BHS Offering Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With COVID-19 still impacting the region, Berkshire Health Systems is expanding its vaccination program with special vaccine clinics, specifically for children. 
 
These pediatric clinics will provide COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 and will be held the first Saturday of each month, beginning March 5 at the BHS Vaccine Center, 505 East Street in Pittsfield, from 8am to noon. 
 
Each child being vaccinated must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
 
Appointments are required and can be made by calling the BHS COVID-19 Hotline, 855-BMC-LINK, or 855-262-5465 or by booking an appointment online through the child's Berkshire Patient Portal account. If there are any questions about setting up a Patient Portal account for a child, call 413-447-2505 or email berkshireportal@bhs1.org.
 
BHS recognizes that vaccination can be anxiety-inducing, particularly for children and has specifically designed these clinics with children and their well-being in mind. BHS will not be offering adult doses during these clinic hours. The pediatric clinics will be staffed by skilled and knowledgeable pediatric nurses and emergency personnel will be standing by to offer support, if needed.
 
According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control, there have been nearly 2 million cases of COVID-19 within the 5 to 11-year-old age group during the pandemic. COVID-19 can make children very sick and cause children to be hospitalized. In some situations, the complications from infection can lead to death. Children are as likely to be infected with COVID-19 as adults and can get very sick from COVID-19. In addition, they can have both short and long-term health complications from COVID-19 and can spread the virus to others at home and school.
 
As of mid-October 2021, children ages 5 through 11 years have experienced more than 8,300 COVID-19 related hospitalizations and nearly 100 deaths from COVID-19. In fact, COVID-19 ranks as one of the top 10 causes of death for children ages 5 through 11 years.

Tags: BHS,   BMC,   COVID-19,   vaccinations,   


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Pittsfield Sees Legal Threats Over PHS Report

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City officials say they have received informal threats of legal action if the redacted Pittsfield High School investigation report is released. 

The report was placed on the March 25 School Committee meeting under executive session, and member Ciara Batory argued that the body already voted to release the report by Feb. 18, not review it privately and vote on it again. 

During the meeting, Mayor Peter Marchetti, committee chair, reported that there were threats of legal action if the redacted report were released.  

On Monday, iBerkshires reached out to the mayor's office to clarify the threats. One of the report's subjects and two school unions have said they would consider legal action. 

"We have received written communication from a lawyer representing an individual who is a subject in this report that they will 'pursue all available legal remedies.' In addition, we have received notice from two of the school unions that have indicated they will consider all appropriate legal actions," Catherine VanBramer, director of administrative services/public information officer, responded via email. 

 "Any decisions to release the report would require a majority vote of the School Committee." 

Five past and present PHS staff members were investigated for alleged misconduct, and allegations were found to be "unsupported," according to executive summaries released by the last term's committee. 

Scheduled for the last School Committee meeting was an executive session to discuss an "item of litigation, release of investigation reports." Before the private session, Batory asked if there was active litigation or a specific legal claim. 

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