NORTH ADAMS â Emanuela Bunt managed to corral seven of her loved ones into the North Adams walk-in vaccine clinic on Thursday.
âThey went right in, it was so great,â she said. âWhen theyâre vaccinated, I want them all to come over, go on the trampoline, go in the hot tub, and we wonât have to worry. Anyone whoâs vaccinated can come!â
Bunt had struggled to book an appointment early in the process and ended up getting her vaccine more than a month after she became eligible. She was relieved that she could bring so many people she cared about to Thursdayâs clinic and get them vaccinated at the same time, without any hassle.
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.
PITTSFIELD â Gov. Charlie Baker praised local vaccination efforts as he met with Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative leaders and local officials at a site tour and news conference Thursday.
More than 5.3 million total doses have been administered in Massachusetts, with more than 49 percent of Berkshire residents receiving at least one dose, slightly above the state average of 48 percent.
Baker called the stateâs phased distribution plan âquite successfulâ in its ability to administer doses efficiently, and he pointed out that the state ranks first in the nation for total doses administered per capita among states with more than 5 million people.
Today, Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito will join Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer and other local leaders to tour the Berkshire Regional Collaborative vaccination site in Pittsfield, and provide an update on COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccinations for first responders are prepared at the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish Center in North Adams. The state ordered a pause Tuesday in administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccines, amid blood clot concerns. EAGLE FILE PHOTO
PITTSFIELD â Nicole Jones missed work Tuesday to get a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot at a Walgreens in North Adams.
When she was five minutes away, a voicemail message landed: Her appointment was canceled because of an indefinite pause in administering J&J vaccines amid a federal safety review, and the drugstore wasnât booking future slots.
Jones, an office administrator who lives in Pittsfield, has multiple health problems and has, for months, tried to find an appointment for the one-jab vaccine that didnât require her to miss a second day of work.
All Massachusetts residents ages 16 or older will become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19, the Baker administration announced Wednesday morning.
Residents 60 or older, and certain workers, become eligible March 22. Residents 55 or older, and those with one qualifying health condition, will become eligible April 5, and the general public will become eligible April 19.
âThe Administration has received assurances from the federal government that an increased vaccine supply will be available to states soon,â Bakerâs office wrote in a news release. âDepending on supply, it could take weeks for people to be notified that an appointment is available at a mass vaccination site.â