Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative Launches Website

Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has announced the launch of a new website containing comprehensive information on how to access the Berkshire area COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

The new site, www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org, was developed to provide a consolidated resource with information about the COVID-19 vaccines, to provide resources on the state's Vaccination Phases and vaccine availability, and to aid the public in making appointments at the three large mass vaccination clinic sites in the Berkshires.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has established vaccination sites in Pittsfield at the Berkshire Community College Field House, in Great Barrington at the WEB Du Bois Middle School and in North Adams at St. Elizabeth of Hungary's Parish Center. Vaccine clinics are now scheduled for early February to begin vaccinations for the first part of Phase 2, which includes anyone aged 75 and older.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative estimates that there are approximately 18,000 Berkshire residents who are 75 and older, and based on the current distribution of vaccine by the State of Massachusetts, it is likely to take several weeks before completion of Phase 2-A. Clinics will be held weekly based on availability of the vaccine from the Commonwealth.

The website will be updated regularly as more clinics are scheduled throughout February and the coming months and as the state continues to move through Phase 2 and into Phase 3, which is estimated to run through the remainder of winter and into the spring.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative is a partnership between Berkshire Health Systems, Community Health Programs, the Berkshire County Boards of Health Association and public health nurses.

The website is www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org.

 


Tags: BHS,   CHP,   COVID-19,   


More Coronavirus Updates

Keep up to date on the latest COVID-19 news:


If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

DA Shugrue: One Kilo of Heroin, Guns Removed from Pittsfield Streets

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Local law enforcement agencies seized almost a kilo of heroin, along with guns and other substances, during raids in October. 

On Thursday, Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said this interrupted a "large-scale" drug trafficking operation. In total, about 542 grams of cocaine and 1,083 grams of heroin, firearms, and other paraphernalia were seized.

Nine people, including a juvenile, were charged with drug trafficking and/or illegal firearms.

"We're catching drugs and not a lot of cash, so it's not sold. That means that we're getting the drugs before it's sold. Here, almost a full kilo. That tells me it's not in the streets. I see a direct correlation with that. During those months, I'll see the overdose deaths go down, and that's significant to me," he said in a press conference at the Berkshire DA's office. 

"But we have to keep fighting it because we have to deal with the addiction issue as well, which we're dealing with in a different light, but we have to get rid of the supply that's coming in, and we see that supply go down. I know that you've got $250,000 worth of heroin that's not on the streets today, and I'm happy with that."

After a lengthy investigation, search warrants were executed on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22. 

During the Oct. 15 operation, 542 grams of cocaine (with a street value of $54,000) and 83 grams of heroin (with a street value of $20,000) were seized. 

Police also confiscated three guns: a 9 mm handgun with nine rounds, a Glock 19, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with six rounds, four loose rounds of ammunition, a 10-round feeding device, two boxes of 9mm ammunition, and a rifle scope. 

Seven individuals were arrested on charges of drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories