Cavendish Update 11/19/21: Construction ends/News/Covid/Events
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CHS Cares Closet (next to the steps of the Museum, 1951 Main St.) is continually being restocked with surgical masks. Lots of new books, creative coloring books for adults, games and more. Free for the taking and open 24/7.
11/19/21
1. Cavendish Info
2. Cavendish Holidays
3. Covid update
4. Events
1. CAVENDISH INFO
• Rt 131/Bridge Construction Final Update: The following is from VTrans. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Natalie Boyle 802-855-3893 or nboyle@eivtech.com. Pike has finished the work on the project. Construction signs are being removed and final punch list work is being performed. Final inspection is being scheduled. Thank you for your patience and cooperation throughout construction. This will be the final regular update for this project. For the I-91 Bridge Construction: Work on this project has been completed for the year and both Northbound and Southbound barrels of I-91 have been opened up to two lanes of traffic. Work to restart in the spring of 2022.
• Jeff Gilcris: It is with sadness we report the unexpected passing of Proctorsville resident Jeff. Glcris. Calling hours will be held Friday, Nov. 19 from 6-8 at the Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield. The memorial service will be at St. James Methodist Church on Saturday, Nov. at 11 am. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery.
• Congratulations to Lorien Strange: Once again Cavendish resident Lorien Strange has captured a writing award for her ghost stories. She won first place in the high school category of the Saugus.net 24th annual Halloween ghost story contest with her story “Aos Sì.” Lorien is no stranger to Cavendish as she is the author of the Cavendish Historical Society’s Escape Room.
• Okemo Delay in Opening: Okemo will not be opening as scheduled on Nov. 20 due to lack of snow.
• Gotta Love Ludlow Petitions for Retail Cannabis Revote
• Ludlow Village Festival of Lights
• VT Climate Assessment-Climate Change is here: Key findings include, VT is getting warmer (snow season is shorter) and wetter (more rain is leading to flooding).
2. CAVENDISH HOLIDAYS: While Thanksgiving ushers in the holiday shopping season, many have already begun and have found empty shelves and longer waits for items from places like Amazon. No worries as there are a number of artists, organizations and businesses in town that can provide the perfect gift. Buy local and support our community. Use the Cavendish Business Directory to arrange for gift certificates for goods and services. Happy shopping
Recycling Christmas Cavendish Style: When you shop for gifts, food, and all the holiday trimmings, think ahead about what can be recycled and composted.
Donations for CHS Cares Cabinet: If you have gently used toys, art supplies, craft projects, games, puzzles, books etc., and would like to donate them to the CHS Cabinet, please e-mail margocaulfield@icloud or call 802-226-7807 to arrange for a drop off/pick up.
3 .COVID-19 UPDATE: We’re making some changes in the reporting of Covid news. Two new handouts are now available and will be continually updated.
• Cavendish Covid-19 Resource Guide: This includes local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other local resources. It will be updated as resources, mandates and information changes.
• How to Notify Contacts if you Test Positive for Covid: On November 13th, the Vermont Department of Health issued the following statement, Due to the large volume of COVID-19 cases, we are asking Vermonters who test positive for COVID-19 to isolate at home away from other people and begin reaching out to close contacts immediately. The Health Department will prioritize contact tracing to people at higher risk. You may not receive a phone call from a contact tracer, but you still need to stay home and away from others, and follow steps on our website to stop further spread: healthvermont.gov/covid19positive.
This How to Notify handout will help you inform contacts should you test positive for Covid.
Instead of repeating weekly information about where to get boosters/vaccines, check the Cavendish Covid-19 Resource Guide.
WEEKLY DATA
Cavendish & Surrounding Towns: Cavendish had 4 new cases this past week (61 total); Ludlow 7 new cases (140 total); Chester 13 (233 total) and Springfield 67 (714 total). Because town reporting is based on mailing addresses, the actual number of cases in Cavendish is potentially higher. Town data is reported on Friday, which is posted to the Cavendish VT Facebook page.
Schools: The VT Dept of Health’s school report for Nov. 15, showed that CTES had another case in the past week for a total of two cases. Ludlow Elementary had 3 new cases for a total of 7 cases, while Chester Andover Elementary had 1 (10 total). No cases were reported for GMUHS for the same time period. There were 256 cases last week in Vermont schools and 1,768 cases since the start of the school year. The schools in the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (includes CTES and GMUHS) are now offering the “Test to Stay” program, which allows students exposed to Covid to be tested daily using a rapid antigen test (RAT).
State: Tuesday’s Modeling shows that VT’s new case average has risen 16% in the past week and 64% in the past two weeks. The prediction is for VT cases to stay flat or increase in the coming month. Currently VT has the 6th highest case rate in the nation.
The not fully vaccinated case rate has increased 39% in the last 7 days while the fully vaccinated rate has increased 23% for the same period. In the last 30 days, new cases for those 0-24 has increased 74% (primarily in 5-11 year olds); increased 57% for ages 25-49 and increased 63% for ages 50-64. The one group that has decreased, by 2%, is those 65+, which is attributed to the effectiveness of the booster shots. Over 55% of those 65+ have received them.
Sadly, yesterday VT reached the mark of 400 total deaths and once again exceeded 500 new cases for the day. The seven day seropositivity rate (percent of positive cases of those tested) is 4.2%. This figure indicates that Covid is wide spread in the community. There have now been 45,985 cases of Covid in VT. Currently 62 people are in the hospital, with 13 in ICU.
PREPARING FOR THANKSGIVING: VT’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Mark Levine, has outlined ways to prepare for Thanksgiving:
- Vaccinate/booster for Covid and vaccinate for flu (takes two weeks to be effective).Note anyone 18+ can now receive a booster. See the Resource Guide for vaccination/booster clinics.
- Talk to those you plan to gather with about their vaccination/booster status
- Keep it small, the more people the higher the chance of exposure
- Test. Get a free PCR test no later than Monday. See the Resource Guide for nearest test sites.
- “Stock pile” rapid antigen tests (RAT) for Thanksgiving. These tests are sold through pharmacies and on-line. However, they sell out quickly. Learn more about RAT testing Preparing for the holidays? Don’t forget rapid tests for COVID-19
- If you don’t feel well, “make the hard but right choice to skip dinner and stay home.”
- Get tested 5-7 days after the holiday gathered, even if you’re vaccinated or don’t have symptoms.
At Tuesday’s press conference, there was more discussion about the role of antigen testing and how it will be more frequently used in VT in the weeks and months to come.
TOWN MASK MANDATES The legislature will meet on November 22 in a special session to clear the way so municipalities can institute limited mask mandate. These mandates would need to sunset by April 30 and would require a municipality’s governing body (Cavendish’s select board) to extend any mask policy on a month-to-month basis. In his letter to the legislature, the Governor wrote, “I offer this as a compromise — not because I believe mandates are the right approach under current circumstances. Therefore, I want to be very clear, should the Legislature propose any additional restrictions or mandates on a statewide or municipal basis, I will not support them.”
NEWS/LITERATURE REVIEW
• Fauci says 3-shot vaccine should be 'standard,' warns of winter 'double whammy'
• Experts call for continued use of personal protective and social measures alongside Covid-19 vaccination Several personal protective and social measures, including handwashing, mask wearing, and physical distancing are associated with reductions in the incidence COVID-19 and should be continued alongside vaccination, suggest experts after reviewing the latest evidence in British Medical Journal
• Mask-Wearing Cuts New COVID-19 Cases by 53%, Study Says: When people wear face masks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the number of new COVID-19 infections drops by 53%, according to a new study published yesterday in the British Medical Journal. Social distancing and handwashing were also effective at lowering the number of cases, but wearing masks was the most effective tool against the coronavirus.
4. EVENTS
NOVEMBER 19 -21 (FRIDAY-SUNDAY):Okemo Ski & Swap, Round House at Jackson Gore Inn. Friday 4-7 pm; Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 9-1.
NOVEMBER 25 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING Town Office Closed
NOVEMBER 26 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed
DECEMBER 4 (SATURDAY): Stuff a Fire Truck Food Drive for Black River Good Neighbors Food Shelf. From 9-5 at Shaw’s Parking Lot. This is being sponsored by Proctorsville and Ludlow Fire Departments.
DECEMBER 12 (SUNDAY): Christmas Ghost Walk-Proctorsville. 7 pm, meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial. Free and open to the public. Donations welcomed. FMI: 802-226-7807.
CA❤︎ENDSH VAXXING & MASKING TO PROTECT SELF & OTHERS