Testing Site Opens in Putney; Library Suspends Pickup Service, Catholic Churches and Shrines to Close: Coronavirus News in Vermont

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Sunday, March 29, 2020

Testing Site Opens in Putney; Library Suspends Pickup Service, Catholic Churches and Shrines to Close: Coronavirus News in Vermont

Posted By Seven Days Staff on Sun, Mar 29, 2020 at 12:54 PM

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Sunday, March 15, 2020:

Shelburne Community School Closed Monday, Tuesday

The Shelburne Community School will be closed Monday and Tuesday — and will close along with the rest of Vermont schools on Wednesday — after "a community member in Shelburne with connections to the school" tested positive for coronavirus, the Champlain Valley School District said in a press release Sunday evening.

The school serves kids in prekindergarten through eighth grade.

"We are aware that this news is unsettling," the release said. "The Department of Health does not recommend closure of any other Champlain Valley School District schools, and therefore CVSD will move ahead with the plans outlined in the message shared earlier today."

Earlier Sunday, Gov. Phil Scott announced that all Vermont schools would close on Wednesday, March 18.

Bolton Valley Closing for 'Undefined Period of Time'

Bolton Valley has become the latest Vermont ski early to shut for the season.

"At the close of operations today at 4pm on Sunday March 15, 2020, we intend to suspend resort wide operations for an undefined period of time," a spokesperson wrote in a statement. "We will continuously re-evaluate when we can re-open and will do so as soon as we determine we can operate without putting our employees or the public at risk."

Saturday, March 14, 2020:

Ludlow-Area Schools Close Due to COVID-19 Case

Six schools in the Two Rivers Supervisory Union will be closed beginning Monday after someone from Ludlow tested presumptive positive for coronavirus.

"Given what I know about this situation, and after being in conversation with a nurse from the Vermont Department of Health and Secretary [Dan] French of the Agency of Education, I have decided to close our schools until further notice," superintendent Meg Alison Powden said in a statement Saturday.

The statement continued:

Black River High School Middle School, Cavendish Town Elementary School, Chester-Andover Elementary School, Green Mountain Union School, Ludlow Elementary School and Mount Holly School are closed to students, teachers and most of our staff. Only the administration, school nurses and maintenance personnel are allowed in our buildings at this time.

While some school districts around the country have closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Gov. Phil Scott said Friday that Vermont schools would remain open.

Stratton and Sugarbush Resort to Close Sunday

Alterra Mountain Company, owner of Vermont's Stratton and Sugarbush resorts, is the latest to close its ski slopes, shutting down its 15 North American resorts on Sunday.

"All lift operations, food and beverage, retail and rental services will be closed until further notice," CEO Rusty Gregory said in a statement posted Saturday.

Stowe Mountain Resort, Okemo to Close Sunday

Vail Resorts, owner of Vermont's Stowe Mountain Resort and Okemo, will close all of its North American ski areas on Sunday.

An announcement released on Saturday describes a weeklong closure, until March 22, during which company execs will "reassess our approach for the rest of the season," CEO Rob Katz said. "We will be providing updated information on the remainder of the season by Friday, March 20, 2020."

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health Announces New Visitor Rules

All visitors entering any of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health's six locations "will be asked screening questions about symptoms of respiratory illness and travel history," the health system said in a statement Saturday.

The measures go into effect immediately.

Patients at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., will be limited to hosting one visitor at a time. The visitor must be older than 14.

"Exceptions will be made for people visiting pediatrics, neonatal ICU, obstetrics, or psychiatric care, and for those visiting patients receiving end-of-life care," the statement says.

Further, "visitors exhibiting symptoms, or who have traveled recently, will be asked to return home and contact their primary care provider (PCP) for additional assessment. Patients presenting symptoms will be given a mask and will be risk assessed for further testing. While the same screening questions will be asked at each location, the actions following screening may vary slightly from location to location."