Cavendish Update 1/7/22: News/Free Test Kits/Events
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1/7/22
1. Cavendish Info
2. Covid update
3. Events
Rescheduled St. James Christmas Concert, tonight, 6:30 pm at the church in Proctorsville. Free and open to the public.
1. CAVENDISH INFO
• Cavendish Community Fund: The Community Fund was created in 2007 to enhance the quality of life in Cavendish and has distributed grants each year since then for a variety of programs, projects, and events. Grants are awarded to individuals and organizations that create or sponsor educational, cultural, or artistic ventures in Cavendish, or for projects that otherwise enrich the value of small-town living. On December 29th the Cavendish Community Fund held their second annual fundraising raffle at Crow’s Corner Bakery.
This year’s prizes included a Northern Flicker, hand-carved in chestnut by Wendy Lichtensteiger of Proctorsville, which was won by Scott and Terry Ranney of Cavendish. A stained-glass window created by Field Hill Studios in Cavendish was won by Lisa DePaolo of Stamford, Connecticut. An oil on board painting by Cavendish artist Patricia Darling Dean was won by Robin Manthei of Maple Grove, Minnesota. A hand-knitted Alpaca hat and cowl by Nancy Kelley of Cavendish was won by Lauren Flaherty and William Hallowel of Newport, Rhode Island. And a hand-crafted box with handmade pasted paper covering made by Pang Ting of Cavendish was won by Tammy Armstrong of Cavendish.
In 2021, the fund was able to assist several projects – holding summer concerts on the Svec Memorial Green, decorating the new Depot Street bridge, publicizing the hiking trails in Cavendish, helping Windsor County Mentors, continuing the Historical Society’s programs, and extending literacy events at the Community Library. For more information about the Fund or about grants and grant applications, please email Doug McBride at cavendishcommunityfund@gmail.com.
• GMUSD trims facilities renovations and pushes voter approval to summer: During their Dec. 21 special meeting, the Green Mountain Unified School District board pared approximately $5 million worth of projects from Energy Efficient Investments’ proposed $21 million budget for their district school renovation proposal and agreed to postpone bringing the final project, which will likely require financing through a bond, to voters until the summer, rather than during the town meeting in March. VT Journal
• Rasmussen takes over leadership of Ascutney Regional Commission
• Local civilian fingerprinting: Ludlow Police Department (802-885-4411), Windsor Police Department (802-674-9042), and the Windham County Sheriff's Office (802-365-4942) are available by appointment. Until further notice, Springfield Police Department is unavailable for this service.
• New Year, New Minimum Wage in VT: The scheduled change is an $0.80 increase for hourly employees, from $11.75 an hour, to $12.55. For tipped workers it goes from $5.88 to $6.28.
• 3G Devices being phased out: While most 3G devices have already been phased out, there are still people relying on old phones or devices to get help or as a safety net. According to the FCC, AT&T is expected to retire the network in February, T-Mobile and Sprint will retire it between March and July, and Verizon at the end of the year. WCAX
2. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.
WEEKLY DATA: Cavendish & Surrounding Towns: For the week ending Dec. 22, Cavendish had 6 new cases; Ludlow 7; Chester 12; Springfield 78 and Weathersfield 13. For the week ending Dec. 29, Cavendish had 2 new cases (95 total); Ludlow 14 (186); Chester 16 (388); Springfield 51 (1,317) and Weathersfield 5 (189).
Schools: No report as schools were closed last week
Area Nursing Homes: Springfield Rivers Nursing & Rehab is reported to have 9 cumulative cases, an increase in 3 cases from the prior week.
State: With no press conference this week, Tuesday’s modeling was published with the following summary CDC now estimates Omicron is the dominate variant in New England, which is helping fuel an 82% increase in cases over the last 7 days. Vermont is seeing the impacts of Omicron and a post-holiday surge with cases increasing 128% over the last 7 days, with rates rising in every Vermont county; 11 counties broke case rate records.
Vermont experienced a rise in breakthrough infections this week consistent with Omicron’s vaccine-evasion qualities); however, the not fully vaccinated remain at significantly increased risk of the most severe outcomes at 22x more likely to be hospitalized and 23x more likely to die.
In a week that broke one record after another, yesterday saw the highest case count with 2,188 new cases and a seropositivity (percent of positive tests) of 12.4%. Hospitalizations are rapidly rising, with 91 in hospital (one away from the record high of 92 on Dec. 2) and 17 in the ICU. is Deaths continue to occur with two new deaths in January (482 total).
Vt’s daily average of new cases is now 1,000 compared to 400 cases on Christmas and 750 on New Year’s Eve. Omicron, which is estimated to be 95% of Covid cases in the United States, is associated with more hospitalizations (due to large number of people being infected) but fewer in need of ICU care.
500,000 RAPID TESTS TO BE DELIVERED TO VERMONTERS: Gov. Scott announced yesterday that beginning next week Vermont will use a program developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to deliver 500,000 recently acquired rapid COVID-19 tests directly to households across the state. While our primary objective is to get tests into the field as efficiently as possible, we are also assessing how well the system works so we can continue to improve testing options and work with President Biden’s team to make future testing programs successful. As with every new program, there are going to be unanticipated challenges, the number of kits each household can order will be limited, it could take up to a week for them to be delivered, and we expect that they will go very, very quickly.
The Say Yes! COVID Test initiative is a partnership with the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, test manufacturer Quidel, and healthcare technology company CareEvolution.
Participating Vermonters will need to provide their name and address for test kit delivery, which will not be shared. No additional personal information will be required to get a free rapid test kit.
We will be able to announce additional details, including how to order, next week. Press Release
FACEMASKS 101: Covid is transmitted through mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and eyes, which is why proper fitting masks can reduce transmission. The omicron variant is highly transmissible and if the virus is on your mask, it’s easy to get it on your hands when you remove it. Research shows we touch our face about 23 times per hour, of which 44% come in contact with mucous membranes. We do it without thinking. Rub our eyes, scratch an itchy nose, adjust glasses and the list goes on.
Follow the steps below to achieve maximum effectiveness:
• Wash your hands before and after touching the mask
• Touch only the bands or ties when putting on and taking off your mask
• Make sure the mask covers you mouth and nose. If you make adjustments, wash your hands before and after.
• Recommended masks:
- The best protection is a properly fitting N95s, KN95s, KF94s.
- Surgical masks can be worn and give the best protection if fitted properly and using a mask brace.
- Note that face brackets (worn under the mask) have been found to lessen the effectiveness of the mask.
- Double masking-a surgical mask covered by a cloth mask-works.
- Wearing bandanas, gaiters, masks exhalation valves, or clear shield like face masks are not recommended.
• Don’t touch your or your child’s mask while it is being worn.
• Don’t wear the mask under your chin with your nose and mouth exposed
• Don’t remove the mask while around others in public
• Don’t share your mask with others
Learn more about face masks and Covid-19
The VT legislature is now in session and the House has introduced a statewide mask mandate bill. Free masks are available 24/7 at the CHS Cares Closet by the steps of the CHS Museum.
LONG COVID: Estimates are that approximately 7,000 or more Vermonters, who have had Covid, are experiencing “long Covid,” defined as having at least one persistent symptom up to six months after the initial infection has cleared. Symptoms include neurologic, cognitive, cardiopulmonary, constitutional, musculoskeletal, psychiatric and mobility impairments.
A new study this week has found that Covid infection is associated with executive dysfunction among young and middle aged adults, regardless of symptom severity. Unfortunately, Covid is not a “one and done” type of illness.
There are resources to help Vermonters dealing with long Covid. Both Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and the University of Vermont offer programs. Other resources include:
• COVID-19 Recovery Support Booklet (PDF)
OTHER NEWS
• The FDA has authorized a Pfizer booster for children ages 12 to 15 : VT has begun vaccinating this age group.
• 4 more Covid-19 outbreaks in Killington area following holiday week resort outbreak
3. EVENTS
JANUARY 7 (FRIDAY): St. James Christmas Concert has been rescheduled for Friday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 at the church in Proctorsville. New Year, New Concert. Free and open to the public. Donations welcome!
JANUARY 10 (MONDAY): Monthly Select Board Meeting 6:30 pm at the Town office
JANUARY 15 (SATURDAY): Monthly Utility bills due
JANUARY 17 (MONDAY): Martin Luther King’s Day Town Officer Closed
CA❤︎ENDSH VAXXING, BOOSTING & MASKING TO PROTECT SELF & OTHERS