COVID-19 cases taper off locally; boosters coming for older Vermonters
Sept. 24, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti UPDATE
On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 25, the Harwood Unified Union School District notified the community of a new COVID-19 positive case at Brookside Primary School in Waterbury. The individual is in the preschool program. Acting Superintendent Kaiya Korb in her letter did not specify if it was a student or an adult.
School officials have begun contact tracing. Families from the school will be notified when tracing calls are complete. People who may have been exposed will be notified. School protocols say that those exposed who are not fully vaccinated will be asked to quarantine; anyone exposed who is fully vaccinated or who recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months will not need to quarantine.
This is the fifth case in a HUUSD school this school year, the second at Brookside and the first since Sept. 15. Read the school district notification here. Schools begin surveillance testing on Monday, Sept. 27, for both staff and students who opt into the program to identify cases in the school population.
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Original post, Sept. 24
Only a few new cases of COVID-19 were reported for Waterbury and nearby communities in the past week, according to Vermont Department of Health data released on Friday.
Waterbury’s total cases for the pandemic stands at 322, that’s just five new cases since Sept. 15. Data are current through Sept. 22. Those were the most new cases recorded among local communities adjacent to Waterbury and in the Harwood Unified Union School District in the past week. Several other communities – Stowe, Moretown and Warren – each had two cases reported. No new cases were reported in HUUSD schools this week.
In Vermont COVID-19 news this week, the state announced that Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots are now available for older Vermonters who received their last vaccine at least six months ago. Appointments are available through the Health Department for those age 80 and above.
Those age 65 and older may be able to schedule a booster appointment with a pharmacy or health care provider. Booster shots require an appointment and individuals should bring their vaccine card.
At this time, boosters are only available for the Pfizer vaccine for those who previously received the Pfizer shots. State health officials also anticipate that the Centers for Disease Control will next approve boosters for other younger individuals.
A statement from Gov. Phil Scott’s office said that to accommodate expected demand, Health Department statewide clinics will be broken up by age groups. Each group can register starting at 8:15 a.m. on the following days:
80 years of age and older – Friday, September 24
75 years of age and older – Monday, September 27
70 years of age and older – Wednesday, September 29
65 years of age and older – Friday, October 1
Boosters for those who received the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as well. Additional information will be issued soon regarding those under age 65 with certain high-risk conditions.
The Health Department and pharmacies across the state continue to offer first and second doses of the vaccine at walk-in clinics and events. Those are listed on the state Health Department website. More information about booster shots and vaccines is available online at healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine.
Anyone needing assistance apart from the online information and registration may call 855-722-7878.
Waterbury Ambulance Service continues to offer daily testing at its ambulance station at 1727 Guptil Road and COVID-19 vaccines several days a week. The schedule through September is: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesdays, 1-7 p.m. for vaccines and testing; Thursdays, 1-5 p.m.; Fridays testing and vaccines, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Walk-ins are welcome; appointments for testing and vaccines are appreciated and can make visits go more quickly. They can be made online at healthvermont.gov/covid-19.
COVID-19 vaccines also are available at local pharmacies such as Kinney Drugs and Shaw’s.