Jan. 21: The governor announced the lifting of the stay-at-home advisory and the 9:30 business curfew effective Monday, Jan. 25. Occupancy levels will remain at 25 percent at least in February. The administration also opened vaccination availability to anyone in the Phase One categories of all health-care workers, first-responders, long-term and congregate care workers and home-health care workers.
The basis for lifting the curfew and advisory is the downward trend in cases and hospitalizations. The seven-day average peaked on Jan. 8 at 6,233.3 cases; on Jan. 20, it was 2,977, or less than half.
There are still more than 2,000 hospitalizations and nearly 300 patients intubated. The average age for hospitalizations is 71, but the highest number of cases continue to be in the 0-19 years range, with 14,574 cases during the last two weeks.
The state reported 4,821 new cases Thursday for a total of 462,910, and 75 deaths bringing that total to 13,622. The seven-day average positive test rate is 5.57 percent, the fifth straight day it has been below 6 percent.
In the Berkshires, there were 38 new cases and two deaths, for totals of 4,161 and 192, respectively. Pittsfield has recorded more than 400 cases over the past two weeks with a 14-day average test rate of 5.8 percent; North Adams recorded 60 new cases and a test rate of 3.0 percent. Tiny Mount Washington had the highest average test rate at more than 55 percent but had only five positive cases.
Public health restrictions implemented last month aimed to reduce mobility and gatherings. We're seeing modest improvements in public health data but we have more work to do.
Today we're extending lower capacity + gathering limits and rescinding our early business closure order. pic.twitter.com/KqWPTpiJF5
Jan. 20: Three more deaths were reported in the county bringing the total to 190; 76 of those have occurred in the hospital. The number of patients at BMC on precautions has dropped to 31, with three in the Fairview swing unit, and two more are pending tests.
The number of new cases is 42, for a total fo 4,123. The county averaged 42 cases daily in December but so far in January, that average has jumped to 61.
Statewide, the number of new cases was 3,987 for a total of 458,089 and the number of deaths 78, totaling 13,547. The seven-day positive average test rate was 5.86 percent.
The number of nationwide cases was 24,403,070 and the number of deaths, 405,400.
Jan. 19: The pandemic has now caused more than 400,000 deaths nationwide, including three in the Berkshires. The number of deaths countywide is now 187, 76 of which have occurred in the hospital.
There were 53 new cases in the county, for a total of 4,018, and 34 people are now hospitalized with COVID-19 precautions. As of Jan. 18, Springside Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center is reporting 55 confirmed cases of residents with COVID-19 and 28 staff members. It has had a total of 86 residents cases since March. It's the largest outbreak currently at the 11 BaneCare nursing facilities.
Statewide, the number of new cases declined again to 2,567 for a total of 454,102 to date; there have been 45 deaths, for a total of 13,469. The seven-day average positive test rate is 5.94 percent. That is down almost 2 percent since last week.
The number of cumulative cases in Pittsfield has now to 2,047 and more than 400 households are supposed to be isolating. The number of deaths in the city has remained at 49 for almost two weeks. The number of cases in North Adams was 263 as of last week.
Jan. 18: The number of new cases of the novel coronavirus topped 4,000 in the county and 24 million nationwide on Monday.
The Berkshires recorded no new deaths, leaving the total count so far at 184, and added 59 new cases for a total of 4,028 to date. Statewide the numbers were 52 deaths (13,424) and 3,224 cases (451,535). The seven-day positive average is 5.91 percent.
BMC is reporting 41 inpatients on precautions (two in the Fairview swing unit) and one with a pending test. The hospital has had 28 hospitalizations of confirmed cases in the past seven days and 62 in the past week. There have been 75 deaths.
Jan. 17: There was one death and 32 new cases reported in the county. The total number of cases is now 3,969. The state reported 67 deaths, for a total of 13,372, and 4,283 new cases, for a total of 448,311. The seven-day average positive test rate dropped to 5.86 percent.
The Department of Public Healther confirmed on Sunday the first case of the COVID-19 variant first found in the United Kingdom. The Boston resident had traveled to the United Kingdom and tested negative prior to returning home. She felt ill in early January and tested positive; a genetic sample was sent to an out of state laboratory and was confirmed as B.1.1.7. To date, the CDC has reported 88 cases from 14 states in the United States.
Jan. 16: Daily case numbers in the Berkshires show no sign of abating, with another 78 reported on Saturday. During the summer, the county was seeing days without any cases being reported. There were also another three deaths, bringing the total to 183.
The seven-day average positive test rate statewide has continued to drop, now 6.15 percent, but daily cases remain in the 5,000-6,000 range. Saturday's report was 5,657 new cases for 444,028 total; deaths were 74, for 13,305.
The number of infections have mainly increased in younger people, with the greatest number of new cases over the past two weeks being in the three categories for ages ranging from 0 to 39. Those under age 20 have the highest confirmed cases at 14,179.
The average age of hospitalizations is now 73. There are nearly 300 people intubated statewide although there has been a slight decrease in overall hospitalizations at 2,197. BMC reported on Friday that it has 40 (four at Fairview) patients on precautions with two pending tests. This is down about 20 from two weeks ago. There have now been 72 deaths at the hospital.
The number of deaths globally has surpassed 2 million and confirmed infections now total 94,410,568. The United States makes up 20 percent of all deaths and 25 percent of all infections worldwide.
Jan. 15: There were two more deaths bringing the total to 180 and 52 new cases for a total of 3,859.
The state reported 75 deaths for a total of 13,231 and 5,074 cases for a total of 438,371. Nationwide, total cases number 23,491,421 and deaths, 391,540. The statewide seven-day average 6.45. The county's 11-day average as of Jan. 14 is 4.95 percent.
In the last seven days there have been 52,239 first doses of vaccine and 206,190 total; 31,673 second doses in the past week and 32,894 total. Total cumulative doses so far is 239,174.
Massachusetts has received 142,350 Pfizer doses and 205,100 Moderna doses. The Berkshires have so far received 7,650.
Pittsfield has set up a hotline for city residents to provide them with information on when vaccines will be available. The number 413-449-5575 goes into operation this weekend and will be updated Mondays. Currently individuals in Phase 1 (health-care workers, first-responders, and congregate-care facilities).
Jan. 14: The county's death rate continues to climb with six more deaths reported on Thursday. At least 178 people have now succumbed to novel coronavirus.
Cases countywide jumped by another 74, bringing the total to 3,807. Several of the smaller communities have seen a signficant increase in cases over the past weeks.
Cheshire nearly doubled its total cases, adding 34 over the last two weeks for a total of 72. Adams was up more than 25 percent, with 46 cases for total of 171. Great Barrington was up nearly a third with 80 cases and Lanesborough up 28 percent with 21 cases and a total of 76. North Adams added 72 cases for a total of 263.
A few towns have had neglible cases. Florida has five and Hancock a total of 12 with none in the last 14 days.
The state reported a seven-day positive average rate of 6.67 percent, down from more than 8 percent over the holidays. There were 5,545 new cases for a total of 433,297 and 74 deaths, for a total of 13,156.
Jan. 13: Six more deaths were reported in the county bringing the total number now to 172. Half of all deaths to date occurred since Dec. 9, or 50 percent in five weeks. Sixty-eight deaths occurred at Berkshire Medical Center over the last 10 months.
The hospital is down to 48 (four at Fairview); 23.4 percent of the 47 tests at BMC in the last seven days have been positive.
The number of new cases is 52 for a total of 3,733.
The statewide seven-day positive average test rate is 7.11 percent. The number of new cases is 5,278, for a total of 427,752; the number of deaths is 86, bringing the number to 13,082.
Nationwide, the number of infections has surpassed 23 million and deaths stand at 383,939.
Gov. Charlie Baker defended his administration's strategy of taking a phased approach to COVID-19 vaccine distribution and the decision to move to congregate care facilities — including corrections facilities — next week.
Jan. 12: The county recorded 67 new cases and two deaths for totals of 3,681 and 166, respectively. The state reported 4,906 new cases, bringing that number to 422,474, and 67 deaths, for a total of 12,996.
BMC is down to 48 patients on precautions, three of those at Fairview, and one pending. Over the past week, has had 27 confirmed COVID-19 cases and there have been 67 deaths since March.
Jan. 11: Positive cases continue to rise in the county with 71 reported on Monday for a total of 3,614, and one death bringing the count to 163. Pittsfield accounts for more than half the cases with 1,807 recorded Monday, but less than a third of the deaths at 49.
The state recorded 4,239 new cases and 417,568 total, and 54 deaths for 12,929 total. The seven-day positive average rate is 7.26 percent.
The number of hospitalizations has declined to just over 2,200 but there are 451 patients in ICUs and 285 who are intubated. The average age for hospitalization is at 73.
BMC has seen a slight decline with 57 patients on precautions (three at the Fairview swing unit) and one pending tests. The hospital has had 64 deaths.
National numbers are 22,540,969 cases and 375,373 deaths.
First-responders began receiving the vaccine on Monday, with the Moderna vaccine distributed in North County. The majority of the public safety officials and EMTs are expected to be inoculated with the first shot by the end of the week. Reported about 75 percent of health-care workers at Berkshire Health Systems have been inoculated.
Phase 3, Step One of state reopening began on July 6.
Please assume that your local governmental offices, libraries and COAs are closed or operating under limited conditions. Use your town's official website for business or call to find out what precautions have been put in place. Always call ahead to ensure your destination is open.
July 21: Gov. Charlie Baker extended the pause on evictions and foreclosures for 60 days, until Oct. 17, 2020, through the authority granted to the governor by Chapter 65 of the Acts of 2020, An Act providing for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 Emergency, which was signed into law on April 20, 2020.
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere because @MassGovernor just signed my cocktails to go bill into LAW. Thanks for supporting our local restaurants! https://t.co/YUwyANsVdl
• The Pittsfield RMV is appointment only for only critical services that cannot be done online or over the phone. Check the website for licenses and certificates that have been extended.
• Restaurants are open to outside dining and limited in-door dining; many are still offering takeout options. Bars are closed to on-premise consumption.
• Most performances, clubs, fundraisers still cannot be held.
• Indoor activities cannot exceed 25 people in a single enclosed, indoor space. This includes worship, movie theaters, museums and other cultural institutions.
• Fitness centers, health clubs, indoor recreational activities and personal services such as nail salons, barbers and hairdressers can open if abiding by masking, sanitation, social distancing and limited access.
• Most state programs are canceled and non-essential executive branch employees have been ordered to stay home.
• Banks are currently open for drive-up, online banking, ATMs; some lobbies began opening on July 6. Check with your bank.
• All groceries, pharmacies, department, convenience and other retail stores are open; masking and social distancing required.
• Child-care centers open only for essential personnel. Visitation at nursing homes and medical facilities have been broadened although anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should avoid entering care facilities.
• Other services and organizations are mainly open for phone consultation and limited person-to-person contact.
What you can do
Take a walk or a bicycle ride. Spring clean. Call friends or Facetime. Get your garden ready. Check on folks who may need help. Watch a movie. Order from your favorite restaurants. Take a deep breath. Wash your hands.
Northern Berkshire COVID-19 Operations Center
Residents can call with questions at 413-662-3614, answered between 8 and 5 weekdays and voicemail for after hours, or use nbcovid@gmail.com.
Berkshire Medical Center
Toll-free hotline for questions staffed seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m: 1-855-BMC-LINK or 1-855-262-5465.
Hinds: Free COVID-19 Testing Important Tool to Stop County Spread Hinds said when it was announced over the summer, the Berkshire delegation was upset to see that there were not any sites in Berkshire County. The closest site for asymptomatic testing for some time...
Mass General Nurse: 'We Are Still in the Tunnel' Holiday gatherings were the focus of Tuesday's news conference, where Baker pleaded with Bay Staters to make sure the commonwealth does not see a repeat of the post-Thanksgiving spike in COVID-19...
BHS COVID-19 Test Centers Added to Stop the Spread Program Access to COVID-19 testing, either through the Stop the Spread program or for symptomatic testing, is by appointment only. Individuals MUST call the BHS COVID-19 Hotline, 855-BMC-LINK, or...
North Adams Schools Will Be Remote First Two Weeks of 2021 The School Committee voted to anticipate a potential rise in COVID-19 cases because of holiday gatherings and close the school buildings from Jan. 4 to Jan. 18 next year. The district will return to...
Baker Rolls Back Reopening Plan in Face of Rising Virus Rates Occupancy limits will be reduced to 40 percent and indoor performance venues and some indoor recreational activities will have to close. Dining indoors will be limited to six people per table for no...
Williamstown Board of Health Discusses COVID-19 Awareness Effort The Williams College Museum of Art, the college's Davis Center and '62 Center for Theatre and Dance are working with the town on an initiative to wrap bus stop shelters with public health messages to...
North Adams Schools Have Process for COVID-19 Exposures Superintendent Barbara Malkas told the School Committee on Tuesday that there was a process administrators looked at when considering responses to any exposures to the novel coronavirus.
Pittsfield Board of Health OKs Indoor Dining The Board of Health on Wednesday rescinded the ban imposed on Nov. 12 and issued new guidance that changes the maximum seating to six people per table from 10.
Baker: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout to Begin This Month The governor said he anticipated that the focus would be on high-risk individuals as the vaccines are rolled out in December and the first part of the year.
Some Brayton Students Switch to Remote After Positive Case A letter from Superintendent Barbara Malkas said cleaning and disinfecting of exposed locations will be completed according to state and federal guidelines. All students and staff who were in contact...
Central Berkshire School Switch to Remote Learning A letter from school and public health officials released on Friday morning pointed to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and surrounding school districts that are going to remote learning status....
Baker: Negative Test for COVID-19 Not a 'Kevlar Vest' And Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday continued to caution Bay Staters about traveling or holding large gatherings for Thanksgiving or thinking a negative test gives them enough security from...
State Reopening Field Hospital at Worcester's DCU Center And the doctor in charge of the operation wants all Bay Staters to know that they have the power to make sure more such facilities are not needed during Massachusetts' second wave of the novel...
North Adams Keeping Eye on Coronavirus Spread North Adams has remained in the lowest category with eight new cases in the past two weeks and six in the to weeks prior to that for a total of 75 to date. In contrast, the county logged 159 new...
Hoosac Valley District Reports First COVID-19 Case Superintendent Aaron Dean told the school committee Monday that earlier in the day he received an alert of the district's first case of COVID-19 that he said was an isolated case.
Pittsfield Seeing Spike in COVID-19 Cases Pittsfield health officials are attributing the rise in numbers mainly to large private gatherings, including house parties and group dining at restaurants.
State Changes COVID Color Codes to Reflect Test Positivity Rate The Baker Administration is changing the way it decides how municipalities are categorized as red, yellow or green for COVID-19 transmission and continuing its push to have public schools prioritize...
Governor Issues New Restrictions to Limit Coronavirus Spread Last several weeks have seen a spike in new cases close to a 1,000 a day compared to 200-300 over the late summer and a seven-day positive rate average that's climbed from 0.8 percent to 1.8-1.9...
Baker Warns of Coronavirus Spread Through Younger Population While this is good news for the state's most at-risk residents, the rising number of cases of the novel coronavirus in younger people is concerning, say public officials, pointing to numerous social...
Great Barrington 'Riled' by Think Tank Declaration on COVID-19 In a communication sent to iBerkshires, town leaders say Great Barrington has strived to be a safe community from the transmission of the novel coronavirus and that the "Great Barrington Declaration"...
North Adams School See No Spread of COVID-19 Superintendent Barbara Malkas last week said the single positive case was limited to a classroom and adjacent bathrooms, all of which were sanitized, and that everyone in contact with the individual...
Governor Says Halloween Is a Go Berkshire communities are determining how they will deal with door-to-door to distribution of candy. North Adams is holding trick-or-treat and issued a list of cautions; some towns are considering a...
Baker Easing Occupancy Levels for Low-Risk Communities Communities considered "low risk" for transmission of the novel coronavirus are those that record eight or fewer positive cases per 100,000 residents per week. The state's tracking map records those...
Former Leaders of Soldiers' Home Charged with Negligence The investigation launched in April, which included Medicaid fraud team investigators, spoke with more than 90 family members of veterans and others who called into the attorney general's office.
CDC Releases Guidance for Trick-or-Treating Local governments will be taking up the question of Halloween activities in the coming weeks but it looks like traditional trick-or-treating is out this year. And don't think that plastic costume...
COVID-19 Cases Increasing in Adams Chairman David Rhoads gave the update at Wednesday's meeting and said there are now, once again, active cases for the first time in months.
Baker: Getting a Flu Shot Shows Support for Health Care Workers Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders visited a CVS pharmacy to receive their flu shots and encourage their fellow Bay Staters to follow suit.
State Waits for Results in College Opening COVID-19 Rates The state is focusing right now on the "dangerously high levels of transmission" in the communities Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Lawrence and Revere. Field teams of volunteers have been working in those...
But ending the "curfew" and early closure for businesses like restaurants and movie theaters is possible because the state's key COVID-19 indicators are improving, Baker said. click for more
On the day that he announced the start next week of statewide distribution to residents and staff at congregate care facilities, Baker pushed back against the idea that "regular people" are being unfairly excluded in the commonwealth's phased approach to vaccinations.
click for more
Pittsfield remains a red-level community as the city struggles to recover from the spike of COVID-19 cases that occurred in early November. Over the last three days, case counts have plateaued and Mayor Linda Tyer hopes that this is the beginning of the decline. click for more
The Board of Health on Tuesday rejected the idea of putting further restrictions on local eateries despite a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases linked to restaurants. click for more
The governor is implementing tighter restrictions on gatherings, dropping capacity limits to 25 percent for businesses and industries and limiting indoor gatherings to no more than 10 and outdoor gatherings to 25.
The regulations go into effect on Saturday, Dec. 26, as the state attempts to... click for more
Access to COVID-19 testing, either through the Stop the Spread program or for symptomatic testing, is by appointment only. Individuals MUST call the BHS COVID-19 Hotline, 855-BMC-LINK, or 855-262-5465, which is available daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
click for more
The School Committee voted to anticipate a potential rise in COVID-19 cases because of holiday gatherings and close the school buildings from Jan. 4 to Jan. 18 next year. The district will return to hybrid learning on Tuesday, Jan. 19, the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
click for more
Occupancy limits will be reduced to 40 percent and indoor performance venues and some indoor recreational activities will have to close. Dining indoors will be limited to six people per table for no more than 90 minutes. There will be heightened mask use and social distancing.
click for more
Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday announced new state COVID-19 testing sites in North Adams, Pittsfield and Great Barrington.
The sites are part of an expansion of state testing in four counties, three in Western Massachusetts: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, as well as Barnstable on Cape Cod. click for more
The Williams College Museum of Art, the college's Davis Center and '62 Center for Theatre and Dance are working with the town on an initiative to wrap bus stop shelters with public health messages to fight the pandemic.
click for more
Superintendent Barbara Malkas told the School Committee on Tuesday that there was a process administrators looked at when considering responses to any exposures to the novel coronavirus.
click for more
The Board of Health on Wednesday rescinded the ban imposed on Nov. 12 and issued new guidance that changes the maximum seating to six people per table from 10.
click for more
The governor said he anticipated that the focus would be on high-risk individuals as the vaccines are rolled out in December and the first part of the year.
click for more
A letter from Superintendent Barbara Malkas said cleaning and disinfecting of exposed locations will be completed according to state and federal guidelines. All students and staff who were in contact with the infected individual have been notified through contact tracing.
click for more
Robert and Lauren Norcross, who have become involved in the Senior Center, objected that keeping the community/senior center closed was doing a disservice to the town's elderly.
click for more
A letter from school and public health officials released on Friday morning pointed to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and surrounding school districts that are going to remote learning status.
click for more
And Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday continued to caution Bay Staters about traveling or holding large gatherings for Thanksgiving or thinking a negative test gives them enough security from transmitting the novel coronavirus in those settings. And he was struck by the number of people on news... click for more
And the doctor in charge of the operation wants all Bay Staters to know that they have the power to make sure more such facilities are not needed during Massachusetts' second wave of the novel coronavirus.
click for more
North Adams has remained in the lowest category with eight new cases in the past two weeks and six in the to weeks prior to that for a total of 75 to date. In contrast, the county logged 159 new cases in the past two weeks, the bulk of those in Pittsfield.
click for more
The School Department is not considering going back to remote learning despite the sharp rise in COVID-19 over the past few weeks. That includes two cases reported on Tuesday. click for more
Superintendent Aaron Dean told the school committee Monday that earlier in the day he received an alert of the district's first case of COVID-19 that he said was an isolated case. click for more
Pittsfield health officials are attributing the rise in numbers mainly to large private gatherings, including house parties and group dining at restaurants.
click for more
The Baker Administration is changing the way it decides how municipalities are categorized as red, yellow or green for COVID-19 transmission and continuing its push to have public schools prioritize in-person instruction.
click for more
The Select Board, in a brief emergency meeting on Tuesday morning, voted to keep the library, Town Hall and Community Center closed indefinitely effective Nov. 4.
click for more
Last several weeks have seen a spike in new cases close to a 1,000 a day compared to 200-300 over the late summer and a seven-day positive rate average that's climbed from 0.8 percent to 1.8-1.9 percent. Daily case counts are up by 300 percent and inpatient hospital counts by 145 percent.
click for more
The Health Department says Pittsfield keeps heading in this direction it may become a yellow zone on the COVID-19 Community-Level Data Map.
click for more
While this is good news for the state's most at-risk residents, the rising number of cases of the novel coronavirus in younger people is concerning, say public officials, pointing to numerous social and sports gatherings with lax protocols as propelling the increase.
click for more
In a communication sent to iBerkshires, town leaders say Great Barrington has strived to be a safe community from the transmission of the novel coronavirus and that the "Great Barrington Declaration" from the American Institute for Economic Research is undermining that.
click for more
Superintendent Barbara Malkas last week said the single positive case was limited to a classroom and adjacent bathrooms, all of which were sanitized, and that everyone in contact with the individual was informed.
click for more
Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday declined to characterize the commonwealth as being at the start of a "second wave" of COVID-19 transmission.
click for more
Berkshire communities are determining how they will deal with door-to-door to distribution of candy. North Adams is holding trick-or-treat and issued a list of cautions; some towns are considering a central outdoor location or limiting hours.
click for more
Communities considered "low risk" for transmission of the novel coronavirus are those that record eight or fewer positive cases per 100,000 residents per week. The state's tracking map records those municipalities as gray, green or yellow, levels that most Berkshire communities have been at for... click for more
The investigation launched in April, which included Medicaid fraud team investigators, spoke with more than 90 family members of veterans and others who called into the attorney general's office.
click for more
Local governments will be taking up the question of Halloween activities in the coming weeks but it looks like traditional trick-or-treating is out this year. And don't think that plastic costume mask is a substitute for the cloth one you're wearing now.
click for more
Chairman David Rhoads gave the update at Wednesday's meeting and said there are now, once again, active cases for the first time in months.
click for more
Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders visited a CVS pharmacy to receive their flu shots and encourage their fellow Bay Staters to follow suit.
click for more
The school received word on Saturday that a teacher who went home with a fever had tested positive on Friday for the novel coronavirus, according to Head of School Sue Wells.
click for more
Williams has been delivering education and probably some sort of dining plan since 1793, but never before in an environment like that created by the COVID-19 pandemic. click for more
The town's health inspector said Thursday he has no idea why the commonwealth's COVID-19 Community Level map is showing Williamstown as the lone "yellow" community in Berkshire County. click for more
The state is focusing right now on the "dangerously high levels of transmission" in the communities Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Lawrence and Revere. Field teams of volunteers have been working in those communities distributing more than 4,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, 500 signs and 17,000 flyers with... click for more
During her Friday address on Pittsfield Community Television, she said there have been 12 new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks in the city. click for more