coronavirus in vermont

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott sounded an optimistic note in his State of the State address Wednesday, even as he acknowledged the challenges ahead.

Vermont’s governor expressed optimism in his State of the State address Wednesday — even as he acknowledged very complex challenges ahead in navigating a path out of the pandemic and building a stronger state economy. “The state of the state is strong,” Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont insisted in his speech, which was delivered to lawmakers virtually rather than in a…

Vermont is boosting staff for contact tracing amid a recent rise in COVID-19 cases, state officials said. The state had hired a contractor in the spring to allow some state workers who had been doing contract tracing to return to their jobs, said Human Services Secretary Mike Smith during the governor’s weekly virus briefing on Tuesday. “The contract calls...

Three prison inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, the Vermont Department of Corrections said. In tests conducted Monday and Tuesday on new arrivals, the department found two cases among incarcerated individuals at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans and one at Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury. Two staff members at the St. Albans prison were identified as…

The historic Vermont State House in Montpelier is a popular place with travelers interested in history and government, but the pandemic had it closed to visitors for nearly 17 months.

Vermont marked a significant milestone Tuesday in its recovery from COVID-19, reopening its most famous building to the public for the first time since March of 2020. The historic Vermont State House in Montpelier is a popular place with travelers interested in history and government, but the pandemic had it closed to visitors for nearly 17 months. “Life is getting…

The number of new cases of COVID-19 cases reported in Vermont has been fewer than 10 per day for almost three weeks, but the number of people being hospitalized with the disease is up as is the median age of people being infected, officials said Tuesday. Even though the number of hospitalizations has increased from a seven-day average of 1.64…

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Monday announced he was lifting all remaining COVID-19 restrictions, effective immediately, after the state crossed a major vaccination milestone. Scott said the move was possible because the state had reached its goal of having 80% of its eligible population receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. “You’ve done it better than any place…

Nearly 7,900 more Vermonters need to get at least one dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 to reach the state’s goal of 80% of the eligible population vaccinated, Gov. Scott said Friday. Scott has said he will drop the remaining virus-related restrictions early before July 4 if the state reaches that milestone. The 80% target equals about 70% of Vermont’s…

Vermont restaurants, bars and social clubs can stay open past 10 p.m. starting on Saturday, Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday. Scott said he’s lifting the curfew because the rate of 18-to-29-year-olds getting vaccinated against COVID-19 has risen from less than 30% to over 50% in the last month. He said he expects Vermont to reach 80% of the eligible population…

Mask mandate rulings are different depending on where you live in the state.

Vermont is opening up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all residents age 16 and older. Registration for this final age segment opens on Monday morning. High school students ages 16 to 18 were allowed to make vaccine appointments a few days earlier, on Saturday. Last week, Vermonters aged 30 and older were eligible to make appointments. “It is remarkable and exciting…

Gov. Phil Scott has announced that Vermonters age 16 to 18 can start signing up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments on Saturday, a few days earlier than originally planned. Vaccine eligibility for all Vermonters 16 and older opens Monday. This week the state opened registration to people 30 and older. As of Friday morning nearly 18,000 in that age group had…

Vermont’s governor outlined a path to normalcy from the pandemic that relies on increasing levels of vaccinations and aimed at helping businesses, communities and schools. The news is being closely watched by the state’s tourism community.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Tuesday laid out a plan to completely reopen the state’s economy and normalize life by July 4 if residents continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Scott outlined his “Vermont Forward” plan, which would see the complete reopening of businesses, events and gatherings over the course of three months. “We’re in the last laps of...

As Vermonters aged 75 and older sign up to get vaccinated against COVID-19 over the next six weeks, some say they got appointments easily while some others are expressing frustration with the registration process. The state announced a website and phone number on Monday for the estimated 49,000 in that age group to register for vaccination appointments and over 21,000 had...

The governor’s office says Gov. Phil Scott has tested negative for COVID-19, after possible exposure to the coronavirus from a participant at his recent coronavirus briefing who tested positive. Scott’s press secretary says the governor will continue to quarantine and be tested again on Tuesday. Scott and five other Vermont state officials are quarantining after possible exposure at the...

Vermont ranks second in the nation in the pace of receiving and administering COVID-19 vaccines per 100,000 people, Human Services Agency Secretary Mike Smith said Friday. As of Thursday night, 21,000 Vermonters had been vaccinated, he said during the state’s biweekly briefing on the coronavirus. “However we need to keep accelerating our pace of vaccinations, even as supplies remain uneven…

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott called the students’ work an “inspiration to people everywhere.”