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Sunday, March 29, 2020
Health / News Testing Site Opens in Putney; Library Suspends Pickup Service, Catholic Churches and Shrines to Close: Coronavirus News in Vermont
Posted By Seven Days Staff on Sun, Mar 29, 2020 at 12:54 PM
This post is no longer being updated. For the latest, please click here.
The spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 is prompting Vermonters to take precautionary measures to reduce the risk of exposure. It's affecting how courts and hospitals run, how Catholic mass is conducted, and how public events are carried out.
As officials continued to announce more positive cases in Vermont, changes are coming quickly. This post will be updated as they're announced.
Sunday, March 29, 2020:
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Monday, March 23, 2020
The telecommuting measures were to be in place by 8 p.m. Monday and should remain in effect until at least April 15, according to the order.
“We’re now entering a new phase in this fight to flatten the curve,” Scott said at a press conference Monday. “Vermonters should also expect additional steps very, very soon that will further reduce contact and direct more to stay at home in order to slow the spread.”
Many businesses had already allowed employees to work from home well before Scott's order.
One thing that could help connectivity: The state launched a map earlier Monday of public Wi-Fi hotspots, which includes dozens of spots that can be accessed from outside a building or from a parked car.
Officials have issued frequent warnings that the number of cases will continue to rise due to both increased testing and continued community spread. With that in mind, Scott warned further measures were inevitable.
“It's not a question any more of if,” he said Monday. “It's a question of when.”
The spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 is prompting Vermonters to take precautionary measures to reduce the risk of exposure. It's affecting how courts and hospitals run, how Catholic mass is conducted, and how public events are carried out.
As officials continued to announce more positive cases in Vermont, changes are coming quickly. This post will be updated as they're announced.
Here's the latest:
Sunday, March 29, 2020:
Vermont National Guard Opens COVID-19 Testing Site in Putney
The Vermont National Guard is opening a new drive-up coronavirus testing site at Landmark College in Putney.
The Vermont Department of Health announced the new site in a press conference on Saturday. The National Guard Civil Support Team’s medical division will run the southern Vermont location, beginning Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Hours and days of operation are subject to the availability of test kits, the health department said. The site will operate until 3 p.m. on its first day open.
Patients must have a doctor's referral and cannot show up to get tested without one, the health department said.
The testing expansion comes as the state has attempted to make it easier for those with mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms to get tested for the disease. The state has been aggressive in acquiring test kits to aid the effort, Health Commissioner Mark Levine announced during a press conference on Friday.
“The steady increase in positive cases in Vermont, along with the growing number of people who are ill and who, tragically, have died from the virus, mean that while we will draw on our supplies more quickly, the benefit of ‘more testing now’ significantly outweighs the risk that we may have to slow these efforts again later,” Levine said in a statement.
He continued: “Our overall strategy is to test, to counsel and isolate those who test positive, conduct contact tracing, and quarantine as clinically appropriate. We are all counting on each other to do everything we can to meet this public health crisis head on.”
Students at Landmark College have been on two weeks of spring break and will begin remote learning classes on Monday.
The Vermont Department of Health announced the new site in a press conference on Saturday. The National Guard Civil Support Team’s medical division will run the southern Vermont location, beginning Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Hours and days of operation are subject to the availability of test kits, the health department said. The site will operate until 3 p.m. on its first day open.
Patients must have a doctor's referral and cannot show up to get tested without one, the health department said.
The testing expansion comes as the state has attempted to make it easier for those with mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms to get tested for the disease. The state has been aggressive in acquiring test kits to aid the effort, Health Commissioner Mark Levine announced during a press conference on Friday.
“The steady increase in positive cases in Vermont, along with the growing number of people who are ill and who, tragically, have died from the virus, mean that while we will draw on our supplies more quickly, the benefit of ‘more testing now’ significantly outweighs the risk that we may have to slow these efforts again later,” Levine said in a statement.
He continued: “Our overall strategy is to test, to counsel and isolate those who test positive, conduct contact tracing, and quarantine as clinically appropriate. We are all counting on each other to do everything we can to meet this public health crisis head on.”
Students at Landmark College have been on two weeks of spring break and will begin remote learning classes on Monday.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Burlington Library Suspends Pickup Program
Fletcher Free Library in Burlington will suspend its outside pickup and book drop service at 5 p.m. Wednesday to comply with Gov. Phil Scott's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order for the state.
"We were pleased to be able to offer these services for as long as possible, but now it is important for everyone to stay home," library director Mary Danko said in a statement. “During these challenging times, FFL is working hard to serve our community."
Fletcher Free has added virtual programs and boosted its streaming service and ebook platform, hoopla, for patrons during the crisis. The public can chat with library staff on the library website, fletcherfree.org, for help navigating the digital resources.
The library will also suspend book returns and won't collect fines during this period.
Worshippers can participate in services on the diocese website at 12:05 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
A schedule of activities is available here.
All "nonessential" employees of the Catholic community can continue working remotely, according to Ellen Kane, executive director of the Vermont Catholic Community Foundation.
"We were pleased to be able to offer these services for as long as possible, but now it is important for everyone to stay home," library director Mary Danko said in a statement. “During these challenging times, FFL is working hard to serve our community."
Fletcher Free has added virtual programs and boosted its streaming service and ebook platform, hoopla, for patrons during the crisis. The public can chat with library staff on the library website, fletcherfree.org, for help navigating the digital resources.
The library will also suspend book returns and won't collect fines during this period.
All Catholic Churches, Chapels and Shrines to Close
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington is directing all Catholic churches, chapels and shrines to close at 5 p.m. Wednesday to comply with Gov. Phil Scott's latest executive order.Worshippers can participate in services on the diocese website at 12:05 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
A schedule of activities is available here.
All "nonessential" employees of the Catholic community can continue working remotely, according to Ellen Kane, executive director of the Vermont Catholic Community Foundation.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
U.S. Attorney's Office Will 'Aggressively' Pursue COVID-19 Scammers
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont is warning state residents of scams related to the outbreak of COVID-19. And Christina Nolan says she’ll prioritize, and aggressively pursue, the cases “that seek to exploit the public or harm the vulnerable during this national health emergency.”
“We will respond with criminal accountability to those who would sell fake cures online, send phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or engage in other types of criminal conduct related to COVID-19,” she said in a statement Monday.
Her office detailed some of the scams currently in circulation:
“We will respond with criminal accountability to those who would sell fake cures online, send phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or engage in other types of criminal conduct related to COVID-19,” she said in a statement Monday.
Her office detailed some of the scams currently in circulation:
- Testing scams: Scammers are selling fake at-home test kits or going door-to-door performing fake tests for money.
- Treatment scams: Scammers are offering to sell fake cures, vaccines, pills, and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19.
- Supply scams: Scammers are creating fake shops, websites, social media accounts, and email addresses claiming to sell medical supplies currently in high demand, such as surgical masks. When consumers attempt to purchase supplies through these channels, fraudsters pocket the money and never provide the promised supplies.
- Provider scams: Scammers are contacting people by phone and email, pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for COVID-19, and demanding payment for that treatment. Medical providers are also obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
- Charity scams: Scammers are soliciting donations for individuals, groups, and areas affected by COVID-19.
- Phishing scams: Scammers posing as national and global health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are sending phishing emails designed to trick recipients into downloading malware or providing personal identifying and financial information.
- App scams: Scammers are creating and manipulating mobile apps designed to track the spread of COVID-19 to insert malware that will compromise users’ devices and personal information.
- Investment scams: Scammers are offering online promotions on various platforms, including social media, claiming that the products or services of publicly traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure COVID-19, and that the stock of these companies will dramatically increase in value as a result. These promotions are often styled as “research reports,” make predictions of a specific “target price,” and relate to microcap stocks, or low-priced stocks issued by the smallest of companies with limited publicly available information.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Scott Orders Vermont Business to Allow Remote Work
Gov. Phil Scott on Monday ordered all Vermont businesses and nonprofits to take every step possible to allow employees to work remotely — his latest attempt to keep more people home and prevent further spread of the coronavirus.The telecommuting measures were to be in place by 8 p.m. Monday and should remain in effect until at least April 15, according to the order.
“We’re now entering a new phase in this fight to flatten the curve,” Scott said at a press conference Monday. “Vermonters should also expect additional steps very, very soon that will further reduce contact and direct more to stay at home in order to slow the spread.”
Many businesses had already allowed employees to work from home well before Scott's order.
One thing that could help connectivity: The state launched a map earlier Monday of public Wi-Fi hotspots, which includes dozens of spots that can be accessed from outside a building or from a parked car.
Officials have issued frequent warnings that the number of cases will continue to rise due to both increased testing and continued community spread. With that in mind, Scott warned further measures were inevitable.
“It's not a question any more of if,” he said Monday. “It's a question of when.”
Feds Waive Standardized Testing for Vermont Students
The U.S. Education Department granted the Vermont Agency of Education a waiver to annual testing and accountability provisions of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, the successor to the No Child Left Behind Act.
That means no standardized testing this spring for Vermont students.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the feds allowed states to ask for exemptions, and Vermont quickly did so. With schools statewide closed until at least April 6, administration of the state testing program would have been challenging, officials said.
“I am pleased our waiver request was processed so quickly,” Vermont Secretary of Education Dan French said in a statement. “This waiver will allow us to prioritize our efforts for providing continued support, education and wellbeing of our students during this challenging time.”
The waiver means Vermont does not have to administer the Smarter Balanced Assessments this spring. Nor will 2019-2020 test data be used toward ratings under the federal accountability system. More information is available here.
That means no standardized testing this spring for Vermont students.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the feds allowed states to ask for exemptions, and Vermont quickly did so. With schools statewide closed until at least April 6, administration of the state testing program would have been challenging, officials said.
“I am pleased our waiver request was processed so quickly,” Vermont Secretary of Education Dan French said in a statement. “This waiver will allow us to prioritize our efforts for providing continued support, education and wellbeing of our students during this challenging time.”
The waiver means Vermont does not have to administer the Smarter Balanced Assessments this spring. Nor will 2019-2020 test data be used toward ratings under the federal accountability system. More information is available here.
Vermont Launches Public W-Fi Map
The state has launched a map of public Wi-Fi hotspots so Vermonters can stay connected during the coronavirus crisis.
The map shows dozens of spots, which can be accessed from outside a building or from a parked car to encourage social distancing. Some spots are password-protected, but the map provides the credentials to log in.
"Internet connectivity is an important resource for Vermonters during this crisis, which is keeping us physically distanced from one another,” Gov. Phil Scott said in a statement. “As we’re asking many to work and learn remotely, these public Wi-Fi points are especially critical to keeping workers and students connected if they do not have access at home.”
The project is a collaboration between state and local governments, schools, and libraries. Find the map here, and read up on other connectivity resources here. Vermonters can submit information about other hot spots to psd.telecom@vermont.gov.
The map shows dozens of spots, which can be accessed from outside a building or from a parked car to encourage social distancing. Some spots are password-protected, but the map provides the credentials to log in.
"Internet connectivity is an important resource for Vermonters during this crisis, which is keeping us physically distanced from one another,” Gov. Phil Scott said in a statement. “As we’re asking many to work and learn remotely, these public Wi-Fi points are especially critical to keeping workers and students connected if they do not have access at home.”
The project is a collaboration between state and local governments, schools, and libraries. Find the map here, and read up on other connectivity resources here. Vermonters can submit information about other hot spots to psd.telecom@vermont.gov.
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