Vermont medical groups call for more to protect kids from COVID

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - More Vermont medical groups are calling for the state to do more to protect children who are too young to be vaccinated from COVID-19.

At least five groups, including the Vermont chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, are calling for measures that include universal masking in schools until children under age 12 become eligible to be vaccinated.

Currently, the Agency of Education is recommending schools require masks for the first 10 days of school. After that, any school where 80% of students eligible for the vaccine have received it, vaccinated students and staff could remove their masks.