A golf tournament in Bennington two weeks ago has been linked to five Covid-19 cases, Vermont’s health commissioner announced Friday.
Three of the five confirmed cases were Vermonters, while the others were New Yorkers, Dr. Mark Levine said at the governor’s usual Friday press conference.
The cases were part of an increase of 13 cases statewide. Six cases were reported today in Bennington County that haven’t been connected yet to the event.
More than 80 people who attended the event at the Mt. Anthony Country Club got a message from the Department of Health about the cases, and Levine said contact tracers are working to determine if anyone else has been exposed.
“We’re asking the attendees to closely follow our prevention guidance, including staying home if they feel sick and calling their health care provider, if they develop symptoms,” he said.
Bennington Rescue will hold a pop-up test on Monday for anyone in southwestern Vermont who is concerned about their exposure to the virus, he said.
Levine said the cluster at the Fall Foliage Invitational Tournament, from Sept. 18 to Sept. 20, was a reminder to be cautious, pointing to the example of a Maine wedding that led to more than a hundred Covid cases.
“The bottom line is, whenever anyone is planning to go out, or attend an event, take a moment to think about where you’re going and assess your own level of risk, and your comfort with that level,” he said.
“It’s important to know if you’ll be able to maintain 6-foot spacing, if everyone will indeed be wearing masks, and if the event will be crowded, even if it is outdoors.”
