A look at the developments around Vermont related to the coronavirus pandemic:
ELECTIONS
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos said Monday that he is working with lawmakers and the governor to ensure Vermonters can vote safely in the August primary and the November general election.
Condos, the state’s top election official, said that asking voters to stand in lines at polling places is the opposite of social distancing and that the 2020 elections will see a significant increase in by-mail voting.
“We must protect voters and poll workers while preserving the right to vote,” Condos said in a written statement. “No Vermonter should have to choose between their health and casting a ballot.”
Vermont already has a 45-day early or absentee voting system that allows any registered voter who wishes to vote early by mail.
The state has received $3 million in COVID-19 relief funding from Congress for elections giving the state the resources to make any needed changes to the state’s election procedures, Condos’ office said.
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THE NUMBERS
Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said Monday that the number of new cases in Vermont is getting smaller.
Vermont had a total of more than 740 COVID-19 cases, and one additional death, bringing the total to 28 as of Sunday, according to the state Department of Health.
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For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
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UNEMPLOYMENT
The Vermont Department of Labor had a system outage on Sunday that caused a lot of claimants to get a message saying that their Social Security number was not found, Commissioner Michael Harrington said.
“My understanding is everything should be functional now,” he said Monday. “People can still file their claims online and over the phone for the rest of the week,” he said Monday.
A new alphabetized intake system has been put in place in response to the rising number of unemployment claims and inquiries.
To reduce the volume of online claims and calls to the assistance line, the alphabetized system has designated Monday for last names beginning with A through E, Tuesday F through L, Wednesday M through R, and Thursday S through Z.
Vermont had received more than 71,600 unemployment claims since March 15, the Labor Department said last week.
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ANTIBODY TESTING
Levine has appointed a working group of experts to recommend by late Thursday how the state should move forward with testing that could show whether someone has the virus or has antibodies indicating they’ve recovered.
“We will do this work in Vermont but in a scientifically and public health-informed, deliberate, strategic and evidence-based manner,” he said Monday.
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QUITTING SMOKING
In March, registrations to Vermont’s 802Quits programs rose 41% by phone and 157% online in March, compared with March of last year.
“That’s phenomenal, remarkable,” Levine said, congratulating those who have signed up and encouraging others to do the same.
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AP reporter Wilson Ring contributed to this report from Stowe, Vt.
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