Berkshire County Vaccination Sites Rolling

Vaccination clinics in the Berkshires successfully began Phase Two distribution yesterday. Clinics began the phase two operations in Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington. The Berkshire Eagle reports that Berkshire health care providers administered more than 1,200 doses Tuesday at the clinics, in Pittsfield and North Adams. Lead public health nurse with the Berkshire Public Health Alliance, Leslie Drager told the newspaper that officials had considered postponing the clinics because of the snowstorm Monday but decided against it, based on the forecasts.

Meanwhile, vaccinations at Mass Vaccination sites in the state are back underway. A day after a snowstorm slowed Massachusetts' COVID-19 vaccination program, the sites are ramping up once again. CIC Health, in Cambridge, says the mass vaccination sites at Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park returned to regular hours Tuesday after changing some appointments and curtailing vaccinations early on Monday. You can visit the CIC Health website to find out about individual, organization, and Phase two priority group vaccinations.

From the country’s perspective, President Joe Biden’s administration announced Tuesday that it is moving to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, freeing up more doses for states and beginning to distribute them to retail pharmacies next week. The push comes amid new urgency to speed vaccinations to prevent the spread of potentially more serious strains of the virus that has killed more than 445,000 Americans.

Rhode Island-based pharmacy chain CVS Health, with Berkshire County locations in Pittsfield, Lenox, Lanesborough, North Adams, and Great Barrington will start offering COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible people at more than 300 stores in 11 states starting next week. According to the Pharmacy chain, the program that launches Feb. 11th will initially get 250,000 doses through the federal government, and the goal is to expand it when more supply becomes available.