Vermont continues to lead the nation in vaccinations; almost 84% of eligible Vermonters have had at least one shot. Life seems to gradually be returning to “normal” in Vermont, with concerts, camps, farmers markets, and many social gatherings back on.
In low-vaccination states, the Delta variant continues to spread rapidly because the mutated version of the coronavirus is more than twice as likely as the original virus to spread from person-to-person. According to Dr. Tim Lahey, Infectious Disease Specialist at the University of Vermont Medical Center, “The good news is that although Delta spreads really easily, people that are vaccinated are still quite well protected from severe disease and death. I think Delta is mostly a sign that people who are not vaccinated need to go get vaccinated to stay safe and keep their neighbors safe.”
First identified in India in December, 2020, the first Delta case in the U.S. was diagnosed in March. According to Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine, the Delta variant is 60% more transmissible than the original COVID-19. This explains why the daily case count of COVID-19 in Vermont has returned to double digits when it had been in the single digits per day for many months. But again, it is important to note that the vast majority of those in Vermont who are testing positive for the virus today are those individuals who have not yet received the vaccine for COVID-19. According to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the COVID-19 pandemic is “becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Here at Grace Cottage, we are continuing to provide COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment. We can’t guarantee which vaccine you will receive but recently we’ve been receiving Pfizer from the state. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for people 12 years old and up. Call 802-365-4331 anytime between 7 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Monday-Friday, to make an appointment. You do not have to be an established patient at Grace Cottage to receive the vaccine here.
As we prepare for the future and the ever-increasing number of patients who are choosing Grace Cottage for their primary care, we are in the middle of a major project to improve public access to the clinic. This project involves the replacement of the decades-old sidewalk and entrance ramps into the Grace Cottage Family Health Clinic with a new concrete sidewalk along Grafton Road/Route 35.
We have also begun renovating several of our public rest rooms to make them easier to access and more efficient to maintain. In the hospital, we’ve completely renovated our Emergency Department Trauma Room, added negative-pressure rooms, upgraded our CT scanner from a 64-slice to 128-slice, added new ventilators in the ER and hospital, and, in view of all of the flooding events that have been taking place in our area this summer, we are planning to upgrade the hospital generator; more details about this crucial generator project will be forthcoming.
Other News
BEST OF BRATTLEBORO: As announced in The Brattleboro Reformer this past weekend, Grace Cottage has won 7 awards in the Readers’ Choice Awards 2021 for the “Best of Windham County and Beyond,” sweeping all of these categories for the second year in a row. We thank our community for this wonderful recognition of the work we do on behalf of our patients.
71st Annual HOSPITAL FAIR DAY: Back in February, we made the decision to make Hospital Fair Day virtual again, because at that time it didn’t seem feasible to have a safe in-person event. Since then, thanks to the effectiveness of the vaccine, it’s become safer to gather in person in Vermont. However, many of our volunteers had already made other plans for the day of the Fair. As a result, we’re going ahead with a “Petite” Fair Day – we’ll gather on the Townshend Common from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. for the following:
- Live music by Tim Robinson (10-11:30), Ralph Sherman & Friends (11:30-1) and Bard Owl (1-2)
- White Elephant Booth (a “petite” version)
- Homemade Pie and Baked Goods Booth
- Hospital Fair Day T-shirt and Hat Booth
- Sandwich Booth (fresh ham & cheese, turkey & cheese, or hummus wraps with chips, apple, and water for sale)
Our usual Hospital Fair Day Auction will be online only, and we’ve already raised over $8,000 with 222 items available for bidding, including generators, bicycles, stained glass, art by many local artists, antiques, quilts, a telescope, a Fender guitar, a model train set, furniture, gift certificates, and plants, to name just a few!
Take a look at www.32auctions.com/GraceCottageFairDay and I think you’ll be impressed! Bidding closes on Sunday, August 8 at 8:30 p.m. All proceeds of Fair Day this year will be used for infrastructure improvements to the hospital, which was constructed almost 25 years ago!
Doug DiVello, President & CEO
Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital
