State officials: Don’t let Super Bowl cause a super COVID-19 setback
February 6, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine speaks at Friday's COVID-19 press briefing. Screenshot ORCA Media
State officials on Friday shared news of vaccine progress with the oldest Vermonters and gave the go-ahead for school and youth indoor sports to begin competitions. But they cautioned Vermonters against getting caught up in Super Bowl traditions this weekend that could result in a setback in the battle against COVID-19.
“I know the Super Bowl is the most watched event of the year and [I] look forward to watching it myself on Sunday,” Gov. Phil Scott said. “I want to be clear — this won’t be a typical nor should it be a typical Super Bowl-party year. The risk is too high and multi-household gatherings are still not allowed. We’re only months away from when our most at-risk friends, family and neighbors are able to get the vaccine … now is not the time to let our guard down especially when the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight.”
Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine reminded Vermonters that it was parties and gatherings around Halloween that drove up daily case numbers in the state which have yet to drop below 100 or more since. Parties and indoor gatherings around Sunday’s big game could have a similar effect.
“Luckily, the Super Bowl is a TV event, so we can still root for our favorite team, debate which commercials are the best, and enjoy the halftime show all from the comfort of our own homes — safely,” Dr. Levine said. “Remember, it was Halloween gatherings and parties that really drove our first big uptick in cases, a mere 3 months ago, and it hasn’t slowed down significantly yet. So consider following my and Dr. [Anthony] Fauci’s Super Bowl Sunday advice and just lay low, at least this time around.”
Indoor school sports games can start Friday
The governor and cabinet members discussed Friday’s announcement to allow competitions starting Feb. 12 for high school interscholastic and youth recreational indoor sports. Until now, most winter sports have been allowed to hold practices, training and scrimmages within schools but not competitions with teams from other schools. Outdoor snow sports have been competing with a variety of protocols to prevent gatherings.
Sports including basketball, hockey, and futsal soccer will be allowed to play indoor games with masks required for everyone involved including coaches, scorekeepers, officials, etc.; also, spectators will not be permitted in order to curtail gatherings.
Detailed guidance will be posted on the state’s website by Monday.
In the Harwood Union School District, Athletic Director Chris Langevin worked late Friday to confirm schedules and begin adding games to the school’s online calendar. So while alpine skiers race at Burke on Monday and Nordic skiers compete at Craftsbury on Wednesday, Girls Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball take to the court for the first time this season at U-32 on Friday. On Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Ice Center in Waterbury, the puck drops at 3:30 p.m. for Boys Hockey vs. Missisquoi; Girls Hockey travels to Barre to meet Kingdom Blades at 7 p.m.
The start to this winter season comes just a few weeks before the schedule typically winds down ahead of playoffs. “Admittedly, our approach in this area has been amongst the most cautious in the nation because we believe in taking small steps forward and monitoring the data before moving further,” the governor said.
Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore is involved in mapping out the details of specific guidance. She said public health officials monitored data regarding the practice phase of winter school sports since late December and found that masks and distancing rules worked to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
“We have not seen evidence of teammates transmitting the virus to one another,” she said.
She acknowledged that parents and students will be disappointed with rules prohibiting spectators but she said the “arrive-play-leave” approach should reduce opportunities to spread the virus. She said there could be creative ways such as live-streaming and video recording to broadcast and share games for spectators to watch safely.
Gov. Scott had a blunt warning, however, that this next step toward normalcy could be short-lived if cases spike following Super Bowl gatherings.
“To all the parents who have been reaching out about school sports, don’t ruin this for your kids,” Scott said. “If there are too many gatherings that lead to greater spread, we’d be forced to take action which none of us want to do...The last thing we want to do is move backwards.”
Educators warn of setbacks
Education Secretary Dan French in his update shared feedback from principals around the state who responded to a quick survey where he asked how students are faring this year. He said he received a wide range of answers describing some students doing better than expected, some showing small setbacks and others significantly disengaged. Lack of in-person instruction — and even in-person school time that’s markedly different due to new protocols — are taking a toll academically, socially and emotionally, French said.
“Physical distancing has become emotional distancing” was how one principal put it, French said. Another described it this way: “The longer this goes on, the more students have drifted away. This has profound implications for their academic growth.”
Educators across the state will work to address these setbacks, French said, but the first step will be to return students to as much in-person time in school this spring.
Gov. Scott reiterated his reminder for all Vermonters to remain vigilant particularly this weekend and continue to follow the public health guidance for masks, distancing and avoiding gatherings.
“Our kids need to be in school and the choices we make as adults directly impact them. I hope everyone takes this responsibility to heart,” Scott said.
Scheduling vaccines and tests; local cases slow
State officials also provided updates on vaccines, noting progress in the 75-and-older age group that is now eligible for vaccinations. Human Services Secretary Michael Smith said that 21% of that group have received their first dose already. More sites are being added each week to schedule vaccine appointments and federal authorities have told states to expect an increase in the quantities of doses they are receiving in the coming weeks.
The next focus for vaccines, Smith said, will be those Vermonters who are home-bound. The state will partner with various home-health providers and EMS organizations to deploy personnel to reach those individuals. Officials said they hope to begin scheduling appointments for those in the next age group by the end of the month.
To make an appointment for a vaccine, visit the state’s website at healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine/getting-covid-19-vaccine or call the Health Department vaccine line at 855-722-7878. Kinney Drugs is also providing vaccines at its pharmacies, including Waterbury. Scheduling for a pharmacy appointment is completely online with links on the health department site and at KinneyDrugs.com.
The vaccine news comes as cases continue at about 100 or more per day. As of Friday, the state’s total case count was just over 12,600 with 55 Vermonters in hospital, 17 of those in intensive care. A total of 181 people have died from COVID-19, Dr. Levine said, with all but about 10 over the age of 65 which underscores the vaccine prioritization by age.
Locally, new data released Friday show just two new cases in Waterbury in the past week for a total of 84 since the pandemic began last March. Moretown showed the biggest increase of nearby communities with 5 new cases for a total of 25; Stowe and Waitsfield each logged 3 more cases for totals of 80 and 39 respectively.
Testing remains free and available locally, run by staff from Waterbury Ambulance Service. Anyone who does not have symptoms can visit a testing location.
Waterbury’s testing site is open seven days a week at the Waterbury Ambulance station, 1727 Guptil Road. Another nearby location open daily is at 3336 Airport Road, Berlin.
Hours at the Waterbury site are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. most days with the exceptions of Wednesdays which are 5-8 p.m. only and Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Berlin site is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; Wednesday is 4-6:30 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m. for first responders only; Friday is 4-7 p.m.
Waterbury Ambulance also runs weekend vaccine clinics in Waitsfield. Hours next weekend are: Saturday, Feb. 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Waitsfield Champlain Valley Telecom, and Sunday, Feb. 14, at the Waitsfield United Church of Christ, 4335 Main St., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Register for a test online at healthvermont.gov/covid19testing. Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should contact a healthcare provider or call 2-1-1 for a referral.
Links to all state information and COVID-19 data can be found online at healthvermont.gov/covid-19.