MONTPELIER — The Vermont Health Department on Friday reported the largest one-day increase in the number of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began more than a year ago.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said half the 251 new cases reported Friday were in people under age 30 and only four in people 65 or over.
Despite the increase in cases in Vermont, the number of people being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19 is continuing to decline, a testament to the vaccination program that has focused first on older adults, officials said.
Levine cited a variety of factors for the increase in cases, including people moving around more with the arrival of warmer weather, virus fatigue and the continued spread of some of the more transmissible forms of the virus in Vermont.
He said that some countries in Europe are locking down again and that the world is still not safe from the virus.
“The reality is we should always continue to be humbled by the virus,” Levine said during the state’s twice-weekly virus briefing.
Despite the increases, Vermont is continuing its gradual reopening. Gov. Phil Scott said state officials plan to outline in the next 10 days how the virus-imposed restrictions will continue to be loosened.
He stood by his belief that Vermont should be able to return to normal by July 4, once all adults in the state are fully vaccinated, which should be completed sometime in June. But he said all those decisions will be reevaluated by the conditions playing out in the state every day.
“At this point in time we don’t see that there’s a need to change course,” Scott said.
Mike Smith, secretary of the Agency of Human Services, said Vermont has been more successful than any other state in getting those 65 and older vaccinated, according to Centers for Disease Control data.
Smith said 86 percent of those 75 and older, 87 percent of those 70-74, and 70 percent of those 65-69 have been vaccinated.
In addition, 77 percent of teachers and school staff members have been vaccinated in the past three weeks, Smith said. “This is remarkable, and we thank all educators for their participation, and dedication to getting our children back to school,” he said.
He said the state will “ramp up” vaccination clinics for educators again next week.
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March 27, 2021 at 02:30AM
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Vt. sees record COVID-19 case increase | Coronavirus | benningtonbanner.com - Bennington Banner
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