VDH: COVID cases still low, but rising – Vermont Biz

October 19, 2023

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have edged up in Vermont since the end of summer, continuing a trend that began in August. The Rutland Regional Medical Center and the UVM Health Network hospital in Plattsburgh, NY (CVPH), have recently tightened visitation guidelines. Meanwhile, the CDC has released a new vaccine booster.

The Vermont Department of Health reported October 11, 2023, that COVID-19 hospitalizations fell to a statewide total of 31, down from 47 last week, they were 31 before that and 22 three weeks ago. COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Reported cases last week were 287, up from 283 last week, 311 before that and 197 three weeks ago.

There were 6 COVID-related deaths reported last week (after 4 the previous week) for a pandemic total of 1,032 as of October 7 (this is the most recent update). Fatalities have slowed from prior years. VDH reported 15 COVID-related deaths in March, 20 in April, 10 in May, 10 in June (these are fewest since the summer of 2021), 11 in July, 14 in August, 17 in September and 3 so far in October.

CDC states that already an estimated 97% of Americans have some level of immunity, from either vaccination or infection or both, which they said will help keep down new transmission and lessen serious outcomes.

Of the total deaths to date, 823 have been of Vermonters 70 or older. There have been 3 deaths of Vermonters under 30 since the beginning of the pandemic.

(see data below)

Report Timeframe: October 1 to October 7, 2023

Statewide hospitalization levels: Low. New COVID-19 admissions are below 10 per 100,000 Vermonters per day.

The hospitalizations dataset contains day-level data reported from all Vermont hospitals each Tuesday. Reported numbers are subject to correction by reporting hospitals, and data from several days during the previous reporting week were marked as corrected as of October 10, 2023.

The number of reportable COVID-19 cases is still available in this report, below. Laboratory-confirmed and diagnosed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 outbreaks must still be reported to the Vermont Department of Health.

As of this report, there were 9 outbreaks last week, with 4 in long-term care facilities and 4 in schools/childcare centers. Outbreaks have fallen significantly since fall 2022.

Vermont Department of Health recommendations: Preventing COVID-19 (healthvermont.gov)

CDC recommendations: COVID-19 by County | CDC

Vermont has the second lowest fatality rate in the US (119.4 per 100K; Hawaii 99.6/100K). Mississippi (430.9/100K) and Oklahoma (428.0/100K) have the highest rates. The US average is 287.1/100K (CDC data).

There has been a total of 1,147,253 COVID-related deaths to date in the US (CDC) and 6,961,014 globally (WHO).

Following an analysis of COVID-19 data, the VDH reported in early January a cumulative 86 additional COVID-associated deaths that occurred over the course of the pandemic but had not been previously reported. Most of those deaths occurred in 2022.

COVID-19 Update for the United States

Early Indicators

Test Positivity

% Test Positivity

10.1%

(October 1 to October 7, 2023)

Trend in % Test Positivity

-0.8% in most recent week

Emergency Department Visits

% Diagnosed as COVID-19

1.4%

(October 1 to October 7, 2023)

Trend in % Emergency Department Visits

-17.7% in most recent week

These early indicators represent a portion of national COVID-19 tests and emergency department visits. Wastewater information also provides early indicators of spread.

Severity Indicators

Hospitalizations

Hospital Admissions

16,766

(October 1 to October 7, 2023)

Trend in Hospital Admissions

-8.2% in most recent week

Deaths

% of All Deaths in U.S. Due to COVID-19

2.5%

(October 1 to October 7, 2023)

Trend in % COVID-19 Deaths

-3.8% in most recent week

Total Hospitalizations

6,405,961

The Delta variant took off in August 2021, which resulted in the heaviest number of deaths before vaccines and their boosters helped alleviate serious COVID cases. Multiple Omicron variants are now circulating and appear more virulent than previous variants, but perhaps not more dangerous, according to the CDC.

AP April 5, 2023: WHO downgrades COVID pandemic, says it's no longer a global health emergency

Walk-in vaccination clinics run by the state closed on January 31, 2023. Learn more

Vermonters are reminded that all state COVID testing sites were closed as of June 25, 2022. PCR and take-home tests are available through doctors' offices, pharmacies and via mail from the federal government. The federal government officially ended its pandemic response as of May 11, 2023. See more information BELOW or here: https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/testing.

Starting May 11, 2023, the CDC and Vermont Department of Health will no longer use the COVID-19 Community Level to measure COVID-19 activity in the U.S. and Vermont. Instead, Vermont's statewide COVID-19 level will be measured by the rate of COVID-19 in people being admitted to the hospital, per 100,000 residents.

Focusing on hospitalization data is a better estimate of how COVID-19 is impacting the community now that reported COVID-19 cases represent a smaller proportion of actual infections. This also allows us to compare Vermonts hospitalization levels with other parts of the country.

The Delta variant caused a surge in COVID-related fatalities last fall and into the winter.

The highest concentration of deaths was from September 2021 through February 2022. Overall, December 2020 and January 2022 were the worst months with 72 fatalities each.

The US confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on January 20, 2020.

Vermonters ages 6 months and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the safer way to build protection from serious illnesseven for those who have already had COVID-19. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines (CDC)

COVID-19 vaccines are free and widely available. Anyone can get vaccinated in Vermont, including those who live in another state, are non-U.S. citizens, or who have no insurance. See Vermont's current vaccine rates

Know your rights when getting free vaccines.

You are considered up-to-date if you are over the age of 6 years old and have received a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine.Learn more about kid vaccines

If you are unable or choose not to get a recommended bivalent mRNA vaccine, you will be up to date if you received the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine doses approved for your age group.

Find more on recommended doses from CDC

COVID Vaccine Information for Health Care Professionals

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