Champlain Expo COVID surge site to remain on standby

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. (WCAX) - Vermont currently has only one COVID overflow surge site and it’s currently on standby.

The four sites were created to assist overrun hospitals at the height of the pandemic. The Barre and St. Albans sites were closed early last summer and Rutland’s was packed away in late summer. The Champlain Valley Expo site was closed in the fall, but re-deployed in November when cases began increasing.

Vermont Deputy Public Safety Commissioner Christopher Herrick says the state does not anticipate re-deploying the other three sites. But if they need to be rebuilt, they were designed with rapid deployment in mind.

“That planning paid dividends. We were able to tear it down and rebuild as needed. But I think this time, we will be a bit more hesitant to tear down this time until we are sure we are out of the woods.” he said.

Herrick says there is no set measurement to determine when they will no longer need the remaining surge site. The non-COVID patient site of the Champlain Valley Expo site is being used to give vaccinations and has not had a COVID-positive patient since May of last year.

Related Stories:

Vermont COVID case count remains high; four new deaths

Vermont National Guard surge site officially ready for patients

Vermont National Guard rebuilds surge site at the Expo

Vermont National Guard surge hospital sees first patient

Castleton’s Spartan Arena transformed into surge site

Copyright 2021 WCAX. All rights reserved.