Uncategorized

Vermont doc urges patience in face of ‘pandemic fatigue’

By Wilson Ring
Associated Press
Here are the latest developments regarding the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic throughout New England:

New Hampshire

The attorney general’s office has fined a New Hampshire restaurant where at least 18 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in an outbreak.

Fat Katz Food and Drink restaurant has been fined $2,000 for violating emergency orders related to the coronavirus after it moved a karaoke event inside. The Hudson restaurant told authorities that it moved the event inside after receiving noise complaints and due to colder weather.

In issuing the fine, the state in a letter to the restaurant said the decision to move the event inside after being told it wasn’t allowed indoors and allowing individuals to participate without bringing their own equipment not only violated the state’s emergency order but also was “reckless.”

The cases linked to Fat Katz include a person who went to the restaurant while aware of their COVID-19 diagnosis when they were supposed to be in isolation, and a second person who went there when they were knowingly supposed to be in quarantine.

No one responded to a request for comment at Fat Katz.

The numbers: As of Tuesday, 9,828 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, an increase of several dozen cases compared with the previous day. A total of 468 people have died.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has risen over the past two weeks from 67 new cases per day on Oct. 5 to 86 new cases per day on Oct. 19.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

Vermont

Vermont residents should do everything they can to avoid “pandemic fatigue” while continuing efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Vermont’s top public health official said Tuesday.

Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said that for the last eight months, Vermonters have had to change their lives, forgoing many basic social and family activities while being constantly reminded to wear masks and maintain social distance from people.

“Not that we’ve been alone here in Vermont, this a global event, but it is exhausting, both physically and mentally,” Levine said during a virus briefing.

He said that while vaccines are being developed, they are still a ways off. And once vaccines are approved, they will take time to produce and distribute.

“As we start to head into the holiday season, I’m asking us all to join together to take a moment to recenter, to step back from pandemic fatigue and rededicate to doing everything we can to keep the virus from spreading,” Levine said.

Hockey outbreak: Levine said the number of virus cases stemming from what’s an outbreak linked to a Montpelier rink has grown to 34.

Those cases include people who were exposed directly due to activities linked to the Central Vermont Civic Center and secondary infections.

Contact tracing has shown that the sporting activities at the rink — hockey and broomball — do not appear to be the source of the infection. Rather, the cases appear to be linked to related activities such as carpooling, travel and socializing.

The numbers: Statistics compiled by the state of Vermont show the state still has the lowest rate of weekly infections per 100,000 people in the country. The weekly rate is 11. Maine is the next lowest state, at 16 cases per 100,000. The national average is 152.

Meanwhile, the Vermont Health Department reported on Tuesday that there were 10 new confirmed cases of the virus across the state, bringing the total since the pandemic began to more than 1,950.

Of the new cases, three were reported in Washington County, two in Caledonia and Addison counties and one each in Chittenden, Windsor and Orange counties.

There are currently no patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and it has been more than two months since Vermont has recorded its last fatality from the disease, leaving the number of deaths at 58.

The state also updated its travel map on Tuesday, which governs from where people can travel to Vermont without quarantining. The number of people across the Northeast who are eligible to visit Vermont continues to shrink.

The state looks at counties in northeastern states where the virus activity is less than 400 active cases per million residents. The total is now down to about 1.6 million people, down from about 1.8 million last week.

Maine

A coronavirus outbreak centered around a church in a small town in Maine has grown to more than 40 cases and could spread significantly, public health authorities in the state said Tuesday.

The outbreak began at Brooks Pentecostal Church in the small Waldo County town of Brooks, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Nirav Shah said. The outbreak has sickened people age 2 to 80, he said.

The outbreak appears to stem from a fellowship event earlier this month in which masks were available but not routinely used, Shah said. Seven of the 42 cases are located at a school associated with the church, he said.

Maine CDC investigators have found coronavirus cases linked to the outbreak at an assisted living facility and four schools in the Waldo County area, Shah said. Shah stressed that those facilities are not considered the sources of outbreaks themselves.

The growing outbreak is evidence that people need to continue following safety recommendations, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said. That means observing social distancing and wearing masks, she said.

“It’s not that anyone involved in these outbreaks is malicious, but the stark reality is anyone can cause an outbreak,” Mills said. “We can’t let our guard down.”

Pence rally: Mills said she was “disappointed” that Vice President Mike Pence, a Republican, held a campaign rally in Hermon on Monday that appeared to exceed the state’s attendance limit for outdoor gatherings.

Pence held the event to tout President Donald Trump’s reelection bid and promote Maine Republicans. The state limits outdoor gatherings to 100 people. Maine Republican Party Jason Savage said there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people in attendance.

Savage was dismissive of criticism of the event on Monday.

“I guess we’ll have to call it a ‘peaceful protest.’ Gov. Mills and her pals should be fine then,” Savage said in an e-mail.

The numbers: Another 33 coronavirus cases have been reported in the state, the Maine CDC reported Tuesday.

That brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Maine to 5,989, while the number of deaths remained at 146, officials said. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Maine was about 35, which was about three more than it was a week ago.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Portland dining: Restaurants and retailers will be allowed to continue operating outdoors through the holiday season in Maine’s biggest city.

The Portland City Council approved a plan Monday night that extends through Jan. 4 provisions letting businesses operate on private property, public sidewalks and in parking lanes.

“Certainly most people in the city are more comfortable dining outdoors than they are indoors right now, so we’re hoping that will provide some flexibility and relief for businesses that are really struggling right now,” Councilor Justin Costa said.

In the Old Port, Dana, Milk, Exchange and Wharf streets are closed. Under the plan, all of these roads will reopen to traffic and parking except Dana Street from Fore to Wharf streets and Wharf Street from Union to Dana streets. Businesses on Middle Street may continue to use the parking lane with some changes to help with winter operations.

City Manager Jon Jennings said the plan accounts for safety and public health standards, along with expeditious removal of snow.

Businesses will have to reapply for a permit to continue outdoor dining, but all fees have been waived.

Avatar photo

As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.