MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine says Vermonters vaccinated against COVID-19 have a role to play to help others get vaccinated.
That could be finding a personal reason to get vaccinated or giving someone a ride to a vaccination clinic, he said Tuesday during the governor’s twice-weekly coronavirus briefing.
While over 60% of Vermont adults have had at least one shot, 33% of Vermonters ages 19 to 29 have gotten at least one dose and 18% in that age range are fully vaccinated, according to state data.
“So, if you haven’t yet, I ask you now to reach out to someone in your life, especially if they are younger, who may not be vaccinated, whether you’re a parent or grandparent, aunt or uncle, or a friend” and share your experience, Levine said.
The state is hosting a number of clinics at colleges and in communities and walk-in and drive-thru vaccination sites, including at speedways, to make it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated, Levine said.
Gov. Phil Scott called it “a moment of service.”
“Now your state, your country are asking you to step up. And this ask is much less than what many before us have been asked to do,” Scott said, referring to people who served in World War II. “We just want you to get vaccinated. By doing so, you will not only help yourself, but the people around you, the businesses in your community, your friends, your parents, your kids, even your grandparents.”
THE NUMBERS
Vermont reported 53 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, for a statewide total to date of more than 23,240.
The Health Department reported that 15 people were hospitalized, including four in intensive care.
The Associated Press is using data collected by Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering to measure outbreak caseloads and deaths across the United States.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 103.43 new cases per day on April 19 to 73.71 new cases per day on May 3.
The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 1.29 deaths per day on April 19 to 0.43 deaths per day on May 3.
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