Vermont extending state of emergency to mid-August

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The state of Vermont is extending the state of emergency needed to maintain special rules to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Phil Scott said.

He made the announcement about extending the state of emergency, which he first declared in March and has extended every month, during his regular virus briefing Tuesday.

“It’s the vehicle we need to keep certain protections in place, control outbreaks as they come up so we can keep the economy open and manage the ongoing crisis,” he said.

As long as the data shows the state is managing the virus, the process of reopening will continue.

“It may be awhile before life truly returns to normal, but we’ve shown we can reopen in a measured way and keep Vermonters safe,” he said.

Meanwhile, state officials are continuing to monitor a possible outbreak in Manchester and Londonderry. At least 30 people tested positive for the virus using an antigen test.

Vermont does not count tests as positive unless they are done with a more reliable system, but followup is being conducted, both to confirm the initial diagnosis and trace any possible route of infection.

Pop-up testing sites are planned for Wednesday in both communities.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)