The state of Vermont on Friday released the schedule that will allow all adults to begin making appointments to receive the vaccine against COVID-19.
Gov. Phil Scott announced that beginning March 25, Vermonters aged 60 and above will be able to begin making appointments and those 50 and above will open four days later.
Those aged 40, 30 and then 16 and above will be able to make appointments after one week intervals, with the final registration period opening April 19. The schedule is available on the Health Department’s website.
Scott said the appointments should be available within two to three weeks from when people make the appointments. People are not considered fully vaccinated against the virus until two weeks after receiving their final vaccine dose.
For the two-dose vaccines, the second short is administered within three to four weeks after the first shot. One of the current vaccines, from Johnson & Johnson, only requires one shot.
“So everyone in the final age-band could be finished in June, which is why I’ve used the fourth of July when I believe things will feel somewhat normal again,” Scott said Friday during his regular twice-weekly virus briefing.
The schedule is dependent on Vermont receiving sufficient doses of the different vaccines being used to prevent COVID-19.
Scott and administration officials recommends that people create an online account, which can be used to both make appointments for COVID-19 testing and to make an appointment to be vaccinated. Once an account is created it will make it easy to make an appointment for a vaccine when their age band opens up.
As of Friday, about 30% of the Vermont population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines.
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VARIANT STRAINS FOUND IN VERMONT
Two strains of coronavirus variants were detected in Vermont residents, according to the state’s health department.
Earlier this month, the state reported that testing had detected a variant that originated in the United Kingdom. More cases of the U.K. variant have been detected in the state in addition to a variant that was first identified in California.
Health officials said while it is not surprising that the variants continue to be detected, it reinforces concerns of increased cases, illness and outbreaks.
Despite progress in vaccinating Vermonters and easing of some of the restrictions designed to reduce the spread of the virus, the state is still urging people to wear masks, maintain social distance and avoid crowds.
“These variants of the COVID-19 virus can move more easily from person to person,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine. “This is setting us up for a race of sorts between the presence of strains of a highly contagious virus, our rapidly progressing vaccination program, and the need for each of us to continue to focus on prevention and getting tested.”
State officials are expected to update the public on Friday about the schedule for vaccinating Vermonters against COVID-19.
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NUMBERS
On Friday, the Vermont Health Department reported 135 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to nearly 17,400.
There were 22 people hospitalized, including five in intensive care.
No new COVID-19 fatalities were reported on Friday, with the total remaining at 217 people who have died from the disease since the pandemic began.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 120.86 new cases per day on March 3 to 106.71 new cases per day on March 17.
The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Vermont has risen over the past two weeks from 0.57 deaths per day on March 3 to 0.86 deaths per day on March 17.
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