WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The day after Vermont officials announced the first two deaths due to COVID-19, Gov. Phil Scott said he anticipated that he would extend the length of time schools and businesses will be required to stay closed to prevent the spread of the virus.
In recent executive orders, Scott barred restaurants and bars from serving food and drinks for consumption on-site and required the state’s pre-K through 12-grade schools to move to remote instruction through at least April 6.
It “looks as if we’re going to have to consider moving that date much further forward,” he said in a news conference Friday.
He also said he would consider ordering Vermonters to stay at home depending how the situation unfolds.
“Everything is on the table at this point,” he said.
The deaths announced on Thursday included one veteran in his 90s from Windsor County who was cared for at the White River Junction VA Medical Center, as well as an elderly woman who lived at the Burlington Health & Rehab nursing home.
Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine said that four others in the Burlington facility have tested positive so far. The state is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to manage the outbreak either remotely or by having a team from the CDC sent to Vermont.
But, Levine noted, “This is not the only long-term care facility in the U.S. that is suffering.”
State officials are working with a consultant to assess what the scope of the effect of COVID-19 could be in Vermont, Levine said.
Hospitals across Vermont have 500 beds available, said Secretary of Human Services Mike Smith. That’s a number that has climbed since Scott ordered hospitals to suspend elective surgeries and procedures.
Levine said the state also has the ability to set up “pop-up hospitals.”
Scott said the state would make emergency loans available, work to remove regulatory hurdles and provide technical assistance to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 response.
A news photographer in the Upper Valley and his wife are among the people with the new coronavirus.
Bob Eddy, a Braintree, Vt., resident and a longtime photographer for The Herald of Randolph, penned a piece for this week’s edition of the weekly paper about his experience. Since its printing on Thursday, his wife Kathy also has tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease first identified in Wuhan, China, late last year. The Eddys are both in their 60s.
As of Friday, there were 29 positive cases identified in Vermont out of 808 people tested. One new case is a Windsor County man in his 20s who is not hospitalized. New Hampshire announced 11 new cases on Friday, including three in Grafton County, for a total of 55 statewide out of 1,970 tested.
Eddy took a trip to London to see his grandchildren perform in Beauty and the Beast, leaving from Boston on March 4 and returning on the 10th. He took his trip before there were travel restrictions to the United Kingdom in place.
“There were no airport screenings, not a single mention of COVID-19,” he said in the Herald.
But as the news continued and he realized his travel increased his risk of exposure to the virus, he elected not to go into work after returning home. Other than trips for supplies, he hunkered down. A few days after his return, he developed symptoms. He had chills, muscle aches, a fever, headache and fatigue. Kathy developed symptoms Monday of this week.
They installed a sign on their door that reads, in part, “Attention: Do not enter this home! Under COVID-19 isolation.”
Neither has required hospitalization.
They are recovering with frequent naps, movie watching and Tylenol.
The Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services has closed its 16 travel information centers on interstates 89 and 91, including in Hartford, Bradford, Sharon and Randolph. Parking is still available, but the state information center buildings, including restrooms, were closed due to staffing shortages. State workers are bringing port-a-potties and dumpsters to the rest areas.
Valley Regional Hospital on Friday began “curtailing all non-urgent services and elective procedures” including physical and occupational therapy, routine physicals and colonoscopies, audiology visits and other services.
“Reducing patient traffic to those who only require essential services will now be our priority strategy,” the hospital said. The move is also being undertaken in part to “focus on maintaining the availability of supplies and equipment during this challenging period.”
The Claremont hospital said it will reach out to patients who already have appointments.
Bradford, Vt.-based Little Rivers Health Care began collecting samples for COVID-19 testing this week, according to its website. The federally qualified health center, with clinics in Bradford, Wells River and East Corinth, asks that patients with respiratory symptoms call their primary care provider for screening before coming into a clinic.
Little Rivers administrative office is closed and patients in need of nebulizer treatments for respiratory ailments are now being referred to the hospital for care in a negative pressure room because of the risk of droplet contamination in the clinics.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs closed its regional benefits office in White River Junction to the public to protect older veterans and staff from possible exposure.
People needing help with claims assistance, appointments or counseling can call 1-800-827-1000 or go to www.va.gov.
The Bradford, Vt.-based Upper Valley Pediatrics alerted patients via Facebook and Listserv postings that it is still open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday mornings.
They are working to use telemedicine when appropriate, carside visits when needed, and have separated locations where sick patients will be seen from others in for routine visits.
Cioffredi & Associates Physical Therapy said in a Thursday email that it would close its doors until at least April 6.
Staff at the 35-year-old practice, which has locations in Lebanon and Grantham, are looking into remote options to continue to support patients and the community.
To protect staff and customers from COVID-19, the Woodstock Pharmacy is closed to the public and the doors are locked, the business said.
But staff will be at the pharmacy from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They ask customers or their clinicians to call in for prescriptions and to pay by phone, leaving a credit card on file.
They will give customers a time for pickup and meet customers at the door with purchases, or mail prescriptions. They ask that those who are sick use the mail order option.
Both the River Valley Club fitness center in Lebanon and the associated FitKids Childcare announced they would close in Facebook posts Friday. The businesses said tuition for members’ children would be frozen.
They didn’t know when they would reopen, but the River Valley Club post said it would reassess the situation at the beginning of April. In the meantime, existing RVC memberships are frozen at no cost, the post said.
Some fitness programs will be offered remotely through the club’s personal trainers, and they will be posting fitness tips on Facebook and Instagram while the club is closed.
In response to COVID-19, Lake Sunapee Regional VNA & Hospice has halted non-essential services at least through the end of April. Such services include blood pressure clinics, foot care clinics, support groups, education programs, Good Day Respite and The Renaissance Shoppe. This frees up staff to focus on home care, palliative care and hospice, according to a news release.
Members of the staff that can work from home are now doing so and meetings are being conducted virtually. Staff are screening patients by phone for COVID-19 symptoms before visits.
In response to COVID-19, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont has instituted temporary changes including:
■Waiving member cost-sharing for COVID-19 tests and related office, urgent and emergency care visits and telehealth;
■Waiving cost-sharing for urgent telemedicine visits through Amwell, Blue Cross’ telemedicine provider;
■Expanding access to telemedicine for certain services;
■Allowing telephone-only visits for members and providers without access to audio/visual communications equipment; and
■Providing home delivery of up to 90-day supplies for prescription maintenance medications.
TLC Family Resource Center in Claremont has stopped offering face-to-face support for families with school-aged children, foster parents, youth and all affected by substance use disorders. But staff members are still serving families through telephone, texting, Zoom, Facebook and other social media platforms.
Beginning Monday, new resources for families and those in recovery will be on the organization’s website, tlcfamilyrc.org. Staff also are working to provide their sexual health curriculum to teens on a web-based platform. The organization has diapers and some clothing available for families in need.
A registered nurse on staff, Karen Jameson, is able available on weekdays to answer questions from pregnant or lactating moms, as well as other parents with concerns about their children’s health. She can be reached at 603-372-2622. Those seeking to enroll in TLC’s family support programs or support groups can call Rene Couitt at 603-372-7758. Those in need of recovery support can call 603-287-7127.
News staff writer John Gregg contributed to this report. Nora Doyle-Burr can be reached at ndoyleburr@vnews.com or 603-727-3213.
