COVID-19 Update: Waterbury cases drop down to early December level

Feb, 23, 2022  |  By Lisa Scagliotti

UPDATE: This story was updated Feb. 27 with new CDC guidance on mask-wearing indoors in public.

Following the state and regional trend, COVID-19 cases locally continued to taper off in the past week. For the first time since early December, fewer than 30 cases were reported for Waterbury, according to data released by the Vermont Department of Health on Friday. 

For the seven days ending Wednesday, Feb. 23, another 28 new cases of the virus were reported. That’s based on state PCR tests and those self-reported from individuals taking rapid tests at home. That brings Waterbury’s total for the pandemic to 1,537. 

The last time Waterbury’s weekly new cases were under 30 was the seven days ending Dec. 15 when 26 were reported.

The new cases accounted for most of the new virus activity reported for the communities of the Harwood Unified Union School District in the past week. An additional 11 cases were reported in the other communities split among Waitsfield with five, Warren with four, and two in Moretown. Schools have been closed for winter break since Feb. 18 with classes scheduled to resume Wednesday, March 2.  

Other nearby towns have had similarly low new case reports recently.. The state data shows eight new cases last week in Stowe for a total of 814; Montpelier reported 32 new cases for a total of 1,155. Barre City had the highest number of new cases in Washington County with 60 last week; its pandemic total is 3,545. 

Across the state this week, new cases have dropped with the seven-day average of approximately 200. On Friday, the state reported 227 new cases with 35 Vermonters hospitalized with COVID-19, only five of whom were in intensive care. Deaths continued to be reported this week, however. So far through Feb. 24, another 50 Vermonters have died of COVID this month for a pandemic total of 595, according to the Health Department. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week relaxed its mask-wearing guidance, dropping the recommendation that people wear masks indoors in areas with low to medium transmission of COVID-19. In Vermont, five counties still are listed with a high rate of transmission including Washington County. The CDC still advises wearing a mask indoors in public where COVID rates are high.

Despite the drop in cases, the annual Town Meeting Day schedules in most local communities do not include in-person gatherings for meetings. Local officials had to decide the format for this year’s Town Meeting proceedings and elections in mid-January when case counts were very high due to the spread of the Omicron variant. 

Waterbury, Duxbury and the other committees in the Harwood school district will conduct all of their business via paper ballots for the second year in a row. Early voting is available Monday at town clerks’ offices. On Tuesday the polls in Waterbury and other nearby towns will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Tests available; testing continues 

A check with local pharmacies finds that rapid antigen tests are becoming more consistently available on store shelves. 

In addition to rapid tests, PCR testing is still underway daily at the Waterbury Ambulance Station at 1727 Guptil Road, Waterbury Center. The schedule currently is Monday, Tuesday, Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday 1-7 p.m.; Thursday 1- 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The most up-to-date testing locations and times are listed online at healthvermont.gov/covid-19/testing/where-get-tested.

Vaccines key to school mask changes

State public health officials continue to emphasize the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine and the booster dose. Local schools will see new guidelines for indoor mask-wearing soon based on the proportion of students who are fully vaccinated. Schools with more than 80% of the student population immunized may have indoor masks become optional by March 14, according to school officials. Vaccines are available at pharmacies, health care offices, and many state vaccine sites. More information on vaccines is online at vermonthealth.org/myvaccine.com.