Innkeepers are a busy bunch. To save you time, VLA attends Governor Scott’s Covid-19 press conferences and takes notes for you. Below is the summary from 12.14.21.
NOTES:
- Governor Scott:
- Most of us are tired of talking about Covid 19 – will be talking about it for some time.
- Lead nation in testing and vaccinations.
- If you’re still unvaccinated, you’ll be infected sooner or later – 30 times more likely to be hospitalized.
- Get booster.
- Unvaccinated adults undermining our health care system – 5% of adults, 70% of hospitalizations. 90% of ICU.
- Unvaccinated – 70% of cases.
- Can’t live in perpetual state of emergency.
- Won’t put broad restrictions in place because the vast majority of Vermonters have stepped up and done the right thing.
- Can’t justify putting in restrictions on the 95% of adults who’ve done the right thing.
- Restrictions have an impact on physical and mental health.
- Encouraged other employers to require vaccination or testing.
- Working to secure tens of thousands of rapid tests for Vermonters free of charge.
- Testing is future – need rapid tests.
- Stepping up booster efforts.
- If you get boosted right now, you’ll be better protected for Christmas and New Year’s
- Commissioner Mike Pieciak:
- Did experience a reprieve from the Thanksgiving surge – down 15% – 350 fewer cases this week.
- Testing was down over last 7 days.
- Unvaccinated rate is 5 times greater.
- New analysis on effectiveness of boosters – those not vaccinated 30 times more likely to require vaccination vs. those fully boosted.
- Those not fully vaccinated were 34 times more likely to die from Covid vs. those fully boosted.
- Ages most vaccinated and boosted (65+) has lowest case rate.
- Some improvement in worst hit areas of the state – Bennington.
- Not anticipating that rates will go down over the next four weeks – uncertainty due to holiday gatherings. Project cases will go up.
- 104 cases at Higher Ed campuses – highest yet. Many due to outbreak at Middlebury College.
- 11 ICU beds available today.
- Deaths – 20 for December.
- Just under 50% of 5-11 year-olds have 1 or 2 doses.
- 930 lives saved by vaccines.
- Secretary Dan French:
- Mitigation strategies – vaccination, testing, in-school strategies.
- Booster now recommended for 16-17 year-olds.
- Will see more stability at elementary school level as more kids are vaccinated.
- 5,000 tests administered last week under Test to Stay.
- Secretary Mike Smith:
- Expanded monoclonal antibody treatment program.
- Added FEMA-contracted paramedics and EMS to staff monoclonal antibody treatment sites (mobile sites); teams will arrive late this week.
- Brattleboro Retreat and Vermont Psychiatric Hospital will no longer be counted as “hospital Covid cases.”
- Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine:
- Test before and after you gather.
- Not fully protected until you get booster.
- Emerging data on Omicron – third vaccine dose will provide some protection.
- Questions:
- Omicron not here yet – when it arrives, will that change your mind?
- Scott – We don’t know – jury’s still out. Time will tell. If something changes, we’ll make decisions at that point.
- Scott – Seeing signs of vaccination requirements in Vermont – headed in right direction.
- Scott – re-election on my mind, but focusing on Covid and state of the state address. Not tired of responsibility or position.
- What do you suggest that the legislature do with the $90 million surplus?
- Scott: Half should be given back to taxpayers, then address workforce shortage. Legislature will have their own ideas.
- Scott: Would help to provide more info on rate of those with two versus three shots.
- Pieciak – Are providing that info for hospitalizations.
- Dr. Levine – 2% breakthrough rate with vaccine.
- Concern about reports to DCF not investigated re: Toof case
- Scott: Active investigation – we’ll get the facts. Hopefully we’ll all learn more.
- Smith – DCF starting internal investigation as to what happened.
- Scott: Active investigation – we’ll get the facts. Hopefully we’ll all learn more.
- 40K who are unvaccinated – should they get diminished insurance coverage if hospitalized?
- Scott – Looking at all options of encouragement. Haven’t talked about that particular option. Just showing data. Not aware of state employee resignations of over vaccination requirement. If legislature enacts mask mandate and it doesn’t work – worried about them moving onto other restrictions and shut-downs. Mandate doesn’t work. Masking does.
- Is it time for external investigation of DCF (references many issues including Woodside)?
- Smith – Will get website updated, ongoing investigation … if external investigation is needed, will call for one.
- Pieciak – Anticipate a couple of weeks before no charge at point of purchase for privately insured for antigen tests at pharmacies – BCBS has made good progress with their system. But can seek reimbursement back to Dec. 1.
- Levine – Current vaccination requirements for school or legislative rule process – not contemplating Covid vaccine at this point.
- Why is your administration going after critics such as Anne Sosin, instead of listening to their ideas? Do you not think that we’re on a pretty scary trajectory?
- Scott: Our overall response – has been more right than wrong. A lot to be proud of. We listen to other people and watch other states. We do listen to others. But I have my own team of experts. I think that we have been fairly stable of late. Concerned about trajectory of variant. Is pandemic of the unvaccinated. Seeing some promising trends. Lowest in NE in hospitalizations. (Re: Anne Sosin) – we have a lower vaccination rate than Nevada – and she was wrong. Her information was inaccurate at best. I didn’t see anything uncivil with what he (Jason Gibbs) said. A lot of people won’t know what we’re talking about here, Lola – it’s inside baseball – you should show the entire Twitter exchange.
- Will 2021 UI benefits be excluded from income tax?
- Harrington – Not to my knowledge. Don’t know if there’s any legislation that’s going to come up on that.
- Omicron not here yet – when it arrives, will that change your mind?