Model projects COVID-19 cases in Vermont will increase 41% over next month

Hospitalizations, cases expected to rise during holiday season

Hospitalizations, cases expected to rise during holiday season

VERMONT HAS SEEN SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC <00;35;01;07 DR. LEVINE "THE VIRUS DOESN'T OPERATE ANY DIFFERENTLY JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP UP TRADITIONS."> AT THE START OF WHAT'S USUALLY THE BUSIEST TRAVEL SEASON OF THE YEAR... A FINAL PLEA FROM HEALTH EXPERTS TO AVOID GATHERINGS THIS THANKSGIVING. <00;18;33;13 MIKE PIECIAK "NOW THANKSGIVING IS A MERE TWO DAYS AWAY. A HOLIDAY THAT UNFORTUNATELY BRINGS TOGETHER OUT TWO GREATEST CONCERNS AT THE MOMENT. TRAVEL, AND INDOOR GATHERINGS."> MODELING PREDICTIONS FROM THE STATE SHOW THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES WIDESPREAD GATHERINGS... ESTIMATING AS MANY AS 3,800 NEW CASES AND 50 NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS COULD BE TIED DIRECTLY TO HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS. <00;12;09;13 GOV SCOTT "YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE DOMINO THAT LEADS TO A NURSING HOME OUTBREAK, OR THE ONE WHO PUSHES AN ENTIRE SCHOOL TOWARD REMOTE LEARNING."> ACROSS THE COUNTRY - THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO SURGE AT RECORD LEVELS... INCLUDING IN VERMONT'S WASHINGTON COUNTY - NOW REPORTING ONE OF THE HIGHEST CASE GROWTHS OF ANY AREA IN THE NORTH EAST. 64 VERMONTERS - NOW KNOWN TO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO THE VIRUS SINCE MARCH. <00;09;54;06 GOV. SCOTT 'THESE DEATHS ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS, THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO LOVED THEIR FAMILIES AND CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR COMMUNITIES."> TO TRY AND PREVENT NEW OUTBREAKS AFTER THE HOLIDAY... K-12 STUDENTS WILL BE ASKED IF THEY'VE ATTENDED MULTI- HOUSEHOLD GATHERINGS AS PART OF THEIR SCHOOL'S DAILY HEALTH SCREENING STARTING MONDAY. THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO SWITCH TO REMOTE LEARNING, AND FOLLOW VERMONT'S QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS IF THE ANSWER IS YES. <00;12;26;09 GOV SCOTT "THE FACT IS, PROTECTING OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IS TRULY IN OUR HANDS AND WE ALL HAVE A ROLL TO PLAY. SO, I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP."> A MOMENT OF POSITIVITY FROM TODAY'S UPDATE... HEALTH COMMISSIONER DR. MARK LEVINE SAYS SOMETHING TO BE EXCITED AND GRATEFUL FOR HEADING INTO THE HOLIDAY IS MORE ENCOURAGING PROGRESS FOR A THIRD VACCINE CANDIDATE. ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO THE END OF THE PANDEMIC. LIVE

Model projects COVID-19 cases in Vermont will increase 41% over next month

Hospitalizations, cases expected to rise during holiday season

The number of new COVID-19 infections in Vermont is expected to increase by 41% over the next month, according to modeling presented by state officials Tuesday. The expected increase comes as Vermont nears the end of its most infectious month since the pandemic began. State health officials have reported more than 1,500 new cases of the virus in November, including a single-day record 148 cases. Worsening case numbers have been spurred in large part by private gatherings, causing leaders to point concern at Thanksgiving and urge residents to reconsider meeting friends and family for the holiday."With the amount of virus in our communities right now, even your trusted friends and households are at much greater risk and may not know they have the virus," Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday. Scott's administration has taken precautions in an attempt to limit spread of the virus — prohibiting multi-household gatherings and placing additional restrictions on out-of-state travel. But the measures come with limited enforcement policies and state leaders are aware that not everyone will follow them. National surveys indicate that 38% of Americans still plan to have a Thanksgiving gathering with 10 or more people. If Vermonters follow that trend — described as a "worst-case scenario" — state projections show it could result in more than 3,200 new COVID-19 cases in the state along with dozens of additional hospitalizations. "These are certainly numbers that are quite stark and quite disturbing," said Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation and the state's point person on coronavirus data modeling.The state has seen a bump in out-of-state visitors around each major holiday observed during the pandemic thus far, though far fewer than were reported in 2019. Scott said he has "a lot of tools in the toolbox" to use should virus numbers surge following the holidays but hopes he won't have to. Click here to view the latest COVID-19 data from Vermont.

MONTPELIER, Vt. —

The number of new COVID-19 infections in Vermont is expected to increase by 41% over the next month, according to modeling presented by state officials Tuesday.

The expected increase comes as Vermont nears the end of its most infectious month since the pandemic began. State health officials have reported more than 1,500 new cases of the virus in November, including a single-day record 148 cases.

Worsening case numbers have been spurred in large part by private gatherings, causing leaders to point concern at Thanksgiving and urge residents to reconsider meeting friends and family for the holiday.

"With the amount of virus in our communities right now, even your trusted friends and households are at much greater risk and may not know they have the virus," Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday.

Scott's administration has taken precautions in an attempt to limit spread of the virus — prohibiting multi-household gatherings and placing additional restrictions on out-of-state travel. But the measures come with limited enforcement policies and state leaders are aware that not everyone will follow them.

Hearst OwnedVermont Department of Financial Regulation

National surveys indicate that 38% of Americans still plan to have a Thanksgiving gathering with 10 or more people. If Vermonters follow that trend — described as a "worst-case scenario" — state projections show it could result in more than 3,200 new COVID-19 cases in the state along with dozens of additional hospitalizations.

"These are certainly numbers that are quite stark and quite disturbing," said Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation and the state's point person on coronavirus data modeling.

Hearst OwnedVermont Department of Financial Regulation

The state has seen a bump in out-of-state visitors around each major holiday observed during the pandemic thus far, though far fewer than were reported in 2019.

Scott said he has "a lot of tools in the toolbox" to use should virus numbers surge following the holidays but hopes he won't have to.

Click here to view the latest COVID-19 data from Vermont.

Model projects COVID-19 cases in Vermont will increase 41% over next month

Hospitalizations, cases expected to rise during holiday season

TRACKING THE COVID-19 VACCINE

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