Authorities said the system of providing childcare to children in Vermont during the COVID-19 pandemic and allowing parents to return to work even when they were out of school continues to expand.
On Friday at Governor Phil Scott’s virus briefing, Holly Morehouse of the organization Vermont Afterschool established 35 hubs in 87 locations in a month, with more than 5,000 children in nearly 110 towns and more than 130 schools. Stated to have provided the service
The system was designed in collaboration with state authorities such as after-school programs, parks, recreation department staff, and day care centers.
“Children who didn’t go to school for a few months knew they needed the opportunity to program, play and learn with others in a safe and compassionate place,” Morehouse said. “I also knew that my parents and family needed to be able to get back to work.”
The state uses $ 12 million in federal coronavirus relief funding to provide a safe place for remote school study days for K-6 grade children and young people in Vermont’s school-age childcare system. Is enhancing the ability of. Funding includes nearly $ 7 million for hubs, and nearly $ 5 million to expand childcare financial support programs. All programs follow the state’s COVID-19 health and safety guidance.
With the low-level virus that causes COVID-19 in Vermont, state schools are using more school facilities, such as cafeterias, to further increase student mix. The phase begins on Saturday. This is a date designed to allow you to resume intersports. Secretary of Education Daniel French said schools need to continue to use basic mitigation strategies against the virus, such as wearing masks and proper distance.
The state has moved to step 3 of the virus program, but not step 4, but authorities said they would regularly review the details of the mitigation program.
“We will probably have a period of mitigation strategy for some time,” French said.
Dr. Mark Levine of the Health Commission said the Department of Health ordered additional flu vaccines for the next flu season and required everyone over 6 months of age to get the vaccine.
He said authorities didn’t know how common it could be to catch both influenza and COVID-19 at the same time.
“I think we all would agree that we really don’t want to get both,” Levine said. “We also don’t know if the surge in COVID and flu cases, the so-called twin demics, could actually overwhelm someone’s healthcare system and put people at risk.”
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On Friday, the Vermont Department of Health reported seven new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, bringing state-wide totals since the pandemic began in more than 1,730.
Of the new cases, three were reported in Chittenden County, two in Windsor County, and one in Bennington and Franklin County.
It’s been 59 days since Vermont reported the last COVID-19 death. The number remains 58.
