Vermont Business Magazine The state is lining up many walk-in vaccination clinics in an effort to get to 80 percent of eligible Vermonters vaccinated as quickly as possible. Doing so will eliminate the remaining COVID restrictions. Governor Scott visited Thunder Road today to welcome walk-ins at a clinic there before the race. An additional 7,878 individuals remain to be vaccinated. On June 3, 2021, an additional 348 individuals were vaccinated. To reopen June 11 about 1,000 Vermonters will need to be vaccinated daily; to reopen June 8 about 1,500 Vermonters daily; and to reopen June 7 about 2,000 daily. Also, the VDH today is reporting only 12 new cases of COVID-19, however, the state suffered its first death in more than two weeks. Fatalities now stand at 256 statewide.
June 4, 2021
New or updated information is in red and bold
Starting next week, the Vermont COVID-19 Update will be issued on Tuesdays and Thursdays
The next Update will be June 8
This update is available online at healthvermont.gov/covid19
Click the See the Daily Update button
With dozens of new walk-in clinics available this weekend, now is the perfect time to keep yourself safe and healthy for the summer (and beyond!) by getting vaccinated.
There are hundreds of clinics around the state. You can even get your vaccine in many of the places you might already be going to this weekend including Jazz Fest in Burlington, Capital City Farmers Market in Montpelier, the Wilmington Antique and Flea Market, and many state parks.
State offers dozens of new weekend walk-in vaccination clinics
So, if you know someone who is not vaccinated, invite them to go with you, or help spread the word. Getting vaccinated is free and easy! Get more details on these clinics and more by visiting healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine.
Most pharmacies around the state are also offering walk-in vaccinations. Ask your local pharmacist today or simply walk into a CVS, Hannaford Food and Drug, Walmart, Walgreens, Price Chopper/Market 32, Rite Aid, Shaws Supermarket, or Costco.
As a trusted messenger to your family and friends, you can play a role in their decision to vaccinate. Here are tips on how to talk about the vaccine.
Summertime heat is expected this weekend and into early next week with high temperatures in the 80s and 90s.
During hot weather, your bodys temperature control systems can have a hard time keeping up, and your temperature can get dangerously high. So, whether you plan or work or play outdoors, its important to start slowly, drink more fluids than usual and take extra breaks in the shade or cool indoor locations.
Read our press release for what you can do to Stay Cool, Stay Hydrated, Stay Informed
With temperatures rising, many Vermonters will be seeking out the sweet relief of a cooling dip at their local swimming hole.
While swimming holes offer wonderful recreational opportunities, swimming at an unmanaged location comes with risks.
Heavy rainfalls can create potentially dangerous conditions in swim holes, streams, rivers, and waterfalls. These conditions of high water or strong undercurrents can linger several days after a storm. Stay aware of rapidly changing weather conditions. Check the weather forecast and watch for signs of change such as sudden storm clouds and high winds.
Take care to avoid what you cant see: Be aware of and avoid drop-offs and hidden underwater obstacles in natural water sites. Do not dive into water, and always enter water feet-first.
Early June surface water temperatures on Lake Champlain and other bodies of water are typically only in the lower 50s, and immersion in cold water whether on purpose or by accident can become life threatening very quickly.
If you are on the water, ALWAYS wear a life vest. If you accidentally end up in the water, wearing one will keep you afloat, allowing more time for rescuers to arrive.
Good decision-making, and a little bit of planning, can often avert a tragedy.
See our tips for safely enjoying Vermonts waters this summer!
As COVID-19 activity decreases in Vermont and the Health Department streamlines its COVID-19 data reporting, the Vermont Dashboard will now be updated Monday through Friday only. Data from Saturday and Sunday will be included when the dashboard is updated on Mondays.
This newsletter the COVID-19 Daily Update moves to twice weekly starting next week. The COVID-19 Update will be issued on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning on June 8.
You can still find all the information you need on our website, healthvermont.gov, including:
You can also sign up for the COVID-19 Weekly Email Update, access news releases on our website, and stay up to date on social media @healthvermont.
Members of the media will continue to be informed through news releases and can continue to send COVID-related inquiries to CV19media@vermont.gov.
Thank you for staying informed throughout this response!
As of 12 p.m. on June 4, 2021
Note: This data is used to measure progress toward the Vermont Forward goal of 80% of eligible Vermonters vaccinated. When that point is reached, state COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted. Data is reported by the CDC and adjusted for duplicate reporting.
Description
Number
Percent of eligible Vermonters (12+) with at least one vaccine dose
78.6%
Number of Vermonters needed to reach goal
7,878
An additional 7,878 individuals remain to be vaccinated. On June 3, 2021, an additional 348 individuals were vaccinated.
Find Health Department vaccine data, including vaccination rates by county, age, sex, race and ethnicity, at the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard:
healthvermont.gov/covid19-vaccine-data.
As of 12 p.m. on June 4, 2021
Data is updated daily.
Description
Number
New cases
12
(24,252 total)
Currently hospitalized
1
Hospitalized in ICU
0
Hospitalized under investigation
0
Percent Positive (7-day average)
0.8%
People tested
395,047
Total tests
1,701,291
Total people recovered
23,256
Deaths
256
Find more data on COVID-19 Activity at:healthvermont.gov/currentactivity.
The WestVirginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reportsas of June 4, 2021, there have been 2,939,109 total confirmatory laboratory resultsreceived for COVID-19, with 162,232 total cases and 2,813 deaths.
DHHRhas confirmed the deaths of a75-year old male from Mercer County, a 66-year old male from Monongalia County,a 54-year old male from Nicholas County, a 40-year old female from KanawhaCounty, 62-year old male from Taylor County, and a 93-year old male fromBarbour County.
Withsummer around the corner, vaccination is the key to a return to normal timeswith family and friends, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Maketime today to schedule a COVID vaccine.
CASES PERCOUNTY: Barbour(1,503), Berkeley (12,732), Boone (2,149), Braxton (989), Brooke (2,232),Cabell (8,819), Calhoun (372), Clay (539), Doddridge (628), Fayette (3,524),Gilmer (874), Grant (1,296), Greenbrier (2,863), Hampshire (1,910), Hancock(2,839), Hardy (1,557), Harrison (6,052), Jackson (2,213), Jefferson (4,759), Kanawha(15,368), Lewis (1,270), Lincoln (1,559), Logan (3,229), Marion (4,579),Marshall (3,522), Mason (2,037), McDowell (1,602), Mercer (5,076), Mineral(2,948), Mingo (2,702), Monongalia (9,358), Monroe (1,187), Morgan (1,223),Nicholas (1,862), Ohio (4,291), Pendleton (721), Pleasants (959), Pocahontas(680), Preston (2,937), Putnam (5,293), Raleigh (6,987), Randolph (2,800),Ritchie (753), Roane (651), Summers (847), Taylor (1,256), Tucker (547), Tyler(738), Upshur (1,942), Wayne (3,167), Webster (533), Wetzel (1,378), Wirt(451), Wood (7,902), Wyoming (2,027).
Delays may be experienced with the reportingof information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillancecontinues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those testedin a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state asan individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Such is the case of Boone, Grant, Mason,Morgan, and Wayne counties in this report. Please visit www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.
West Virginians 12years and older are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.Tolearn more about the vaccine, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.
Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available todayin Barbour, Berkeley, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Mineral,Monongalia, Morgan, and Wayne counties.
Barbour County
9:00 AM 11:00 AM, Barbour County HealthDepartment, 109 Wabash Avenue, Philippi, WV
1:00 PM 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer FireDepartment, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV
BerkeleyCounty10:00 AM 5:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV10:00 AM 5:00 PM, Ambrose Park, 25404 Mall Drive, Martinsburg, WV
Grant County
11:00 AM 3:00 PM, Viking Memorial FieldParking Lot, 157-109 Rig Street, Petersburg, WV (optionalpre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
JeffersonCounty
10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 HollywoodDrive, Charles Town, WV
12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Shepherd University Wellness CenterParking Lot, 164 University Drive, Shepherdstown, WV
LincolnCounty
9:00AM 3:00 PM, Lincoln County Health Department, 8008 Court Avenue, Hamlin, WV (optional pre-registration:https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
Logan County
12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Old 84 Lumber Building,100 Recovery Road, Peach Creek, WV
Marshall County
12:00 PM 6:00 PM, Benwood City Building,430 Main Street, Benwood, WV (optionalpre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
MineralCounty
10:00AM 6:00 PM, Mineral County Health Department, 541 Harley O. Staggers Drive,Keyser, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)
Monongalia County
9:00 AM 12:00 PM, WVU Recreation Center,Lower Level, 2001 Rec Center Drive, Morgantown, WV
Morgan County
11:00 AM 4:00 PM, Valley Health WarMemorial Hospital, 1 Health Way, Berkeley Springs, WV
WayneCounty
10:00AM 2:00 PM, Wayne Community Center, 11580 Rt. 152, Wayne, WV
Foradditional free COVID-19 testing opportunities across the state, please visit https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.
In a war, you know who you're fighting against. But in this war, the enemy has been an invisible, deadly virus, striking at will -- taking someone's last breath with it.
What can you say to console a grieving son? I approached Madhur with the intent to offer my condolences but failed miserably. Even if I wanted to document his story, this wasn't the time or place. Holding back my tears, I asked Madhur if I could sit next to him. We sat at two ends of the bench, in complete silence. Almost five minutes later, Madhur said, "This has been the toughest thing I've ever done."
His father, who was being treated for Covid-19, had been discharged from hospital the day before. His twin was still in medical care, and didn't get to say his final goodbye before their mother died of the virus.
It's been a dark time for India. Indians have been infected at an alarming rate, and have unexpectedly lost loved ones to Covid-19. Even shutting our doors and windows hasn't helped. People -- young and old, including children who have strictly been following Covid protocols -- have fallen prey to the virus.
News of family and friends being infected had already started coming in. Colleagues had lost relatives. This time, the impact of the virus was too close to home.
While my video journalist and I put on our personal protective equipment and face shields in the parking lot of the crematorium, scores of ambulances lined up with grieving families in tow. Bodies on biers, covered in white sheets and bound by rope, were pulled out and taken into the crematorium.
Hindus believe in burning the bodies of their loved ones. Logs are stacked, the body is placed on top and set on fire. Later, families collect the remains and immerse them in a holy river.
An uncomfortable silence enveloped the length and breadth of this final resting place, shattered intermittently by wails of relatives, some in PPE suits, others in masks and face shields. It was 10 a.m. on this day. Most of them had probably stayed up all night -- this time grieving for a loved one.
The crematorium was divided into two sections, one for non-Covid bodies and the other for those who died from the virus. The waiting for the Covid section was much longer. A queue to get a token number stretched longer by the hour.
Five funeral pyres had already been set ablaze. Within an hour, raging fires enveloped the entire enclosure.
Another young man in his late 30s was standing near a burning pyre. His uncle had died of the virus. Speaking to me, Neeraj Pal said they tried calling his phone three days back. There was no response. Worried, they called the hospital to ask after him. It was then they were told that he was no more.
"If we hadn't called the hospital, we would have been informed much later about his death," said Pal.
A middle-aged woman slumped into the front seat of her car. Her husband's lifeless body, rolled up in white cloth, was sitting up on the backseat. Beating her chest, she told me her husband was gasping for breath until the very end. They rushed him to four hospitals, but none took him, she said. He died at home.
"People are not dying of the virus, they're dying because there are no beds, no oxygen to keep them alive," she told me.
The most unforgettable image was of children at the crematorium, some as young as four. Many had lost a parent to the virus. This overstretched crematorium would be the last memory they'd have of their loved ones.
According to the Indian government, 577 children lost their parents in a span of 55 days during the second wave.
Almost 40 minutes later, more than a dozen cars rushed in. They had patients in the backseat, breathless and in distress. Relatives rushed to the ward, requesting oxygen cylinders, but the hospital didn't have any to spare. An old woman in a wheelchair, a frail old man gasping for breath while his son implored for a hospital bed, another waiting in an ambulance -- all eventually turned away.
Helpless guards at the ward entrance kept repeating these words in Hindi: "There's no bed, no oxygen. Try another hospital."
A young woman was breathing in the last liter of oxygen from a cylinder, while her family pleaded with hospital authorities for more. Seeing our camera and mic, her relative walked up to me. "You're from the media, help us," she said. "They'll listen to you. I just need one bed for my sister."
I wanted to help. I ran to the ward. I spoke to a doctor. But I failed -- the hospital had exceeded its capacity to accommodate patients.
Sitting in the porch was a woman in a PPE suit. Sonika Babbar had accompanied her sick father and brother to the hospital, brought there by ambulances as her father's oxygen levels fell. "There are no beds available," Babbar said. "Patients are lying on the floor inside the ward."
India reported more than 350,000 cases of Covid-19 that day, April 26.
When I went on air on Becky Anderson's show "Connect The World" the next evening to share what I'd seen, I couldn't hold back my tears. It wasn't easy to set aside my emotions and speak only as a reporter. These were my fellow countrymen.
Deep down, I constantly feared for my family.
Days later, I checked in with Babbar to inquire after her father and brother. Her message is still in my inbox. It reads, "He (the father) expired on May 8."
On April 30, news of a former colleague and news anchor succumbing to cardiac arrest while recovering from Covid-19 hit me hard. Memories of us getting ready for our shows in the make-up room and talking politics came rushing back. He is survived by his wife, two young daughters and elderly parents.
The Regeneron Pharmaceuticals company logo is seen on a building at the company's Westchester campus in Tarrytown, New York, U.S. September 17, 2020. Picture taken September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
The U.S. health regulator authorized a lower dose of Regeneron Pharmaceutical's COVID-19 antibody cocktail that can be given by injection, a move that could ease logistical challenges stemming from administering a higher dose intravenously.
The therapy, REGEN-COV, and a similar treatment developed by rival Eli Lilly (LLY.N) were being given through one-time infusion and required patients to be isolated.
Regeneron had been working on a lower dose of its cocktail that can be given subcutaneously to address the challenges that have weighed on demand for antibody drugs.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had in November authorized a 2,400 mg dose of REGEN-COV, administered as a single dose directly injected to a vein for non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The agency has now lowered it to 1,200 mg and allowed the administration of casirivimab and imdevimab by injecting under the skin when intravenous infusion is not possible and would lead to treatment delay, Regeneron said on Friday. (https://bit.ly/34Lt0TQ)
The therapy belongs to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies, which mimic natural antibodies the body produces to fight off the infection.
Eli Lilly's antibody combination received U.S. emergency use authorization in February, while an antibody drug by Vir Biotechnology Inc (VIR.O) and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.L), which is also administered through intravenous infusion, was granted authorization late last month. read more
Regeneron said it expects to submit an application for full approval of REGEN-COV in non-hospitalized patients later this summer.
The drugmaker expects to deliver at least 1 million doses of the therapy to the U.S. government in the second quarter and said the government may accept additional doses of up to 1.25 million doses through September.
Regeneron is also developing the cocktail as a preventive medicine. read more
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Miami, FL U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement after reports emerged that unelected bureaucrats in the U.S. State Department and elsewhere allegedly worked to hinder efforts by the Trump Administration to investigate the origins of COVID-19.
It is outrageous that people within our government worked to obstruct and censor the investigation into the origins of COVID-19, especially with regard to whether the virus emerged because of American-funded research at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology, Rubio said. Unelected bureaucrats need more oversight to ensure they are acting in the best interests of the American people. It is indefensible that, next week, the Senate will push forward with investing $200 billion into federal research and development without critical safeguards to ensure it doesnt end up stolen or misused to catastrophic ends by Beijing, in part because of the poor judgment of bureaucrats such as these.
A recent article in Vanity Fair reported that American officials seeking greater transparency about COVID-19s origins were explicitly told not to investigate the Wuhan Institute Virologys gain-of-function research, as doing so would cast unwelcome light on U.S. government funding of it, and that the more general investigation was hindered at every step.
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Officials reported Thursday that about 2% of the people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Oregon in May were completely vaccinated -- meaning an overwhelming 98% of those sickened by the coronavirus either were unvaccinated or were only partially vaccinated.
A total of 398 Oregonians whod received their full recommended courses of vaccines were infected with the virus from May 3 to May 31, the Oregon Health Authority announced Thursday, in its monthly report. Officials identified them as breakthrough cases. Twelve of them died, according to rough numbers provided by the state.
That compares to about 15,700 Oregonians who were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated when they were infected in May. Approximately 115 of them died, according to rough figures provided by the state.
Officials say about 91% of people whove died in Oregon from COVID-19 werent vaccinated or were partially vaccinated. Although the vaccines arent 100% effective even in fully vaccinated individuals, officials say they are highly successful at preventing infection and dramatically decreasing the chances of hospitalization or death.
In all, officials have identified 1,009 breakthrough cases and 20 deaths among these Oregonians since the state started tracking this data in February.
The average age of a person who was infected after completing their recommended doses of vaccine was 51. The average age of those who died was 75, officials said.
But Oregon officials caution that some of the people counted as breakthrough cases were counted as such even though enough time hadnt passed for the vaccines to reach their maximum effectiveness.
People arent considered fully vaccinated until at least 14 days have passed since finishing their one-dose courses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two-dose courses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has defined a breakthrough case as someone who tests positive after 14 or more days have passed since receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or receiving their second shots of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
That means a person could have been exposed and infected before the vaccines had time to provide maximum protection.
In other COVID-19 news Thursday: Oregon reported 267 new known cases of COVID-19, dropping the seven-day rolling average of new infections to below 300 for the first time since the beginning of spring break in March.
The state on Thursday also reported seven new COVID-19 deaths.
Vaccines: Oregon reported 20,401 new vaccinations administered, including 8,812 doses on Wednesday and 11,589 on previous days.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (2), Benton (1), Clackamas (18), Columbia (3), Coos (1), Crook (3), Curry (1), Deschutes (19), Douglas (36), Gilliam (7), Hood River (2), Jackson (19), Josephine (3), Klamath (2), Lane (21), Linn (15), Malheur (6), Marion (25), Multnomah (48), Polk (1), Sherman (1), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (15), Union (4), Wasco (1), Washington (9) and Yamhill (2).
Who died: A 76-year-old Lane County man who tested positive April 24 died May 27 at his residence.
A 57-year-old Coos County woman who tested positive April 28 died Wednesday at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend.
A 70-year-old Marion County woman tested positive on May 13 and died Tuesday at Salem Hospital.
An 87-year-old Multnomah County man tested positive on April 9 and died May 2 at his residence.
A 70-year-old Polk County man who tested positive May 18 died Wednesday at Salem Hospital. He had no underlying conditions.
A 70-year-old Polk County man who tested positive April 14 died Tuesday at Salem Hospital.
A 61-year-old Washington County man tested positive March 22 and died May 18 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.
Six of these seven people had underlying medical conditions.
Hospitalizations: The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 increased by 1 Thursday, to 228. There were 63 COVID-19 patients in intensive care, a decrease of two from the previous day.
Since it began: The state has reported 202,247 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,683 deaths during the pandemic. That places Oregon at the third lowest rate of infections and fifth lowest rate of deaths among the 50 states. For the past week, however, Oregon has continued to struggle with higher than average numbers, ranking seventh highest in new cases per capita and 16th highest in deaths per capita.
So far, Oregon has reported 3,996,364 vaccine doses administered. Thats 1,877,344 people -- or nearly 45% -- fully vaccinated and 377,930 people -- or nearly 9% -- partially vaccinated across all age groups, including children. That adds up to more than 53% of residents whove received at least one shot.
To see more data and trends, visit https://projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/
-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee
SYDNEYAfter the coronavirus pandemic grounded air travel, many of the thousands of aircraft that were parked at storage facilities around the globe seemed destined for the scrap heap.
That hasnt happened. Instead, aircraft owners are junking fewer planes than just before the pandemic.
About 440 large commercial jetliners were scrapped in 2020, a roughly 15% decline compared with 2019, according to aviation-analytics firm Cirium. This year, the number of aircraft being junked is currently some 30% below last years volumes, said Rob Morris, Ciriums global head of consultancy.
The slow pace highlights the challenge airlines face as they navigate out of the coronavirus pandemic. Domestic travel is returning faster than international in some markets, but the pace of the recovery will differ from region to region, and airlines must retain the ability to ramp up quickly. Airlines struggling to afford new aircraft may also need to keep older models for longer.
Another factor: prices for spare parts are low because many planes are grounded and dont need extra components. Aircraft owners generate revenue from parts taken out of scrapped planes, so they may wait until demand for spares rises before junking their planes.
The following are North Dakota's COVID-19 case rates, deaths and hospitalizations during the week of Saturday, May 29 to Friday, June 4.
From May 29 to June 4, North Dakota reported 285 additional positive cases, and active cases declined by 83 during the week.
As of Friday, Burleigh County had at least 80 people known to be infected with the virus the most of North Dakota's 53 counties. Following Burleigh County is Ward County with 54 cases, and Cass County with 43 known cases.
The state's rolling 14-day average positivity rate for its COVID-19 cases sits at 2.96%, the lowest since March.
ACTIVE HOSPITALIZATIONS AS OF JUNE 4: 24
DEATHS, NEWLY REPORTED: 0
TOTAL DEATHS THROUGHOUT PANDEMIC: 1,515
Hospitalizations steadily declined during the week of May 29, with 24 residents hospitalized because of COVID-19 as of Friday. The majority of those currently hospitalized in North Dakota due to COVID-19 are in their 60s and 70s.
Even though the Department of Health reported three additional COVID-19 deaths in the last week, no deaths have been reported in June so far.
FIRST DOSE ADMINISTERED AS OF JUNE 3: 294,624 (49.4% of population)
COMPLETED SERIES (TWO DOSES) AS OF JUNE 3: 275,383 (46.1% of population)
A total of 4,948 shots were administered from May 29 to June 3, the latest data available. The number of North Dakotans seeking vaccinations has stalled, and last month North Dakota sent 70,000 vaccine doses to other states because so few North Dakotans were seeking the shot.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged parents to vaccinate their teenagers, because nationwide the hospitalization rate among adolescents has increased, according to the Washington Post. In May, the CDC updated its guidance and recommended that everyone 12 and older receive the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine, after vigorous testing, was approved for adolescents last month.
The Department of Health urges residents to seek more information at www.health.nd.gov/covidvaccinelocator.
Readers can reach reporter Michelle Griffith, a Report for America corps member, at mgriffith@forumcomm.com.
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