Implementation of Vermont vaccination frustrated by federal distribution

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Governor Phil Scott said on Tuesday that Vermont is among the top states in launching the coronavirus vaccine so far, but admitted that more needs to be done to get more people vaccinated more quickly.

Vermont has already received 30,000 doses and administered 17,653. This is the seventh best rate in the country and twice as fast as the national average. On Tuesday, the state is a quarter from group 1A – health professionals and long-term care facilities. Although Scott says the state is on the right track, many remain out of our control. “I think we are doing very well, but we can do better and we will do better,” said Scott.

Health officials say there is a time lag to place the vaccine in the arms of the Vermonters because they cannot schedule appointments until the vaccine arrives. And with ongoing supply chain problems at the federal level, they cannot schedule appointments as far as they would like. “If you look at the statistic now, it will look like none of those doses have been used. And with each passing day, only a quarter of them will be used, so it may seem like we’re late, ”said Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine.

And more vaccines may be on the way. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved in the United Kingdom and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may arrive by the end of the month. Once Vermont has a consistent supply, Scott says that an extensive vaccination campaign can begin. “We will intensify our efforts to distribute the vaccines as soon as we receive them. And it would be useful if we knew what the supply chain is like and how much we would receive each week consistently, ”said Scott.

And as vaccinations increase, Levine says they are eyeing the most infectious variant of the coronavirus – B117. There is no evidence that the new strain is more deadly, but he says it can spread faster and put more Vermonters in the hospital. Levine says he does not agree with the UK’s plans to give only one chance to vaccinate more people. He said it would be an “off label” use and he fears it will not be as effective as taking two doses.

The state is still moving forward with its plan for the next phase of vaccination for people aged 75 and over and those with health problems like heart disease, emphysema, COPD, cancer and people who have received an organ donation. Levine urged people not to call or write, and that the Vermonters will know when it is their turn.

OFFICERS EXHIBIT TESTS FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES

Governors Scott and Levine urged Vermonters who may not have followed state COVID guidelines during the holidays to take the test now to prevent a potential virus spike in the coming weeks.

“We are trying to prevent people’s pain and suffering. we are focused on saving lives, ”said Scott.

To get tested, individuals can call their doctor, go to a participating pharmacy or urgent care, including Kinney Drugs, Walgreens and ClearChoice, or you can sign up for a test at one of the 15 locations on the health department website .

DATA SHOW HOLIDAY TRIP IN VERMONT REACHES HIGH PANDEMIC

As COVID cases continue to rise across the country, Vermont officials are also seeing worrying trends in the Northeast. COVID-19 cases increased 20 percent last week, with 176,000 new cases reported.

The latest modeling of the state shows that it is not only about increasing cases, but also hospitalizations. They have increased 85% in the Northeast since December 1 and 13% since Christmas. These numbers, compounded by vacation travel, are a major concern. Although trips to Vermont for vacation have halved, it is still the largest amount of travel to the state during the pandemic so far.

Vermonters living in ski resort towns tell WCAX that they are seeing more and more visitors from outside the state and are concerned that those visitors may not always follow health protocols. When asked about that Tuesday, Governor Scott said that there is no conclusive data pointing to a connection between ski resorts and the growing cases of COVID-19 in southern Vermont, and that it is up to the resorts to enforce the rules. “Although we are concerned, we are monitoring the situation – very difficult in some ways to increase enforcement,” he said.

Vermont is also preparing for an increase in cases, with the estimate of active cases in the state returning to where it was in early December. “There are 11 days until Christmas and we need more time to understand the potential impact of this event, plus 10 more days or more to see the full impact of New Year’s Eve,” said DFR Commissioner Mike Pieciak.

And while it is still too early to know the impact of holidays, health department contact trackers have heard of some cases linked to holiday meetings. Depending on how well the Vermonters abide by the rules, the state may peak with a projected average of 200 cases per day in late January. Or, without a peak, the cases could remain stable at around 100 a day for the rest of the month. Commissioner Levine said they should have a better idea of ​​what path the state is taking until this Friday.

On Monday, Vermont health officials reported a daily count of 165 new cases of coronavirus, for a total of 8,038. There were a total of 149 deaths. The state’s seven-day positive average is 2.8%. A total of 719,758 tests were carried out, 307 travelers are being monitored, 11,885 have completed the monitoring and 5,463 have recovered.

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