ALABAMA GOVERNOR TO LIFT EMERGENCY ORDER: Workers staff a mostly empty COVID-19 vaccination clinic located at Cathedral of the Cross A.O.H. Church of God in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday. Health officials say vaccine demand is on the decline in some places, and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said she will soon end a state health order and state of emergency enacted because of the coronavirus pandemic. ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY THE NUMBERS: The Department of Public Health said 18 new deaths were reported in Massachusetts, pushing the statewide total to 17,288. Confirmed cases rose 481 to 648,249. That is the smallest daily total in nearly seven months.
North Adams resident Aprilyn Carsno has entered the race for mayor, a field that already includes Joshua Vallieres, a student at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Rachel Branch, an environmental advocate and longtime city resident.
Carsno, a political newcomer and self-identified independent, said the condition of the cityâs infrastructure and economic issues motivated her to run.
âPersonally, I would like to fix the town,â she said. âThe streets. The sidewalks. Thereâs so much to do. The fire hydrants would be first thing.â
Carsno, whose father is from North Adams, worked as a certified nursing assistant at Berkshire Health Systems until recently and now works part time at Stop & Shop. She moved to the city more than two decades ago and bought a home through a program run by former mayor John Barrett III, an âown your own homeâ program that she says she wants to bring back.
According to the most recent data from the state, more than 50 percent of our residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and almost 40 percent are fully vaccinated, said Darlene Rodowicz, executive vice president of Berkshire Health Systems. We are excited to see this increase in vaccine supply, and we are optimistic that anyone and everyone who wants a vaccine will able to get one. According to a press release, the flow of vaccine has recently improved, and the Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative expects to have a plentiful supply going forward. To increase accessibility and reduce barriers created by the State s online registration system, the collaborative will now offer walk-in appointments at each of the three clinic locations on specific days, said Laura Kittross, manager, Berkshire County Boards of Health Association. We know that folks have been frustrated, but we encourage everyone to try again.
SIX MILLION SHOTS: More than 6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have now been administered in Massachusetts, and more than half the stateâs roughly 7 million residents have received at least one shot.
In Berkshire County, 53 percent of residents have received at least one dose and 37 percent have been fully vaccinated, the state reported Thursday.
The Department of Public Health reported Friday that more than 2.53 million people in Massachusetts are fully vaccinated. In all, 6,097,946 doses have been administered as of midnight Thursday, accounting for 85 percent of the 7,172,680 doses shipped to Massachusetts providers and pharmacies so far.
BY THE NUMBERS: Berkshire County saw 14 new COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, for a new total of 6,338 cases, the state Department of Public Health said. To date, 282 people in the county have died of COVID-19, unchanged from two weeks ago. A week ago, the case total was 6,204. A month ago, the death total was 277 and the case total was 5,606.
The Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Berkshire County (RSVP) is seeking volunteer drivers for a new collaborative initiative, the Wheels for Wellness Program.
Wheels for Wellness is a free ride service for Berkshire County residents of all ages who need transportation to vaccines sites and medical appointments.
The program is a partnership between RSVP and the following organizations: Berkshire Community Action Council, Berkshire Fallon Health Collaborative, Community Health Programs, Berkshire Interfaith Organizing, Berkshire Health Systems, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
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“We recognize that there is a considerable gap in available transportation, not just for seniors, but for many other members of our community and throughout the Berkshires,” said RSVP Director Jeff Roucoulet. “As more people become eligible for vaccinations, we want to ensure that Wheels for Wellness provides transportation services to those who need this and other critical resourc