Updated at 4:31 p.m.
Health Commissioner Mark Levine announced his retirement on Friday after eight years as chief of the Vermont Department of Health.
Levine, a doctor, led the department through several crises, notably the most important health challenge in the state during the decades: the Pandemic COVID-19.
“Dr. Levine was a regular and reassuring voice through the pandemic and in the months of recovery that followed,” said social services secretary Jennel Samuelson in a statement. “Each week, during the Marathon press conferences, he Calmly addressed complex subjects in epidemiology and public health.
The Ministry of Health COVID-19 data drawn,, provided cocovated advice to vermans and organized mass vaccination campaignsAmong other measures. Levine also served as Advisor to Governor Phil Scott On health issues.
“I will be eternally recognizing his advice and advice over the years, but especially during the pandemic, because he appeared with me daily during press conferences during these difficult days, will comfort me a lot of vermonters like our own” Doc de Pays’ ” »Scott said in a statement.
With COVID-19, Levine led the department during some of the worst years of the opioid epidemic, which hit a new peak During the cocovated pandemic but began to drop in 2023.
The press release announcing his retirement cited other achievements during his mandate, in particular the creation of a nursing home visit program for newborns.
Levine, a 71 -year -old resident of Shelburne, had an internal medical practice and was dean associated with graduate medical studies at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine before joining the Department of Health. He plans to retire officially at the end of March.
Levine and Scott were not available for other comments on Friday afternoon.