Vermont closing in on 80% vaxx rate for lifting of all Covid restrictions

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With Vermont just 0.2 percent shy of the 80 percent vaccination rate goal as of numbers through Thursday, June 10, state officials announced the addition of dozens of walk-in clinics at state parks and other venues throughout the state this weekend. The coordination with state parks coincides with the annual Vermont Days weekend, which allows for free admission to state parks and historic sites throughout the state.

According to the latest data, 79.8 percent of eligible Vermonters aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, leaving 1,367 Vermonters still needed to receive their first vaccine to reach Gov. Phil Scott’s goal of 80 percent, which will trigger the lifting of all remaining health restrictions.

Despite being just shy of the goal, on Tuesday, Commissioner Michael Pieciak of the Department of Financial Regulation, said that for the second week in a row “Vermont is the safest state in the country from the risks of Covid-19.” Vermont continues to lead the nation with the lowest new case rate, the lowest hospitalization rate, lowest fatality rate, and leads in “almost all vaccination categories.”

To visit the vaccination dashboard for other vaccination numbers including county percentages, click here.

Walk-in clinics at Jamaica, Plymouth, Queechee parks

Of all the newly added weekend walk-in clinics, here are several in nearby locations:

• Jamaica State Park in Jamaica, from 9 – 11 a.m. Saturday, June 12.
• Holiday Inn Conference Center in Rutland, from 7 – 11:50 a.m. Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13
• Silver Lake State Park in Barnard, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 12.
• Camp Plymouth State Park in Ludlow, from 9 – 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 13.
• Bomoseen State Park in Castleton, from 9 – 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 13.
• Lake St. Catherine State Park, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 13.
• Quechee State Park in Hartford, from 9 – 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 13.

A few other upcoming local walk-in clinics at area businesses have also been scheduled:

• Lake Champlain Chocolates in Waterbury, from 1 – 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 12.
• Brattleboro Food Co-op in Brattleboro, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Monday, June 14.
• Jeld Wen Doors in North Springfield, from noon – 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23.
• King Arthur Flour in Norwich, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23.

For details on these events or all events currently scheduled throughout the state, click here. Then be sure to click on “Find a walk-in clinic here.”

Walgreens continues to offer vaccinations and Vermonters can register directly on its website or through the state website.

When making an appointment through the state’s website, options include clinics run by the Health Department, the National Guard, health care partners, Costco, Hannaford, Price Chopper, Rite Aid, Shaw’s and Walmart. Only larger Shaw’s stores that have pharmacies will be participating in the vaccination program, which means that neither the Ludlow nor Springfield location is participating.

To register for a vaccination and see your many options, visit the Vermont Health Department website or call 855-722-7878.

Area towns report no new Covid cases; Windsor numbers spike

With such small case counts, state officials have decided to update community totals every two weeks, therefore the four towns of Chester, Cavendish, Ludlow and Springfield remain at zero.

In an abrupt reversal, Windsor County numbers have spiked, reporting 21 new cases versus 9 cases last week for a total of 1,502. The other surrounding counties continued their decline. Windham County added 4 new cases, down from 5 cases last week, for a total of 1,387. Rutland County also continued to decline, adding 5 new cases, down from 11 last week for a total of 2,280. Bennington County numbers also dropped, adding just 3 new cases, down from 5 last week, for a total of 2,046.

No new deaths reported; statewide cases continue low

There were no new deaths reported this week, keeping the total number of Vermonters who have died from Covid-19 at 256. New Covid-19 cases ticked up but still remain low, according to the Health Department, with just 68 new cases, up slightly from 62 last week for a total of 24,320 since the beginning of the pandemic.

The overall seven-day positivity rate dropped from .8 percent to .7 percent. Hospitalizations nudged up from 1 to 2, with patients in intensive care going from zero to 1.

The total positive case numbers, deaths and other statistics are based on data published on the Health Department’s daily dashboard from Friday, June 4 through Friday, June 11.

In K-12 schools throughout Vermont, there are 6 new Covid cases this week, holding steady from 6 last week for a total of 1,397. Covid cases are reported on the School Based Covid-19 Transmission document as of Wednesday, June 9.

The Covid-19 testing schedule for Springfield has been updated with daily testing available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 to 11 a.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon. The CIC Health Testing in Springfield is located at 51 Pearl St., Level 1, in Springfield. For other testing locations and information, click here.

For more statewide details on Covid-19 information and resources, click here.