I have been a strong supporter of Gov. Scott’s efforts to curb COVID-19 in Vermont. But with his most recent dictum, something has gone awry. I hope the governor and his team will consider another approach.
It makes zero sense to me that under the new dictates, I can still go into a marginally ventilated restaurant and hang out with unmasked strangers while eating and drinking as much alcohol as the restaurant is willing to serve me in a marginally ventilated indoor space for the entire evening. Or I can go into a gym with others who are exercising and pump iron and exhale vigorously for hours on end.
But I’m not supposed to take a walk with my neighbor, masked and six feet apart. Nor can I gather outside and socially distanced with friends who — like me and many other Vermonters — have for months taken substantial precautions to remain safe from the virus and to protect others against it.
With the new ban on all “inter-household” gatherings, Vermont has now prohibited even a small Thanksgiving dinner among family members from two households who have quarantined, worn masks, and tested negative for the virus. 
Most Vermonters support and practice masking and social distancing. But these unwise new regulations will only encourage widespread flouting of the rules.
Greg Dennis
Cornwall