During a press conference hosted by Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, Fauci, who joined via video call, took the opportunity to speak directly to local reporters and citizens about their unique handling of the pandemic. He congratulated the Green Mountain State’s status as having the lowest positive test rate in the U.S. at just .2 percent. “Notwithstanding that you’re a small state, but it should be the model of how you get to such a low test positivity, that you can actually start opening up the economy in a safe and prudent way,” the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director said.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Vermont’s successes with COVID actually go much further than the state’s low test positivity. Vermont can also boast the lowest number of cases in the nation, both overall (1,702) and per 100,000 people (273), according to The New York Times. It is also currently—coincidentally—the only “green” state in the country on the Harvard Global Health Institute’s COVID Risk Levels map, boasting the lowest rate of daily new cases at just .8 per 100,000 people. During the press conference, Fauci also took the time to remind Vermonters that despite their impressive successes, the pandemic is far from over. “The message that I’d like all of the citizens of the state to hear is that this virus is a formidable foe,” he warned. “If you give it an opportunity to reemerge its ugly head, whether you’re in the beautiful rural area of Vermont or in the middle of Manhattan or the Bronx, that virus is going to take advantage of that.” RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. He also added a familiar warning about the fall and coronavirus. “This becomes particularly important as we enter the colder season of the fall and the winter,” Fauci said. “Let’s everybody keep our guard up and not be complacent.” He followed up by saying that the influx of winter tourists presents a unique problem for Vermont, but by continuing to follow health guidelines such as wearing masks, social distancing, and diligently washing their hands, he was confident that Vermonters would continue to keep COVID under control. And for more on places that aren’t having such great luck with coronavirus, check out 7 States Where COVID Cases Are Skyrocketing.
