The state of Vermont could ask the federal government for vaccine in excess of the 25,000 doses a week it currently receives, officials said Friday.
Unlike some states that aren’t using all the doses they are allocated and are even declining to accept some of the doses they are offered, Vermont is keeping up with its vaccination schedule.
“We don’t have that problem yet in Vermont,”’ Gov. Phil Scott said Friday during the regular virus briefing. “Obviously it’s been reduced a bit, but we are still taking our full allocation and we’re asking for more as well.”
The state is getting creative in its efforts to keep the state on pace to reach its next goal of vaccinating 70% of the eligible population by June 1. The state hopes to lift most virus restrictions by July 4.
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“I know most are anxious to get back to normal, especially as the weather begins to get better,” Scott said. “This has been a long, tough road and every day we get closer to the end of the state of emergency and a return to normalcy.”
As part of that effort to get more people vaccinated, up to 150 people who choose to seek shots between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford can get free admission to the race or a future race.
Secretary of Human Services Mike Smith said that for next week Vermont has been allocated a total of about 25,000 doses of vaccine.
He said a total of about 360,200 Vermonters have received at least the first dose of one of the vaccines, and 255,300 are fully vaccinated.
On Friday, the state’s vaccine dashboard said that just under 66% of the eligible population has been vaccinated, although Smith said the numbers in the dashboard won’t be current until Saturday.
Another vaccination clinic is scheduled for Saturday at the Devils Bowl Speedway in West Haven. Eight mobile clinics are also being offered this weekend in Essex County and one in Caledonia County.
There are some walk-in spots available, but people can also make appointments through the Department of Health website.
