COVID-19 is serious. It’s a big challenge. Governor Scott is fighting it with carpet bombing, which hasn’t killed the virus but has devastated most everything else. Attila the Hun could not have done a better job killing an economy in his rampage through Europe.
Some Vermonters have asked Vermont Daily about the governor’s legal justification for declaring and maintaining a state of emergency, including the closure of businesses.
Jobless claims in Vermont have reached more than 71,000 since Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency in March and ordered Vermonters to shut down businesses, restrict gatherings to 10 or less and “stay home, stay safe.”
At a press briefing Wednesday, Gov. Phil Scott said Vermonters can expect at least one more extension of the state of emergency order as he prepares to lay out his plans on Friday for getting people back to work.
“As we prepare for a surge in COVID-19 cases expected in the coming weeks, it will require each and every one of us to do our part to ease the burden on our health care system, the struggles of those less fortunate, and, ultimately, to save the lives of our friends and neighbors.”
“The education of our students and the bonding and learning experiences they have at schools are tremendously important, so I fully appreciate the impact and difficulty of this decision,” said Governor Phil Scott.
Initial claims for unemployment insurance have hit a record high in Vermont after Gov. Phil Scott shut down the state economy due to fears about the spread of the coronavirus.
“I fully recognize the emotional, financial and economic impact of these decisions, but based on the best science we have available, these measures are necessary,” said Gov. Scott.
While President Donald Trump said he is preparing to ease the U.S. economy back to health at the end of the month, Gov. Phil Scott on Monday said he expects to keep Vermont’s economy under lockdown for months to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Gov. Phil Scott on Saturday placed additional strain on the economy by ordering a shutdown of “close-contact” businesses in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“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.”
Governor Phil Scott on Monday vetoed S.23, a bill that would have mandated an increase to Vermont’s minimum wage. This mandate would have been on top of increases that already occur annually under current Vermont law.