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BHS Limits Visitations as COVID Cases Rise

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems is changing it visitation guidelines beginning Wednesday to one visitor per patient and requiring medical-grade masking within its facilities.
 
Berkshire County has seen a significant uptick in COVID-19 cases, suspected to be the Delta variant, and an increase in hospitalizations. 
 
Some 60 new cases were reported over the weekend, and more than 100 since July 22 as well as two deaths. More than half the new cases in the past week are from North Adams Commons, where 30 residents and five staff members were found to be infected. Much higher numbers are being seen in the eastern part of the state.
 
"COVID-19 is resurging across the nation, but, for now, Berkshire County remains among the areas of low to moderate positivity," said Dr. James Lederer, BHS' chief medical and quality officer. "Our health-care facilities are safe, and our community should have no hesitation in seeking out the services they count on from our health-care providers. 
 
"Those who are vaccinated run a far lower risk of being infected, and if there are breakthrough infections, research has shown that the vast majority come with less severe symptoms or no symptoms at all."
 
As of Monday evening, Berkshire Medical Center had eight patients (of whom four are from the nursing home) and 11 pending tests. The statewide hospitalization numbers have doubled from 100 to more than 200 in the past two weeks with the average age being 35. 
 
Public health officials say the Delta variant is more easily transmissible even among vaccinated but is less likely to cause serious consequences in protected individuals. The Berkshires vaccination rate for eligible individuals (12 and older) stands at about 68 percent.
 
This still leaves a significant portion of the population, including children, unprotected. According to an internal BHS email, about 800 of its employees are still not vaccinated. Residents are strongly urged to get vaccinated.
 
Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital will limit visitation to one "healthy" visitor per patient in both adult medical/surgical units and pediatrics, compared to two visitors allowed previously. Visitation hours remain unchanged and are available from noon to 8 daily in the adult medical surgical units and 2 to 8 p.m. in the Critical Care and Progressive Care units.
 
Visitation guidance has not changed for maternity, the hospitals' Emergency Departments, outpatient services and physician practices where one visitor has been allowed per patient for some time.
 
 
All patients and visitors must wear a new medical-grade mask upon each entry to the facility and must use that mask during their visitation or appointment. The free masks will be given to anyone entering a BHS facility and provide enhanced protection for patients and visitors compared to re-used masks that likely have degraded in quality over time. This policy will be implemented in accordance with new Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidelines on masking.
 
COVID-19 vaccinations continue to be offered across Berkshire County, with vaccines being administered in Pittsfield and North Adams at the BHS COVID-19 testing facilities and in Great Barrington at Fairview Hospital. Walk-ins are welcome. Testing and vaccine appointments can also be made by calling the BHS COVID Hotline, 855-262-5465, open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The hotline is also available for any questions involving COVID-19, vaccination and testing.
 
For more information on Berkshire Health Systems and COVID-19, visit www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/coronavirus.

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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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