testing

State urges increase COVID testing, calls for insurance coverage

MONTPELIER- The state will emphasize COVID-19 testing as well as vaccination as a means of preventing the spread of the virus, officials said at Gov. Phil Scott’s briefing Tuesday.
As part of the testing initiative, Gov. Scott announced an emergency rule requiring commercial health...

Agency of Education Secretary Dan French

Keeping schools safe

Local districts working out logistics on test to stay NEWFANE - In late September, Secretary of Education Dan French announced the state would pivot to a test to stay approach for limiting the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Locally, school administrators are grappling with how...

Scott, other officials in quarantine after potential presser exposure

MONTPELIER- Vermont officials at Tuesday’s press briefing expressed optimism that the latest COVID-19 data indicates the pandemic’s “third wave” may be waning.
Just hours later, however, Gov. Phil Scott’s office announced that he, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine, and other...

Scott hopeful virus growth slowing

MONTPELIER- At his press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Scott said he was “cautiously optimistic” that the growth of COVID-19 cases in Vermont will be lower than projected, based on the latest data.
“It looks as though there have been changes in behavior that will, hopefully, lead to...

River Valleys board meeting

Encouraging air quality news for Wardsboro school

DOVER - At Monday’s meeting of the River Valleys Unified Union School District board, the board got encouraging news about air quality testing at Wardsboro Elementary. In other matters, principals Matt Martyn and Tammy Bates said the schools’ students and staffs are getting into the swing of the...

Vermont will not follow CDC guidance on tests, travel

MONTPELIER - At a press conference on Friday, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said Vermont will not follow new CDC guidance about testing and travel. In addition, Levine said guidance on flu vaccination, particularly for younger Vermonters, will be forthcoming in the next several...

Directive to wear face masks in public may be coming

MONTPELIER- At a press conference Monday, exactly one month after declaring a state of emergency, Gov. Phil Scott hinted that there may be more orders coming this week, including a directive to wear face masks when in public.
"It's hard to believe it was only one month ago today that I...

Gov. Scott closes schools, health department expands testing

By Mike Eldred MONTPELIER- Late Thursday afternoon, Gov. Phil Scott issued an order dismissing in-person education at Vermont schools for the remainder of the school year.
The latest order supersedes his earlier order, which closed schools until April 6. Under the order, districts...

Health officials say valley residents not at heightened risk

READSBORO- The Vermont Department of Health says Readsboro and other Deerfield Valley residents do not need to take any special precautions to prevent contracting COVID-19 (coronavirus).
A Readsboro man received a presumptive diagnosis of coronavirus over the weekend, the first case in...