Waterbury COVID-19 cases nearly triple since Nov. 1
December 18, 2020 | By Lisa Scagliotti
As health officials begin to vaccinate those at high risk for COVID-19, Vermont’s cases of the deadly virus continue to climb including in Waterbury where cases have nearly tripled since the start of November.
According to data released Friday by the Vermont Department of Health, Waterbury has had 56 cases since the start of the pandemic in March. That figure, however, is just one shy of tripling since the beginning of November when the case count stood at 19. The latest data was collected through Wednesday, Dec. 16, according to the Health Department.
The state updates a town-by-town map each Friday that now shows the most recent case growth per 10,000 people over the most recent two weeks. A table alongside the map tracks the cumulative case total for those cities and towns with more than five cases.
The latest data show some increases in cases in nearby communities with Stowe seeing the biggest change from 51 to 57 cases this week; Moretown added two cases for a total of 18 and Warren was up by one case to 12. Case counts for other nearby towns adjacent to Waterbury and in the Harwood Union school district remained unchanged: Duxbury and Fayston with no cases recorded; Bolton at fewer than six cases; Waitsfield at 15 and Middlesex at 16
This past week added just over 700 new COVID-19 cases in Vermont for a total of 6,243 as of Friday, Dec. 18.
Get out in the snow
As the season shifts to sledding, skiing, skating and other wintertime recreational activities, Gov. Phil Scott at his Friday press briefing indicated that there will be new guidance very soon for getting outdoors safely.
When asked whether families taking children outside to play in the snow or sledding was considered a prohibited “multi-household gathering,” Gov. Scott had this to say: “I think that’s all healthy and we should be encouraging anyone getting outside to recreate in that manner and just make sure that we’re masking up, staying separated and so forth is key.”
Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore said outdoor recreation guidance that was issued in the summertime will be updated to clarify for wintertime scenarios. “We’d love for people to be outside,” she said. “We’d really encourage people to arrive, play, and then leave and not engage in social gatherings whether it’s at the bottom of a sled hill or a trailhead or at any other outdoor facility.”
Watch for more on this next week. “We’re going to talk about that a little bit more either on Tuesday or Thursday,” Gov. Scott said. The governor’s press briefings over the next two weeks will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays given the Christmas and New Year’s Friday holidays.
Local COVID-19 testing through Dec. 27
Local residents who would like to get tested may do so in Waterbury at the Waterbury Ambulance Service headquarters at 1727 Guptil Road. The other nearest testing site is on Airport Road in Berlin. Both testing operations are run by Waterbury Ambulance staff.
Ambulance service Executive Director Mark Podgwaite announced the testing schedule for Dec. 21-27.
Waterbury: Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 21-22, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday 9 a.m. to noon by appointment only; walk-ins will not be accepted. Closed Thursday-Friday, Dec. 24-25. Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Berlin: Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 21-22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 23-25, closed; Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 26-27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Waterbury Ambulance has run an additional satellite testing site on weekends in Waitsfield which will be closed until Jan. 3, Podgwaite said.
And although walk-ins are often accommodated, Podgwaite recommends signing up for an appointment to avoid a long wait. Do so on the Vermont Department of Health website.