Governor Scott's weekly press conference about to start. Vermont kids are headed back to school this week, and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine just got standard FDA approval. We'll see what the assembled panel has to say. #vted #yourshotvt #covid19 #vtpoli Here's your thread!
Scott says the White House told governors today that clinical trials for vaccines in kids under the age of 12 are going well and Pfizer should be submitting data for emergency approval in September. However...
...this morning on NPR, NIH director Francis Collins said he didn't think the vaccine would be available for kids before the end of the year. npr.org/2021/08/24/103…
Scott notes that the Pfizer vaccine has also gotten full approval from the FDA. It remains to be seen if this will make a significant difference for people who have been hesitant to get the vaccine.
Scott says cases continue to rise in Vermont, but the rate of increase is slowing. And he says that although some vaccinated Vermonters are getting the virus, it's still a fraction of the overall number of vaccinated people.
The school year is starting this week for Vermont students. Scott reiterates the administration's recommendations. But does not make requirements. He says the state cannot require these things "unilaterally" without being in a state of emergency.
House speaker Jill Krowinsky has called on the governor to take a stronger approach. Her press release is here: vermontbiz.com/news/2021/augu…
Senate President pro tem Becca Balint had echoed Krowinski’s call for more action. Her press release attached here. 
Chief modeler Mike Pieciak now, with a modeling report. Here’s national, regional and local case rates.
Here’s how the administration is highlighting the rate of cases in vaccinated Vermonters.
Higher ed, long term care case reports and a vaccination update on these final slides.
Mike Smith, Secretary of the Agency of Human Services now. He starts by talking about hospital capacity at local hospitals. 34 people are currently hospitalized w/ COVID. This is about half of the hospitalization rate we saw during the peak.
But some local hospitals are experiencing a high in-patient census and strain on ICUs. This is not totally related to COVID. Other patients are coming in, some who Smith says may have delayed care and are now sicker as a result.
Smith says the state and hospitals are working on increasing capacity, including opening up 9 currently vacant beds at the state psychiatric hospital.
Smith says all vaccination sites are now equipped to administer 3rd doses to those who currently qualify. This is a small percentage of the population.
However, all adults will become eligible for a third mRNA vaccine dose soon. The timeline is: you become eligible 8 months after you received your 2nd dose. (Starting later in September.)
Lots of places to get your 1st dose as well, including many fairs and high schools.
Deputy Education Secretary Heather Bouchey now. State is recommending districts require students/staff stay home if sick, use same resources as last yearfrom the health department to evaluate health and wellness.
Audio is going in and out, so I'm not catching everything she's saying, but the state is recommending everyone start with students and staff masked, regardless of vaccination status. And suggesting schools could lift mask mandate when the student population hits 80% vaccinated.
Bouchey says the state is not recommending masks when students/staff are outside. And while the state guidelines are recommendations, not mandates, the rules that come from each school district ARE mandatory for residents of that district.
The state will continue to do surveillance testing. And Bouchey says there is now a recommendation (from whom??) that both students AND staff get tested regularly, regardless of vaccination status. **That's not something I'd heard before. I'm interested in learning more.**
Bouchey says local authority and responsibility is important and it's good that school districts are stepping up to make local decisions. Says there have been "a few contentious conversations" about mask mandates in VT school communities. Urges civility.
Without saying that there have been any threats, Bouchey advises that threats of violence are never okay, and she urges people not to disrupt the start of the school year. **ME: Seems like this wouldn't be mentioned if there weren't concerns that this might happen.**
State epidemiologist Patsy Kelso gets her turn now. She's talking about how schools will do testing and tracing. Reminds people that if they're vaccinated they do not need to quarantine, even if they're determined to be a close contact.
Some of the reasons schools are doing the tracing, according to Kelso, include that parents may be more likely to take a call from their kid's school than from the health dept, and that schools are better equipped to know the families in their communities.
Kelso tells kids: your chances of doing what you love best (sports/activities/extracurriculars) are much greater if you get vaccinated. [ME: But of course those under 12 don't even have that opportunity, at least right now.]
Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine now. Touches on the importance of vaccination and notes the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine this week. It's still under emergency use authorization for those 12-18 and for those recommended for a third dose.
Levine: "If you are waiting for full approval to get vaccinated, please take the opportunity to find a clinic and protect yourself as soon as possible."
Reminds anyone who has only one dose that they are not fully protected, urges them to get a 2nd dose to be as protected as possible. Just 1 dose can have an effectiveness rate of under 50%, he says.
Levine and Pieciak have both noted that Vermont's high rate of FULL vaccination is likely connected to the overall low rate of viral spread in this state.
On the 3rd dose, set to be recommended for all adults 8 months after their 2nd dose starting late in September, he points to studies from Israel that showed a third dose could increase protectiveness by four times. And even more for hospitalization and death.
Levine says the more eligible people who get vaccinated, the more those under the age of 12 will be protected.
Question time.
Scott doesn't think declaring a state of emergency is appropriate, doesn't want to abuse that power. "There's no emergency that we're seeing at this point in time that would force us to go into one." Says state is watching cases, watching hospitalizations, will act if necessary.
Scott says he hasn't had much time to look at House Speaker Krowinski and Senate pro tem Balint's statements but does go so far as to say he thinks it's unfortunate to make this political.
Question about why the state's data on breakthrough cases includes a timeline from January to now, instead of from when the Delta variant became prevalent later in the spring.
Question wasn't asked super clearly, or the state officials didn't totally understand the gist. Levine says as vaccination rates get higher, it's more likely that our cases will be in vaccinated people.
ME: I think this needs to be discussed in a slower more clear way. Maybe tomorrow on the health update on @vprnet at 9am with @mwertlieb?
Levine confident Vermonters will step up to get 3rd dose as soon as they're able. But I'm curious why @healthvermont and @GovPhilScott haven't weighed in on the fact that the @WHO is asking for a delay so other countries can catch up. npr.org/2021/08/23/103…
On school sports: outside events, no masking required. Bouchey says the state is still working on the possibility of additional guidance for volleyball, played indoors.
.@clhvelo points out that the full FDA approval for the pfizer vaccine is for those age 16 and up (not 18 and up as I stated). Thanks for that correction, Cynthia!
https://twitter.com/JaneLindholm/status/1430210253199757312
Scott says his administration is working on this issue, where organic dairy farms in VT are being dropped by Horizon. wcax.com/2021/08/23/big…
Q if any Vermonters have gotten COVID twice. Patsy Kelso says no one meets that definition, primarily because those who got the virus early on didn't get whole genome sequencing, which would be needed to figure out if the second positive test is a new case.
Q if VT Guard members are involved in the operation in Afghanistan. Scott says Guard will need to answer that. I've also been trying to get this info and have been told the Guard is required to direct all inquiries to Secretary of Defense office, which has not responded to me.
Q about the demographics of those who are hospitalized and ARE vaccinated (48%, according to the state data). Pieciak says they don't have that totally broken down. But those who are vulnerable by age continue to remain vulnerable, he says.
Q if there's enough supply of the Pfizer vaccine if those who haven't yet gotten vaccinated decide it's the one they want now that it has FDA approval. Scott says the White House has assured him there's enough of a supply, but also that Moderna will be getting approval soon.
Q about health dept. guidance that fully vaccinated ppl don't need to quarantine if they're a close contact. Patsy Kelso says she stands by that guidance because of the low overal risk. But recommends testing upon ANY symptoms, and possibly testing 3-5 days after exposure anyway.
Possible q for any #vtpoli reporters in the queue:
https://twitter.com/lizziellen/status/1430217201601155073
Scott says he intends to reach out with a call to the new NY governor Kathy Hochul as soon as he can find the time. Says they were both lieutenant governors at the same time, so they know each other a bit.
Levine reminds Guy Page, who has asked about Ivermectin before, that this is a drug used for veterinary purposes only, and highlights this @US_FDA tweet:
https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1429050070243192839
Municipalities that want to take a strict position on masks can do so for their own town employees and buildings without needing any kind of state approval. But Scott says they can't impose a mandate for private businesses or make a broad community mandate.
We're nearing the end here. Join @mikafrak and @PeteHirschfeld for analysis live on @vprnet when this is over. And join @mwertlieb for a health update/call-in at 9am tomorrow (Wednesday).
@mikafrak @PeteHirschfeld @vprnet @mwertlieb Pete says he followed up with @JKrowinski's office about her call for more action from the governor and her staff said she's not calling for an emergency declaration. Wants the gov to acknowledge the concern ppl are feeling but didn't enumerate specific steps he should take.
Okay, that’s it. I’ll leave you with a field of goldenrod shining in the morning sun. See you next week!
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