SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Dr. Leah Costello with Timber Lane Pediatrics in South Burlington says she’ll never forget March 7, 2020 – the day COVID came to Vermont.
“The unknown was so worrisome to all of us,” Dr. Costello said. “What is this virus? How long is it going to last? And what are we going to do about these kids?”
With 16 deaths that March, the Vermont Department of Health felt the pressure to take action.
“We were quite concerned and really gearing up, I think, for whatever worst-case scenario there could be,” Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said.
According to the New York Times and the state health department, Vermont saw over 150,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths. Cases spiked in the winter of 2022 with the arrival of the Omicron variant. Through it all, the medical community worked tirelessly to track cases, inform the public, treat patients and get Vermonters back to daily life.
“We really could try to apply the best that public health has to offer, both to educating the population at large and to doing the right things,” Dr. Levine reflected.
“I think the thing that I really truly reflect on with COVID is just how we came together as a pediatric community,” Dr. Costello said. “What we did here in Vermont was really exceptional.”
Four years later, numbers have improved. The Department of Health tracked around 254 cases last week, half that of cases this time last year. Most Vermonters are vaccinated, with almost 150,000 doses administered since September. For many, access to COVID healthcare is life-changing.
“I have a compromised immune system in my home and having those things available at our fingertips is great,” Jodie Jenot of Underhill said.
Despite immense progress, COVID is still packing a punch. Twenty-eight people died in January, the highest count in months. And there are lingering effects, like Long COVID and mental health issues.
“We don’t want people to just sort of say we made it through the pandemic and I no longer have to worry about COVID, because there are things we’re still paying attention to,” Dr. Levine said.
While COVID hospitalizations are low right now, doctors say it’s just as important to stay up to date on vaccinations and take precautions when feeling sick to protect your community.