New England is hit by a virus surge despite having high vaccination rates

Hospitals in the region are experiencing full ICUs and staff shortages. Officials are appealing to the unvaccinated for them to get their shots. The pandemic has made it difficult for health care workers to meet the demand for care.

Michael Pieciak (commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation), who oversees COVID-19 statistics, said that "I think it is clearly frustrating for all of you." "We want children to feel safe at school. We want parents to not have to worry about their child’s education or health.

Although New England is seeing records in case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths, it has not seen the same impact as other areas of the country .

Statistics from The Associated Press show that five states have the highest proportion of fully vaccinated people. New England is the top, with Vermont being the most populous, followed by Connecticut and Rhode Island. New Hampshire ranks 10th.

The AP data shows that the full vaccination rates in six New England states ranges from a high in Vermont at 69.4% to a low in New Hampshire at 61.5%.

Despite the fact that vaccination rates are high in the United States (averaging 55.5%), there are still many thousands of people living in the region who are not vaccinated or at risk of infection.

Officials from Rhode Island now say that the 70% goal to get vaccinated, which was once deemed the minimum level needed to end the state's pandemic, is not enough.

"What we have learned from delta and beyond is that to truly reach that level of vaccination, to give the true population level protection you need to be in excess of 90 percent," stated Tom McCarthy, executive director of Rhode Island Department of Health COVID Response Unit.

"We have the power to end unnecessary suffering and heartbreak; a means to protect ourselves and the health of those we love; a method to give our heroes doctors, nurses and other medical professionals a much needed break; and a method to protect our children – please get vaccinated now," Maine's Democratic Governor. Janet Mills recently stated.

UMass Memorial Health is the largest central Massachusetts health system. However, its head, UMass Memorial Health, stated that the hospitals in the region are seeing 20 times as many COVID-19 patients in June than in June, and that there isn’t enough ICU beds.

The Connecticut Legislature just extended Governor's Emergency Powers to help with the recent pandemic.

The highest pandemic cases are being recorded in Vermont, which boasts of high vaccination rates and low hospitalizations. From last winter, hospitalizations are nearing the pandemic peak. September was Vermont's second deadliest month during the pandemic.

Nearly 90 people were in ICUs in Maine on Sept. 22. This was a record for the state, and a peak during a pandemic. Maine recently reached 1,000 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Dr. Gretchen Volpe is an infectious disease specialist at York Hospital, Maine's 48-bed hospital. She said that the delta surge has made it more difficult to find the care patients need.

Volpe stated that doctors who are transferring patients have told me they need to travel further and call more places in order to accomplish their goal.

Friday saw the United States surpass the threshold of 700,000. Deaths from the Delta surge were unrelenting in South hotspots. New England is at the opposite end of the spectrum. However, the region continues to deal with the same surge as other parts of the country.

Phil Scott , Vermont's Republican governor, received near universal praise because of his early handling the pandemic. His calm demeanor, reliance on science, and calm demeanor kept his state amongst the safest.

However, he has been criticised by some including Democratic leaders in the state Legislature and over 90 employees of Vermont Health Department, who signed an August letter urging him to do more against the delta wave.

In June, Scott lifted Vermont's emergency status. This was when 80% of Vermont's eligible population received at least one shot.

He now recommends that schools use masks, and that people wear masks indoors. He won't reinstate the mitigation measures in place during the emergency.

Scott stated this week that "We cannot be in a perpetual emergency."

Dr. Tim Lahey is an infectious disease specialist at University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. He believes it's important to be more positive about the situation.

His Vermont hospital is not overcrowded, unlike others in the area. While people still need to be cautious and aware of their surroundings, they don't feel confined. Outside life is relatively normal.

He said, "We all hate the term 'delta' now. But has vaccination made it possible for us to withstand the brunt and lose fewer of our neighbours while still enjoying the quality of living that we have in Vermont?" "Yeah."