The Vermont Department of Health reported nine new cases of coronavirus as of Monday afternoon, bringing the total of Vermont cases to 759. Health care professionals have conducted 11,081 tests in Vermont to date. One additional death was reported today, bringing the total to 30 in the state.
Health Commissioner Mark Levine said at a press conference on Wednesday that Vermont may be seeing a trend toward cases beginning to plateau. He emphasized, however, looking to the future, Vermonters should not expect a quick end to the need for facial coverings or a reduction in the focus on respiratory hygiene.
The Vermont Department of Health has also convened a working group of experts to research antibody tests. At this stage in the pandemic, it said, the priority is to know who is currently infected, but serologic testing is a critical part of Vermont’s strategy.
Serologic testing measures antibodies in the blood of a person who has been infected with Covid-19, whether they had symptoms or not. As the number of people who are infected with the virus begins to level off or go down, it will be important to identify who is immune in order to know how many people contracted the virus, who might still be at risk of getting it, how to determine who should get the vaccine first when it’s available and who could return to work.
The health department’s full report for today is here.
— Sarah Asch
