The Deeper Dig

Local business leaders have said expanded unemployment benefits are making recipients less interested in rejoining the workforce. But talk to Vermonters who have been out of work for a year, and you'll hear a different story.

Conversations around the impacts of Covid in schools tend to revolve around the risk of an education gap, framing the pandemic as “lost year” for students. But some experts are pushing back on that narrative, arguing that the adaptations schools have made this year could provide a road map to a more inclusive education system.

Recorded live with Amanda Garces of the Vermont Human Rights Commission and founder of the Education Justice Coalition of Vermont; Deborah Lisi-Baker, formerly of UVM’s Center for Disability and Community Inclusion; Michael Martin, Director of Learning for the South Burlington School District; Celilo Bauman-Swain, a junior at Champlain Valley Union High School; and Bruce Pandya, a senior at U-32 High School.

The state has unveiled a plan to lift most Covid-19 restrictions by July 4th. And while public health experts say there’s value in giving people an incentive to get vaccinated, there’s still a need for flexibility and caution over the next several weeks.

Essex County has the lowest Covid vaccination rate in Vermont, revealing the challenge of reaching the state’s most isolated residents. And while skepticism about the vaccine might play a role, local advocates say that access to doses for people who want them is still lagging compared to the rest of the state.

The state’s effort to vaccinate the remaining adult population is underway, with new age groups becoming eligible every week. Gov. Phil Scott has echoed President Joe Biden in saying life will be back to normal around the Fourth of July. But there’s a sizable population that’s not going to be vaccinated anytime soon: Vermonters under 16. And it’s not totally clear how that will affect the state’s reopening process.

Guests: Elizabeth Townsend, Patsy Kelso (Vermont state epidemiologist), Erin Petenko (VTDigger)

The state is currently housing about 2,700 people who would otherwise be homeless in 75 motels around Vermont. VTDigger reporter Katie Jickling booked a stay in one.

The Covid-19 vaccine gives hope that some kind of normal life will start again soon. But it won’t bring back everything we’ve lost over the past year.

In Part 2 of a two-part series, four people from VTDigger's Virus in Vermont project talk about trauma.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Vermont saw a massive outpouring of community support. Those who helped respond to the crisis now say they never expected we would still be facing the same challenges a year later.

Part 1 of a two-part series. Read more from VTDigger's Virus in Vermont project.