Flu Shots Still Available at Big Y Pharmacies

08:11AM / Friday, January 13, 2023Print Story | Email Story

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Big Y Pharmacy and Wellness Centers have administered over 30,000 flu shots this year, a record number for the chain.

Health officials continue to make another urgent push to encourage the public to get vaccinated. In the US, this flu season has been one of the most significant in recent memory with nearly 20 million illnesses, 210,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths from flu so far, according to CDC estimates. Experts say it's not too late to get vaccinated. Each Big Y Pharmacy location still offers flu vaccines, no appointment is necessary.

In addition to their flu vaccinations that continue to increase daily, Big Y Pharmacies have also set records from last fall's Big Y Big Vax Week. This second community wide event spanned every one of Big Y's 73 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut through a combination of their pharmacy locations and on-site clinics for all customers, employees and their families. While clinic locations offered seasonal and high dose flu as well as COVID-19 vaccines, in-store pharmacies offer a variety of additional vaccines such as Pneumococcal (pneumonia), Shingrix (shingles), Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, and Pertussis), Hepatitis A and B, Meningococcal (Meningitis), MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella), Guardasil (HPV). Big Y Pharmacy teams administered almost 16,000 vaccines evenly split between flu and COVID-19 vaccines during their 2022 Big Y Big Vax week.

Over the past year, Big Y has expanded its pharmacy program to specifically support all of their immunization efforts and community outreach including adding the new position of Immunization Coordinator. Elaine Zimnoski, Big Y's Immunization Coordinator, is eager to applaud the teams at Big Y Pharmacy for their record-breaking contributions to their second annual Big Vax week and more.

"I am so very proud of our incredible pharmacy staff for their extraordinary efforts this past year. Their dedication to protecting individuals continues to show Big Y's impact in the communities we serve. Our goal with expanding our immunization program is to reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses everywhere. We understand the importance of assisting our communities and providing access to preventable health care through services such as immunizations. I am grateful for the trust our patients have in us. Our professional pharmacy teams look forward to continue to serve their communities in 2023."

Tags: big y, vaccinations,

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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