Vermont a state in the US is fierce in its battle against COVID-19. The number of vaccinated people in Vermont is tremendously high compared to any other state in the nation. A massive cover of about 80% of the people are fully vaccinated and about 92% of the people jabbed their 1st dose. This crowns Vermont with the title “Super-Vaccinated.”
Despite all these records, the Omicron wave is creating havoc in the place. It has spread throughout the state affecting people of all age groups from kids to old-aged people. PCR results tested in citizens found that one in ten of them were positive for the infection.
Super Vaccinated State Vermont Shows Less Covid-19 Death Rate
There was about a 17% increase in the number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19 in Vermont and about 13% of the COVID-19 positive patients were admitted to the Intensive care Unit. This was according to the statistics released for the last seven days. The death rate was high among unvaccinated people and people above the age of 65 years old were hospitalized in large numbers post-infection.
Chief medical officer, Dr. Trey Dobson at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Bennington says ‘The highly contagious nature of Omicron can be affirmed by this. It spreads through the air and if a person breathes the infected air, the virus enters him and causes infection regardless of being vaccinated.’ He motivates unvaccinated people to join his clinic to get to know more about the vaccination. ‘people are unconcerned about vaccination, some are getting vaccinated just for the sake of their jobs.
One point to note is that the vaccination percentage among kids is high which could also help us do more. Vermont being a highly vaccinated state can relax with less precautionary measures to follow after the Omicron wave come to the end. The risk of infection can never be zero but can be avoided to an extent, he added.
The Omicron variant is found to escalate faster than SARS-CoV-2 says, researchers. a study says that the spreadability of this virus is so simple that it can even spread through viruses carried by air, which makes the situation worsen. Omicron has a higher viral charge than compared to the previously occurring strains.
The super vaccinated state is currently following high restrictions as the COVID-19 cases are reaching their peak from the mid of January. Schools, colleges, factories are closed to prevent the spread. Despite, reaching a milestone in vaccination the state suffers much from infection. Crowds of people are being admitted to hospitals, they are dependent on EMTs and Federal Emergency Management Agency paramedics.
Pediatric critical care specialist Dr. Rebecca Bell, at the University of Vermont Health Network, Burlington says ‘ All infected people are not prone to serious complications in Vermont. The number of cases in Vermont may be high but the severity of the disease and the rate of hospitalization are low. I have been admitting and treating patients for a long while, none among them were kids.’
The rate of seasonal diseases in kids like influenza, RSV, stomach flu, etc., are found to be decreased in Vermont. But the children of Vermont are highly prone to COVID-19 infection. but the severity of the disease is reduced as most of the children are vaccinated.
But the researchers have found that Vermont can give an idea to the world about Living with COVID. Vaccination cannot stop the mutation of the virus to different strains but it can control the effect virus has on the patient’s body. the collective study performed in Vermont confirms that the death rate is low in this state compared to other states. Compared with the entire nation, Vermont shows the least death rate and less percentage of people hospitalized.
In Vermont, high numbers of unvaccinated people have been died and hospitalized post-COVID-19 infection. The data says that people of age 18 who were not vaccinated were hospitalized and the severity of the infection was 22 times higher than in vaccinated people. Unvaccinated people of the same age group were 23 times more prone to die out of COVID-19 infection than vaccinated people.
Director of clinical ethics Dr. Tim Lahey, at the University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington says “There is a spirited place in England. This is the time to show how we take care of people around us, our behavior may influence the ones around us. The motto of our state is “Freedom and Unity,” the state has achieved a huge mile in the aspect of vaccine for which the reason is freedom and unity. The overall mindset of the people is, the interest to be safe.
Lahey appreciates Phil Scott, State’s Republican governor for his clear-cut message on vaccination. Despite other political leaders who suppress the voice of the people, he builds the trust in people. All of us are just worn out, we’re worn out with friends, says the ethics Director.
