Vermont is expanding its list of people who are eligible for the Pfizer booster shot, based on federal recommendations, officials said at a press conference Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, vaccinated people 75 and older who received the Pfizer vaccine six or more months ago are eligible to make appointments to get a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
On Wednesday, that will extend to people 70 and older. By Friday, Vermont plans to expand that category to people 65 and older, people with high-risk health conditions and people who are at higher risk because of their job. It also includes people who live or work in congregate settings such as prisons, homeless shelters or long-term care facilities.
“The goal, unlike earlier in the vaccination effort where there wasn’t much vaccine around, is to enable you to get the vaccine, not prevent you from getting the vaccine, so don’t make it a challenging decision,” Health Commissioner Mark Levine said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the booster shot in those groups after data showed that getting a third dose improved immunity and prevented symptomatic infection.
The list of qualifying Vermonters with high-risk health conditions is broader than the original list the state used when prioritizing people in spring 2021. As for who’s eligible, Gov. Phil Scott said, “We’re going to be quite lenient in terms of who should be included. And if they’d like to have a booster, we’d like to find a way for them to have it.”
Levine said the list includes all people with obesity (not just people with severe obesity like last spring), includes both Type I and Type II diabetes, and includes people who are current or former tobacco users. Immunocompromised people continue to be eligible for a booster after qualifying earlier this month.
Also on the list: Cancer, kidney disease, lung disease, heart conditions, dementia or other neurological conditions, Down syndrome, HIV, liver disease, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, stroke history and substance use.
Mike Smith, secretary of the Agency of Human Services, said there’s no finite list of people who qualify for a booster based on their occupation. Anyone who works indoors and is exposed to the public can get the booster, he said.
He said that would likely include workers in health care, food service such as grocery stores and restaurants, education, manufacturing, law enforcement, first responders, corrections and public transit.
At this point, people getting a booster have to make an appointment to get vaccinated at a state clinic, Smith said. About 2,000 people have registered for state clinics so far. Many pharmacies also offer booster shots.
Levine said he expects boosters to come for Moderna and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines, but it’s unclear when they will be available at this point.
Covid-19 cases are down — slightly
Vermont reported 1,448 Covid-19 cases within the past week, a slight decline from 1,520 the week before but far higher than the 1,050 cases reported just two weeks ago, according to a state data presentation.
At a press conference Tuesday, Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, said that slight downward trend, combined with much lower numbers nationally, were a positive sign for the state.
But Pieciak did not include a state data forecast in his presentation, as he has at most press conferences. He said the CDC ensemble model no longer forecasts national cases beyond one week.
He noted that less-vaccinated states’ case counts have dropped faster than more vaccinated states have. Much of the South, including Florida and Mississippi, have reported declining cases.
The Covid-19 rate remains far higher among unvaccinated Vermonters. Unvaccinated people are 4.3 times more likely to contract Covid and 3.1 times more likely to be hospitalized, the data shows.
According to a state report last week, the gap is narrower for deaths: Unvaccinated people are 1.2 times more likely to die of Covid-19.
That could be due to the state’s skewed vaccination rate among older Vermonters. The average breakthrough case in Vermont is 69 years old, and the average breakthrough death (of which there have been few so far) is 79 years old, Pieciak said.
Hospitalizations have also dropped slightly in the past week, but deaths from the virus have risen. The state has reported 33 deaths so far in September, compared with just two in July and 20 in August, the data shows.
Orleans County reports the highest rate of the virus, but Rutland County’s cases have increased in the past week, Pieciak said.
Pieciak cited one trend that shows the positive impact of the vaccine in close-contact settings: Colleges have so far reported fewer cases this semester compared to spring 2021, despite holding more in-person classes and events and more students living on campus.
That could be the result of the state’s 95% vaccination rate among college students, he said.
Long-term care
Levine said long-term care facilities have also shown the benefits of getting vaccinated. He displayed a chart that shows that deaths among facility residents in this wave are fewer, and among older people than deaths in April 2020 and over the winter.
“Each and every death due to Covid-19 has been a deep loss for friends, families and our communities,” he said. “But although this virus has taken a tragic toll, we are fortunate we now have vaccines to protect more of these residents.”
According to the DFR report, 11 long-term care facilities have active outbreaks as of Tuesday, totaling 177 cases.
About 87.8% of Vermonters 12 and older have started the vaccination process, including about 2,200 in the past week. In total, 69.3% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Correction: This article has been corrected to say: The Covid-19 rate remains far higher among unvaccinated Vermonters. Unvaccinated people are 4.3 times more likely to contract Covid and 3.1 times more likely to be hospitalized, the data shows.
To register for a vaccine appointment or get information on walk-in clinics, visit healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine or call 855-722-7878.
You will be asked to provide your name, date of birth, address, email (if available), phone number, and health insurance information (if available, but not required).
