Waterbury’s COVID-19 surge outpaces neighbors, leads the county
September 3, 2021 | By Lisa ScagliottiWaterbury once again logged a record number of COVID-19 cases last week with 27 from Aug. 26 through Sept. 1, according to data released Friday by the Vermont Department of Health.
That brings the community’s total for the entire pandemic to 292, the third-highest number of cases in a Washington County community based on community-specific case numbers compiled by the Health Department.
Since July 25, Waterbury has seen an increase of 103 cases or a 55% jump in its total cases, the data show. That makes it the community with the fastest-growing case count in the county.
Barre City saw 100 cases recorded since late July which represented an increase of just 15% as its total for the pandemic now stands at 768 cases, the highest for a Washington County Community. But following the latest surge in cases statewide and even nationwide driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, Barre City has logged 54 of its cases since July in just the past week.
Northfield is the community with the second-highest total in Washington County at 336 cases as of Wednesday. Of those, 33 came since July 25 and 22 of those were just in the past week.
The city of Montpelier meanwhile has had 246 cases overall. Since late July, 53 of those were recorded, 29 of which were just in the past week, according to the Health Department.
Overall, Washington County is experiencing the second-highest growth in COVID-19 cases recently. Health Department data by county show Chittenden County with the most cases overall and in the past two weeks with 545 cases; Washington County has logged 316 in the past 14 days.
Ahead of its neighbors
Looking at communities near Waterbury finds just a handful of cases per town. For example, Stowe and Waitsfield each logged four new cases in the past week; Moretown and Warren had three apiece. Middlesex and Bolton had no new cases. Fayston and Duxbury are not broken out as separate counts by the Health Department and likely are counted with Waitsfield and Waterbury respectively.
While Waterbury recorded 103 cases since July 25, Stowe in that time added just 20 new cases; Waitsfield has had 18.
An outbreak among children in the town summer recreation camp the first week of August contributed a third of the community’s recent cases. Health Department officials said 32 cases were connected with that situation which largely involved children under age 12 who are not eligible for the COVID19 vaccine.
As K-12 schools recently opened, Crossett Brook Middle School reported one positive COVID-19 case in a fifth grader that resulted in 23 students and staff staying home this week for testing and quarantine. So far, school officials have not reported any additional cases connected with that circumstance.
Schools in the Harwood Union district are requiring masks indoors for all staff and students until further notice, regardless of vaccination status.
Health Department: Delta variant fuels spread
Beyond the Waterbury camp outbreak, the new cases can be attributed to high levels of community transmission throughout the state, Health Department spokeswoman Katie Warchut said.
“We are not aware of any events or gatherings that account for this relatively small increase in cases in Waterbury, but we are seeing many ‘situations’ and some outbreaks across the state right now,” she said. “This is largely due to the highly contagious Delta variant, which we know can infect more people, more quickly.”
Warchut reiterated the steps public health officials stress to prevent contracting COVID-19: including getting vaccinated, staying home when sick, getting tested, washing hands often and wearing a mask indoors.
Although there are no mandates in place presently from the state regarding wearing masks. State officials continue to encourage individuals to wear masks indoors, which is the recommendation to the public from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for areas where there is substantial or high transmission occurring, which is essentially the entire nation currently.
The CDC is tracking the spread of COVID-19 by county and as of Friday, 13 of Vermont’s 14 counties were in the “high” transmission category; Addison County was listed as “substantial.”
Despite calls from dozens of Health Department staff and pediatricians across the state, Gov. Phil Scott has unwavered in his decision to end state requirements for wearing masks and has preferred to suggest individuals decide for themselves whether, when, and where to wear a mask based on their personal circumstances such as whether they have a vulnerable family member like an unvaccinated child.
Scott and other state officials continue to emphasize vaccinations as the leading strategy to address the spread of COVID-19. The state in June reached 80% vaccinated with at least one dose and that proportion now stands at just over 86%. State vaccination data by town shows Waterbury with greater than 90% of its population vaccinated.
Gov. Scott this week announced that Vermont was the first state in the nation where 75% of children aged 12-17 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Despite that, daily case totals in July and August have been on par with spikes registered in January and late March/early April. Hospitalizations are also up: 31 Vermonters were in the hospital as of Friday, 11 in intensive care. Several new deaths this week, including the first of someone in their 20s, brought that total to 280, according to the Health Department.
Gov. Scott emphasized this week that Vermont’s overall case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths remain extremely low when compared with other states. Having such a large proportion of the population over 12 vaccinated is helping keep those who contract the illness from becoming severely ill and needing hospitalization, he said. “I hope folks hear loud and clear: vaccines are still changing the game and we need people to keep stepping up to get their shot and to get the booster when the time comes, Scott said this week.
In addition to many workplaces including schools and universities, private corporations and small businesses, the state has begun to require vaccines or weekly testing for state employees who work in Corrections, the Veterans’ Home and the State Psychiatric Hospital, Scott said. “We are now also considering expanding this requirement across state government and we will have those discussions in the near future,” he added.
Testing and vaccinations available locally
Waterbury Ambulance Service continues to offer COVID-19 testing daily at its station on Guptil Road in Waterbury Center and COVID-19 vaccines several days a week. Through September, the schedule will be:
Saturdays, testing and vaccines, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday testing 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesdays, 1-7 p.m. for vaccines and testing
Thursdays, 1-5 p.m.
Walk-ins are welcome; appointments for testing and vaccines are appreciated and can be made online at healthvermont.gov/covid-19.
In the week ahead, Ambulance Service Executive Director Mark Podgwaite said staff will be vaccinating on Wednesday and Friday at both the Waterbury Ambulance Station and at the test site on the Barre-Montpelier Road in Berlin behind Burger King. On Saturday, Sept. 11, they will be offering vaccinations at the Waterbury Arts Festival and the Taste of Montpelier events.
Ambulance service staff also have a booth at the Waterbury Farmers Market on Thursdays, 4-7 p.m., at Rusty Parker Park downtown offering both testing and vaccines.
Local pharmacies including Shaw’s and Kinney Drugs are offering vaccinations as well.
Find the most up-to-date testing and vaccine times and locations statewide on the state Health Department website.