New Eligibility Timeline for All MA Residents   Governor Baker recently released a new time for vaccine eligibility for all MA residents. Eligibility for vaccination is now widening from week to week. For a clear explanation of who is eligible when, please visit https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine or view the graphic at the bottom of this email.   Options to Schedule an Appointment Have your health insurance card handy when you register for your appointment.   (1) Pre-register for an appointment at the nearest mass vaccination site, Eastgate Mall in Springfield. https://vaccinesignup.mass.gov/#/   The state will contact you by email on a weekly basis to confirm your continuing need for a vaccination and, once you are eligible for a shot and one is available for you, eventually send you links and codes to sign up. Follow instructions carefully. You may preregister and still try options 2 & 3. If either works out before the state contacts you, you may remove yourself from the preregistration list.   (2) Wait to become eligible, then make an appointment online at one of the Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative sites in Pittsfield, Great Barrington or North Adams. www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org   Once you are eligible, check the site periodically for announcements of the release of new appointment times. If there are no appointments, a banner on the homepage will tell you when to return for best results. Read the directions (all the way to the bottom) and follow them carefully before clicking through to make your appointment. While you are here, write down the exact names of the local vaccination sites. They are at the bottom of the homepage, and you will need them later.   When you click to sign up at the recommended time, you will probably be placed in a waiting room. Do not refresh the page over and over. Just wait. Then, once you get through the waiting room, use the “Search By Name of Location” field and type in the name of one clinic location exactly as written at the bottom of the www.getvaccinatedberkshires,org homepage. If the first location you try does not reveal appointments, try one of the other two.   (3) Wait to become eligible, then seek an appointment at Big Y, Stop & Shop and/or Walgreens, all of which are vaccinating a few hundred people a week in the county.   Need Assistance? If online scheduling is particularly difficult or you do not have access to the internet, you can call the Vaccine hotline at 2-1-1 or contact your local council on aging who can assist you in scheduling an appointment.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

INSTACART - NEW! Dedicated support service for seniors

Food & Grocery Options 

The Town of Lenox will provide one meal per day to any resident in need beginning Monday, March 16 and continuing until further notice.  Click here to read more.

Early Hours and curbside/online ordering:

Big Y Markets are offering early hours from 7am-8am for seniors and immunocompromised individuals.  Click here for more information.

Guido’s Fresh Marketplace segments 9am-10am daily for seniors and immunocompromised individuals.  Delivery and  curbside pick up with online or phone-in calling. Click here for more information.

Harry's Market has delivery and curbside pick up.  Just call the store:  413-442-9084  Click here for store information.

Price Chopper/Market 32 has a grocery pickup option.  You can order your food online and then go to the store -- reserved parking for pickup -- and someone will bring your groceries to you. They also have a delivery option. Click here for more information.

Stop and Shop Supermarkets will open earlier in order to service only customers who are age 60 and over from 7:30 - 8:30a.m. daily. They made the decision to offer this every day of the week to allow for community members in this age category to shop in a less crowded environment, which better enables social distancing.  You’ll also be shopping prior to any other customers entering. Click here for more information.

Stop and Shop Markets also offer a food delivery service called Peapod Delivery. This would be a “contact free” delivery service.  With this service you will receive a text or email message when the driver arrives and they will simply leave the bags on your doorstep or building entrance.   Click here for more information.  

Take Out Delivery:

Click Here for a VERY Comprehensive Guide to Restaurant Delivery/Take-Out Options.

Check your favorite restaurant's website to see if they are open.  Know of any other restaurants delivering?  email us at villagesoftheberkshires@gmail.com 

Delivery Services:

Doorstep Deliverers

Marty's Local

The Berkshire Valet

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Another suggestion for managing the necessary trips

Consider organizing a group of households near you and coordinate the responsibility for shopping, pharmacy, post office, etc.  This could minimize the exposure.

Taking care of ourselves

Some suggestions from a psychiatrist who shared these thoughts on how we should try to take care of ourselves during this very stressful time.   It’s called the four “Ms”.

• Mindfulness:  awareness of the current moment – our thoughts, feelings, bodily senses and the surrounding environment.  You might want to try a mindfulness app, such as “Insight Timer”.  
• Movement: some regular physical activity that gives you pleasure (could be walking, dancing, Tai Chi, etc.)
• Mastery: A skill that you enjoy and are good at (for example, knitting, painting, photography)
• Meaningful engagement:  we know it is difficult to be isolated and miss the direct social contact.  We are trying to establish a phone connection with anyone who expresses the need.  But do reach out to those you love and care about and share something of consequence with them. 

Helpful Sites, Town Resources:

https://www.weststockbridge-ma.gov/sites/weststockbridgema/files/news/community_resources_covid-19_resources.pdf