BHS Upgrades Respiratory Illness Alert to Moderate Level

02:01PM / Wednesday, January 07, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – As the Berkshire region experiences a heightened level of respiratory illnesses, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has raised its Respiratory Illness Alert level to Yellow, or Moderate, triggering updated masking and visitation requirements, effective Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at 7 am.

Respiratory illnesses are impacting a significant number of BHS patients, and the changes are being implemented to enhance safety for BHS staff, patients and visitors.

Yellow signifies moderate activity and now requires masking for all BHS staff when in direct contact with patients. Any patients with symptoms should mask, and BHS asks that visitors who have any respiratory illness symptoms, postpone their visits, if possible.

In the fall of 2025, Berkshire Health Systems implemented its three-tiered virus alert level system, which determines how the organization manages masking and visitor access, and whether staff, patients and visitors will require masking. The color-coded system is in effect at Berkshire Medical Center, Fairview Hospital, North Adams Regional Hospital and all outpatient centers, including BHS Physician Practices.

"Respiratory illnesses have risen significantly in the community, and these changes are being implemented in order to help protect our patients, visitors and staff from the whole host of respiratory viruses circulating at this time of year, especially influenza, COVID-19, and RSV," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "Masking, regular hand washing, and social distancing are all key factors in helping to prevent the spread of these very harmful viruses, and we will be vigilant in our efforts to combat these illnesses."

The level of virus activity is regularly reviewed to determine what tier BHS facilities will be assigned. Signage will be posted at all facilities, the BHS website will be updated regularly to reflect the current tier, and masks will be readily available at all facilities.

For more information, visit www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/virusalertlevel.

Tags: BHS, BMC,

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Social Service Organizations Highlight Challenges, Successes at Poverty Talk

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
08:04AM / Sunday, April 05, 2026

Dr. Jennifer Michaels of the Brien Center demonstrates how to use Narcan. Easy access to the drug has cut overdose deaths in the county by nearly half.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Recent actions at the federal level are making it harder for people to climb out of poverty.

Brad Gordon, executive director of Upside413, said he felt like he was doing a disservice by not recognizing national challenges and how they draw a direct line from choices being made by the Trump administration and the challenges the United States is facing.

"They more generally impact people's ability to work their way out of poverty, and that's really, that's really the overarching dynamic," he said.

"Poverty is incredibly corrosive, and it impacts all the topics that we'll talk about today."

His comments came during a conversation on poverty hosted by Berkshire Community Action Council. Eight local service agency leaders detailed how they are supporting people during the current housing and affordability crisis, and the Berkshire state delegation spoke to their own efforts.

The event held on March 27 at the Berkshire Athenaeum included a working lunch and encouraged public feedback.

"All of this information that we're going to gather today from both you and the panelists is going to drive our next three-year strategic plan," explained Deborah Leonczyk, BCAC's executive director.

The conversation ranged from health care and housing production to financial literacy and child care. Participating agencies included Upside 413, The Brien Center, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, MassHire Berkshire Career Center, Berkshire Regional Transit Authority, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Child Care of the Berkshires.

The federal choices Gordon spoke about included allocating $140 billion for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, investing $38 billion to convert warehouses into detention centers, cutting $1 trillion from Medicaid over 10 years, a proposed 50 percent increase in the defense budget, and cutting federal funding for supportive housing programs.

Gordon pointed to past comments about how the region can't build its way out of the housing crisis because of money. He withdrew that statement, explaining, "You know what? That's bullshit, actually."

"I'm going to be honest with you, that is absolute bullshit. I have just observed over the last year or so how we're spending our money and the amount of money that we're spending on the federal side, and I'm no longer saying in good conscience that we can't build our way out of this," he said.

Upside 413 provided a "Housing Demand in Western Massachusetts" report that was done in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's Donahue Institute of Economic and Public Policy Research. It states that around 23,400 units are needed to meet current housing demand in Western Mass; 1,900 in Berkshire County in 2025.

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