A shot in the arm to Berkshire Health Systems staff starting tomorrow

The first shipment of vaccines arrived at Berkshire Medical Center today according to and article in The Berkshire Eagle. The Eagle reports 1,950 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were received today, a day later than expected. No reason was given for the delay. Tomorrow is the first day of scheduled vaccinations.

The plan is for Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) to administer the first doses to health workers that work directly with Covid-19 infected patients, emergency room workers and intensive care staff. BHS owns a number of health care facilities in Berkshire County as well as BMC Hospital in Pittsfield and Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington.

A prioritized employee plan is in place and scheduled vaccinations will take place over the next two weeks. Out of the 1,950 doses of the vaccine received, half of those will be used for the second round of shots to employees 21 days from the original injection.

Long-term care facilities will also benefit from the first shipment of the vaccine. Kimball Farms Nursing Care Center in Lenox has been fighting a devastating outbreak that has killed 15 people. Those at the facility are scheduled to get the vaccine on December 28^th according to The Berkshire Eagle.

Elsewhere in western Mass, Bay State Medical Center and Mercy Hospital in Springfield began injecting staffers today with the Pfizer-manufactured vaccine.