Some residents in both Vermont and northern New York are now eligible to sign up for a Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot. Who’s eligible in New York: As of Sept. 30, state health officials recommend residents age 65 and older and anyone in a long-term care facility who have received both Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 doses at least six months ago should receive the booster. New Yorkers between ages 50 and 64 with underlying medical conditions are also advised to do so. Residents 18 years old or older with underlying conditions or those at increased risk of transmission in their workplace may also receive a booster shot but are not considered a top priority for the third dose. Click here for additional information on registering.Who’s eligible in Vermont: Some residents age 70 and older who have received both Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 doses at least six months ago are eligible to register for a booster dose. Beginning Friday, Oct. 1, any Vermonters 65 and older, people with “high-risk” health conditions and those at increased transmission in their workplace will qualify. A revised Department of Health listing shows the expanded group will also include people of color and adults living with someone who is.Click here for additional information on registering.Breakthrough cases and the delta variantAccording to the Department of Health, just over 1,200 fully vaccinated Vermonters have contracted the virus after being fully vaccinated, also known as a “breakthrough” case of COVID-19 as of Sept. 9. That represents roughly 6% of known cases since the beginning of the year. Still, known breakthrough cases represent approximately 0.3% of fully vaccinated people in the state, according to Department of Health data. In New York, state data presented on Sept. 30 showed 0.05% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in the previous week were among fully vaccinated individuals. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, along with their respective health teams, have repeatedly cited the sizeable number of unvaccinated residents as a driving force in recent COVID-19 case increases. Across the nation, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows approximately 0.004% of fully vaccinated people had a breakthrough case that resulted in hospitalization and 0.001% died from a breakthrough case. The delta variant has been present in the state for several weeks, according to the Vermont Department of Health. The more contagious variant, originally known as B.1.617.2, has accounted for more than 80% of newly diagnosed cases in the United States, according to the CDC. The number of cases attributed to the delta Variant in Vermont has been steadily increasing since early July. Delta variant in VermontWhat’s different about the variantHealth data shows the distribution of those cases follow the population of the state quite closely. Thirty-three cases have been detected in Chittenden County, the state’s most populous. 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’t see the graphic above? Click here to view it. Frequently asked questions:Is Vermont considering reinstating pandemic-related restrictions?According to Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, no. He sees little chance for the return of universal mask mandates or travel restrictions given the state’s vaccination rate, which he described as “our line of defense.”The state has issued masking recommendations — not a firm mandate — for school districts into November According to Scott, all but one school have adopted those guidelines. Nearly 88% of eligible Vermonters, those age 12 or older, have started the COVID-19 vaccination process as of Sept 30. Is New York considering reinstating pandemic-related restrictions? Yes and no. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has not announced any intentions to reinstate statewide mandates or restrictions during her first month in office, especially since she does not currently have the ability to do so through an executive order. Hochul has established a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers that went into effect the morning of Sept. 28. It applied to doctors and nurses, but also included others in the facilities like administrators, cleaners and cafeteria workers.”This is not something we are going to deviate from,” Hochul said of the mandate during a press briefing. “We are holding firm.”Preliminary data showed roughly 92% of hospital workers across the state had received at least one dose by the deadline. No hospitals have been forced to close because of staffing shortages created by the mandate, according to Hochul.Do I still have to wear a mask after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?In some cases. The CDC’s updated mask guidance says fully vaccinated Americans do not need to wear masks or physically distance indoors or outdoors, with some exceptions. People should wear masks in crowded indoor locations like airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons. Here are other cases where fully vaccinated people will likely need to wear a mask inside in Vermont:During at least the initial weeks of the coming school year, students, staff and visitors are being asked to wear a facial coving regardless of vaccination status. Acceptance and enforcement of that state recommendation falls on the school district. Many college campuses are requiring masking inside buildings, and other crowded places through at least this fall. Check with your local campus to find the latest listings. Additionally, Vermonters and New York residents can continue to wear masks if they choose, especially around children and others who are vulnerable or not yet eligible for inoculation.Business owners could do the following: Ask customers if they are fully vaccinated so they can go without masks; ask customers to prove they are fully vaccinated so they can go without masks; require all customers to continue wearing masks regardless of whether or not they’re vaccinated.Should I get the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19?Yes. According to Dr. Stuart Cohen, chief of infectious diseases at the University of California, Davis Health, data shows that someone who had and recovered from COVID-19 could be immune for about eight months, but that immunity would wane over time and be less effective as the virus changes.”So we still tell people that if they’ve had COVID-19, they should get vaccinated because that will boost their immune system and maybe cause the immunity to last longer. We just want people to wait probably three months after they have been diagnosed, or more so that they avoid getting a more severe reaction to the vaccine,” Cohen said. Will the vaccine protect against the delta variant?The highly contagious delta strain of the COVID-19 virus has been circulating in Vermont for several weeks now. Vaccines do not prevent an individual from contracting the virus that causes COVID-19, but are aimed to limit the severity of side effects experiences after contracting the disease. According to experts, the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all effective against the new variant. However, some doctors are concerned about the areas with low vaccination rates because the virus could continue to mutate, and the next mutations could have a bigger impact on the vaccine efficacy. What does it mean to be ‘fully vaccinated?’According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. If you do not meet those requirements, regardless of age, you are not fully vaccinated. Do I need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination prior to travel?If you choose to travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel. You do not need to self-quarantine after travel.If traveling internationally, pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States. You do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.You do need to show a negative test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.The CDC recommends you still get tested three to five days after international travel, but you do not need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States. What vaccine side effects should I know about?You may have side effects that feel like flu, but they should go away in a couple of days, according to the CDC. Common side effects could include pain, swelling, fever, chills, tiredness and headache.A few people have experienced allergic reactions. If you have had an allergic reaction to a vaccine in the past, the CDC says to contact your doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine.Click here for more information from the CDC.
Some residents in both Vermont and northern New York are now eligible to sign up for a Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot.
Who’s eligible in New York: As of Sept. 30, state health officials recommend residents age 65 and older and anyone in a long-term care facility who have received both Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 doses at least six months ago should receive the booster. New Yorkers between ages 50 and 64 with underlying medical conditions are also advised to do so.
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Residents 18 years old or older with underlying conditions or those at increased risk of transmission in their workplace may also receive a booster shot but are not considered a top priority for the third dose.
Click here for additional information on registering.
Who’s eligible in Vermont: Some residents age 70 and older who have received both Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 doses at least six months ago are eligible to register for a booster dose.
Beginning Friday, Oct. 1, any Vermonters 65 and older, people with “high-risk” health conditions and those at increased transmission in their workplace will qualify. A revised Department of Health listing shows the expanded group will also include people of color and adults living with someone who is.
Click here for additional information on registering.
Breakthrough cases and the delta variant
According to the Department of Health, just over 1,200 fully vaccinated Vermonters have contracted the virus after being fully vaccinated, also known as a “breakthrough” case of COVID-19 as of Sept. 9. That represents roughly 6% of known cases since the beginning of the year.
Still, known breakthrough cases represent approximately 0.3% of fully vaccinated people in the state, according to Department of Health data.
In New York, state data presented on Sept. 30 showed 0.05% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in the previous week were among fully vaccinated individuals.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, along with their respective health teams, have repeatedly cited the sizeable number of unvaccinated residents as a driving force in recent COVID-19 case increases.
Across the nation, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows approximately 0.004% of fully vaccinated people had a breakthrough case that resulted in hospitalization and 0.001% died from a breakthrough case.
The delta variant has been present in the state for several weeks, according to the Vermont Department of Health. The more contagious variant, originally known as B.1.617.2, has accounted for more than 80% of newly diagnosed cases in the United States, according to the CDC.
The number of cases attributed to the delta Variant in Vermont has been steadily increasing since early July.
Health data shows the distribution of those cases follow the population of the state quite closely. Thirty-three cases have been detected in Chittenden County, the state’s most populous.
Can’t see the graphic above? Click here to view it.
Frequently asked questions:
Is Vermont considering reinstating pandemic-related restrictions?
According to Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, no. He sees little chance for the return of universal mask mandates or travel restrictions given the state’s vaccination rate, which he described as “our line of defense.”
The state has issued masking recommendations — not a firm mandate — for school districts into November According to Scott, all but one school have adopted those guidelines.
Nearly 88% of eligible Vermonters, those age 12 or older, have started the COVID-19 vaccination process as of Sept 30.
Is New York considering reinstating pandemic-related restrictions?
Yes and no. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has not announced any intentions to reinstate statewide mandates or restrictions during her first month in office, especially since she does not currently have the ability to do so through an executive order.
Hochul has established a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers that went into effect the morning of Sept. 28. It applied to doctors and nurses, but also included others in the facilities like administrators, cleaners and cafeteria workers.
“This is not something we are going to deviate from,” Hochul said of the mandate during a press briefing. “We are holding firm.”
Preliminary data showed roughly 92% of hospital workers across the state had received at least one dose by the deadline. No hospitals have been forced to close because of staffing shortages created by the mandate, according to Hochul.
Do I still have to wear a mask after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?
In some cases. The CDC’s updated mask guidance says fully vaccinated Americans do not need to wear masks or physically distance indoors or outdoors, with some exceptions. People should wear masks in crowded indoor locations like airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons.
Here are other cases where fully vaccinated people will likely need to wear a mask inside in Vermont:
- During at least the initial weeks of the coming school year, students, staff and visitors are being asked to wear a facial coving regardless of vaccination status. Acceptance and enforcement of that state recommendation falls on the school district.
- Many college campuses are requiring masking inside buildings, and other crowded places through at least this fall. Check with your local campus to find the latest listings.
Additionally, Vermonters and New York residents can continue to wear masks if they choose, especially around children and others who are vulnerable or not yet eligible for inoculation.
Business owners could do the following: Ask customers if they are fully vaccinated so they can go without masks; ask customers to prove they are fully vaccinated so they can go without masks; require all customers to continue wearing masks regardless of whether or not they’re vaccinated.
Should I get the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19?
Yes. According to Dr. Stuart Cohen, chief of infectious diseases at the University of California, Davis Health, data shows that someone who had and recovered from COVID-19 could be immune for about eight months, but that immunity would wane over time and be less effective as the virus changes.
“So we still tell people that if they’ve had COVID-19, they should get vaccinated because that will boost their immune system and maybe cause the immunity to last longer. We just want people to wait probably three months after they have been diagnosed, or more so that they avoid getting a more severe reaction to the vaccine,” Cohen said.
Will the vaccine protect against the delta variant?
The highly contagious delta strain of the COVID-19 virus has been circulating in Vermont for several weeks now.
Vaccines do not prevent an individual from contracting the virus that causes COVID-19, but are aimed to limit the severity of side effects experiences after contracting the disease.
According to experts, the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all effective against the new variant. However, some doctors are concerned about the areas with low vaccination rates because the virus could continue to mutate, and the next mutations could have a bigger impact on the vaccine efficacy.
What does it mean to be ‘fully vaccinated?’
According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. If you do not meet those requirements, regardless of age, you are not fully vaccinated.
Do I need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination prior to travel?
If you choose to travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel. You do not need to self-quarantine after travel.
If traveling internationally, pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States. You do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
You do need to show a negative test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
The CDC recommends you still get tested three to five days after international travel, but you do not need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
What vaccine side effects should I know about?
You may have side effects that feel like flu, but they should go away in a couple of days, according to the CDC. Common side effects could include pain, swelling, fever, chills, tiredness and headache.
A few people have experienced allergic reactions. If you have had an allergic reaction to a vaccine in the past, the CDC says to contact your doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine.
