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The Vermont Ski Areas Association says ski resorts in the state lost an estimated $100 million this winter during the pandemic.
Vermont Ski Areas Association President Molly Mahar says season pass holders went to resorts more and sales of those passes were up at some areas, but ticket-buying skier visits were down about 40% through the end February. She says lodging revenue dropped by 60% and food and beverage revenue was down by 70%.
The Rutland Herald reports state officials estimate that equates to $700 million in losses for the economy.
Some resorts are hoping to have a strong wedding season to start to make up the gap in revenue, Mahar said.
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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) â Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Monday condemned the âracist responseâ to his administration s decision to make Black, indigenous, and people of color of any age eligible for a coronavirus vaccine before residents of other races.
The state granted preferential vaccine access April 1 to the BIPOC community and anyone living in their households. The Republican Scott called their disparity in vaccination rates compared to non-Hispanic whites âunacceptable.â
About 20% of the state s BOPIC population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared with an about 33% vaccination rate for non-Hispanic white residents, Scott said in a statement Monday.
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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) â Vermont officials estimate the COVID-19 vaccination program in the state has saved 78 lives since the vaccines arrived late last year.
Despite a recent spike in the number of new cases of COVID-19, the number of new infections in the elderly â the people most vulnerable to the virus â are continuing to go down.
The state says that 86.9% of people over age 75 have been vaccinated. As of Wednesday, the Vermont Health Department reported that 37.4% of all Vermonters over age 16 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 21.5% have completed vaccination.
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The outbreak of COVID-19 at the Vermont prison in Newport is continuing with 21 new cases.
On Monday, the Department of Corrections reported 19 new cases among inmates at the Northern Vermont Correctional Facility and two among staff members.
There are currently 37 positive inmate cases and six positive staff cases at the facility.
The department says 100 inmates who had previously been infected have recovered and have been cleared to leave isolation. Four staff are expected to be medically cleared early this week.
Corrections Commissioner Jim Baker says all the positive cases came from one unit and officials are working to mitigate the spread of the virus.