.6%.
The latest CDC data shows nine Vermont counties — Chittenden, Franklin, Orleans, Essex, Lamoille, Washington, Caledonia, Bennington and Windham — are all experiencing "high or substantial" community transmission of the virus.
The CDC recommends wearing masks indoors in those areas, regardless of your vaccination status.
- Matthew Smith
Modeling shows COVID cases counts rising through August, then declining by mid-September
Daily COVID-19 case counts in Vermont have hit their highest point since April. And Gov. Phil Scott says Vermonters should prepare for even higher numbers ahead, as the delta variant moves through the population.
“We expect cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks,” Scott said. “This may happen even though we’re approaching 85% of the eligible population.”
While fully vaccinated Vermonters account for a sizeable portion of new COVID infections in the state, Scott says they’re far less likely than unvaccinated people to be hospitalized with the disease.
Vermont’s COVID modeling predicts daily case counts to hit 150 by the end of August. But that same modeling forecasts a decline in cases by the middle of September.
- Peter Hirschfeld
Gov. announces COVID-19 vaccine mandate for certain state employees
Gov. Phil Scott on Tuesday announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for certain state employees.
And he’s urging private-sector businesses to follow suit.
Scott says vaccine mandates can protect public health, and the bottom line.
“If you’re company doesn’t have a high vaccination rate, you could see major disruptions if delta gets in, and one good way to protect that from happening is to incentivize and require the COVID-19 vaccine,” he said.
State workers at the Vermont Veterans Home, the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital and Vermont Department of Corrections will be subject to the new vaccine requirement.
- Peter Hirschfeld
Waterbury day camp outbreak continues to grow
An outbreak of COVID-19 at a Waterbury Parks and Recreation day camp has now grown to 25 infections.
That's up from 13 cases reported over the weeked, mostly among campers who are 12 or younger and therefore unvaccinated.
Health officials say no one connected to the outbreak has been hospitalized.
VTDigger reports, to date, there have been 30 COVID-19 infections linked to outbreaks at summer camps in Vermont, and 14 cases linked with child care facility outbreaks.
- Matthew Smith
2. National Weather Service warns of dangerous heat today, tomorrow
The National Weather Services continues to caution about dangerously hot weather expected in New York and Vermont today and tomorrow.
Heat index values in the mid- to upper 90s are expected today, reaching up to 100 degrees in Burlington, Middlebury and Glens Falls.
That means hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
The warmest temperatures are expected between noon and 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Forecasters urge the public to take extra precautions if you work or spend time outdoors, avoid or reschedule strenuous activities to the early morning or evening, and to stay hydrated with plenty of fluids.
- Matthew Smith
3. Pownal residents reach out to Congressional delegation after mail stops for a week
Pownal residents went without mail for a week, and locals are reaching out to Washington for answers.
The Bennington Bannerreports mail failed to arrive — and outgoing mail wasn't picked up — across Pownal last week. Customers with PO boxes were unaffected.
Residents complained about the lack of deliveries — some going more than a week without mail — as well as a lack of notice about the pause in service.
The paper reports no one at the local post office returned requests to explain the stoppage, but a Boston-area post office spokesperson blamed a nationwide struggle to find enough workers.
All three members of Vermont's Congressional delegation say they've heard from Pownal residents and are making inquiries with the postal service.
The paper reports mail in Pownal began arriving on Monday.
- Matthew Smith
Elodie Reed compiled and edited this post.
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