Gov. Phil Scott on Friday said Vermonters may have to wait a long time for business to return to normal as his administration pursues a COVID-19 response effort restricting citizens’ ability to work, support families and go to school.
There are 16,638 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States as of Friday, March 20, according to John Hopkins University. Vermont is reporting 29 positive cases and 2 deaths, with 808 total tests conducted.
If millions of people become unemployed and lose their livelihood and health care, the consequences could be more severe than the virus itself.
Unemployment claims increased by 33 percent in the first two weeks of March, according to a report published Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Establishment news outlets have referred to coronavirus, formally named COVID-19, as “the Chinese virus” and “the Wuhan virus.” The New York Times, for example, has used both terms in reference to the virus, but is now painting Trump using the same language as problematic.
Some recent environmental and fiscal decisions made by Vermont state government are being rethought, or at least second-guessed, due to the coronavirus.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo described his expectations for the impact of the coronavirus on his state in stark terms Thursday, saying “the health care system is going to be overwhelmed” during a TV interview.
Although the reported deaths from COVID-19 are probably reasonably accurate, the number of reported cases are likely dramatically underreported.
Twenty-five percent of voters are willing to delay the November presidential elections as a precautionary measure against coronavirus, a Rasmussen Reports study found.
Gov. Phil Scott said Wednesday that massive federal spending could be coming to help those hurt by the government’s shutdown of schools, restaurants and other societal institutions.
Legislation discussed and agreed upon during a Senate Government Operations Committee teleconference today would waive the state’s Open Meeting Law requirement for government bodies to meet in one physical location.
“As we face a growing number of cases of coronavirus here in Vermont and across the country, there is no doubt these are difficult and uncertain times. It’s important for everyone to understand our mission which is to slow down the spread of this virus.”