PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has scheduled a community COVID-19 vaccine booster clinic, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Berkshire Community College Paterson Field House.
The booster clinic is open to anyone 18 and older who wants to receive their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which helps to prevent contracting COVID-19 or prevents serious illness in those with breakthrough cases of the virus.
Both Pfizer and Moderna third doses will be provided at the community clinic, as well as first and second doses for those 15 and older who have not yet received their initial doses.
"With positive cases of COVID-19 rising dramatically in the Berkshires in recent months, and the expectation that trend will continue through the Holiday Season and into January, it’s important to be vaccinated," said James Lederer, Berkshire Health Systems Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "The rise of the Omicron variant has many unknowns at this point, but it’s expected vaccination may provide protection from the onset of serious illness and hospitalization, and we recommend that anyone eligible for a booster receive it in the coming weeks."
The Dec. 18 clinic at BCC may be expanded to include additional hours, depending on the number of people who register for vaccination.
The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative is a partnership of Berkshire Health Systems, the Berkshire County Boards of Health Association and Community Health Programs, and successfully vaccinated tens of thousands of Berkshire residents throughout early to mid-2021.