Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative Launches Website

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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,   


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Berkshire Health System Blood Program Helps Shield County From National Shortage

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The American Red Cross declared its second national blood supply crisis in its history on Monday, but community members can breathe easy thanks to Berkshire Health System's blood donor program. 
 
Berkshire Medical System has always had a stationary donor center for autologous donations, which is no longer common practice, and had some O-negative blood on hand that it purchased from the Red Cross prior to having its own blood donor program, said Christine Amuso, blood donor coordinator.
 
Today, Berkshire Health System's blood donor program collects about 2,300 to 2,400 units of blood annually, all of which stays within Berkshire County to help keep local blood supplies stocked. 
 
In some years, the program has reached record collections of about 3,000 units.
 
"That [record has] only happened a couple of times since I've been employed with the program. So, we really have done wonders with the program," Amuso said. 
 
Donating blood through Berkshire Health System's program is accessible, with a donor center at the main campus and a mobile blood unit that travels throughout Berkshire County, including select Saturdays.
 
While appointments for blood donations are strongly encouraged, staff also intentionally leave scheduling gaps to accommodate additional donors who walk in without an appointment. 
 
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