PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With a significantly diminished demand, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) will temporarily halt its COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the BHS Vaccine & Testing Centers in Pittsfield and North Adams, effective April 1.
A final pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinic will be held at the Pittsfield center, 505 East St., on Friday, April 7.
The number of people in the region seeking COVID-19 vaccination at the BHS centers has fallen dramatically in recent months. In addition, many local pharmacies now provide the vaccine.
BHS will continue to monitor COVID-19 infection rates and vaccination needs in the county and will adjust its offerings to meet those needs. The organization expects to offer public vaccination services again on a larger scale in Fall 2023.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Pittsfield Seeks $28M Borrowing for Water, Sewer Infrastructure
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is seeking a total of $28 million in borrowing authorizations to upgrade its drinking and wastewater infrastructure.
The full drinking water project is expected to cost $165 million over the next 8 years, with $150 million for long-term construction and $15 million for near-term needs. The initial ask would fund the final design and permitting for Phases 1-3, Phase 1 of interim updates, allowances, and contingency.
After the meeting, Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales explained that these are needed repairs so the current infrastructure can be stretched a little longer while design work is underway.
Pittsfield's two Krofta drinking water treatment plants were installed in the 1980s. The city says they are beyond anticipated useful service and at risk for catastrophic failure that could leave Pittsfield with a shortage of potable water.
Krofta is a compact filtration system that Pittsfield will continue to use. There are four units at the Cleveland WTP and two at the Ashley WTP. Morales said the system is "very good" but needs to be upgraded.
"We were one of the first to use that type of technology in the 80s, and it's outdated now, and getting parts and getting repairs to it is very costly because of the outdated technology that it's using, and we can replace that with better infrastructure," he explained.
"We need to build a chemical facility on the Cleveland side. We already have that done at Ashley with [American Rescue Plan Act] funds, largely, and then we need to build better tank holding systems at the plants to allow for fluorination to happen at the plant, instead of on its way down to Pittsfield."
The Pittsfield Public Schools are seeing the effects of inflation on the fiscal year 2027 budget, and want to close the gap in funding without layoffs.
click for more
The Department of Community Development has been working on a zoning proposal that aims to encourage small businesses and lively, characteristic activity in the West Side. click for more