Qualifying Vermonters can begin getting their third dose of the Covid mRNA vaccine at doctors’ offices, pharmacies and pop-up clinics later this week, officials said at a press conference Tuesday.
That announcement comes after new federal guidance that people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, and received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, should receive a third dose.
Health Commissioner Mark Levine said that category includes organ transplant recipients, cancer treatment recipients, people with congenital immunodeficiency, people with advanced HIV, and people on steroid treatment.
“Even in Vermont, where we have some of the highest vaccination rates in the world, it can still be highly beneficial for the public to have extra protection right now, during the Delta surge,” he said.
It does not include the broader population of high-risk individuals, such as people with diabetes, who were prioritized for the vaccine in many other states. Levine said those unsure about whether they qualify should talk to their doctor.
People who qualify for the third shot can receive it from their doctor if their office is one of the 130 facilities currently providing the vaccine, Levine said. In total, 260 practices have signed up to vaccinate Vermonters.
Pop-up clinics are expected to begin administering the vaccine later this week, said Human Services Secretary Mike Smith. Attendees will have to self-attest that they have a qualifying condition.
Smith said if you’re planning to get your third shot from a pharmacy, you should call the pharmacy in advance to find out their requirements for verification.
The state expects most pharmacies to require self-attestation, but some may ask for a doctor’s note or prescription, Smith said.
Booster shots for the broader population are in discussion at the federal level right now, as recent research suggests people should receive a booster shot eight months after their last dose. Smith said that initiative could begin as soon as mid- to late September.
Cases continue rising as vaccination hits 85%
Cases rose 41% in Vermont this week, from 536 cases last week to 758 cases this week, according to data presented by Financial Regulation Commissioner Mike Pieciak.
The increasing cases are in line with the latest surge of the virus, led by a surge in the Delta variant and low vaccination rates nationwide.
Despite a slowdown in vaccination and the fact that the Delta variant has pushed up Vermont's Covid cases, the state plans no change in strategy.
“Our high vaccination rate means we can and should be thinking differently about this virus and how we control it,” Scott said.
Cases increased 19% nationwide in the past week, lower than Vermont’s rise on a percentage basis, but Vermont has a lower case rate and lower hospitalization rate than the national average.
Cases were highest per capita in Chittenden, Orleans and Bennington counties. Addison and Grand Isle counties had high increases in their case rates in the past week.
Hospitalizations are rising throughout the state. Twenty-five people are currently hospitalized with the virus, including nine in the ICU. Four Covid deaths have been reported so far in August, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Officials pointed to data on the low rate of Covid among vaccinated people as encouragement to get the vaccine. The latest numbers show that cases among the vaccinated population are rising, but at a lower rate than among the unvaccinated.
In the past week, about seven in 100,000 fully vaccinated Vermonters have gotten Covid, compared to about 25 in 100,000 unvaccinated Vermonters.
State data reports that, “on average, 71% of hospitalizations [are] among those not fully vaccinated. About 33% of the total population of Vermont is not fully vaccinated. But the presentation did not include a direct comparison of the hospitalization rates.
No children are hospitalized with Covid in Vermont, Levine said.
The state no longer reports how many long-term care facilities have active cases of the virus. Levine said, “I can tell you that there are a number, but not a large number, of long-term care facilities that do have active cases in some of their residents, some of them vaccinated.”
“They have not had any of the experience that we had to talk about earlier in the pandemic with wide-scale outbreaks and significant impact on the health of the population,” he said.
After months of lingering in the lower 80% range, Vermont has hit 85% of its eligible population having received at least one dose of the vaccine, Smith said. That means about 75% of the total population has received at least one dose. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine.
The New York Times reports 67% of the total population of Vermont is fully vaccinated, the highest in the nation.
About 2,800 more Vermonters started the vaccination process in the past week, just under 2% higher than the rate the week before.
Gov. Phil Scott said unvaccinated Vermonters who are on the fence about the shot should “simply look at the data.”
“The vaccine is by far the best, most effective way for you to protect yourself and your loved ones,” he said. “It’s the best way to make sure your kids stay in school without disruption this year. It’s still the best way to make sure you’re not the case that breaks into a long-term care facility.”
And if you still decide against getting the vaccine, he said you should put on a mask when you’re inside.
“Regardless of the choices each of us make, we must remember we're all in this together,” he said.
Canadian border
Scott and other governors have sent a letter to the White House, urging a decision soon on opening the border with Canada.
However, there has been no response, Scott said.
"With everything in Afghanistan and other things they’re dealing with at this point, I think they just put it off to the side for now," Scott said. "But it’s still an issue for us and we want to make sure that we get the border opened back up so that we can welcome our Canadian friends the opportunity to come visit."
Correction: This article has been corrected to state that children under 12 are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
