In late February, BCArc staff silently celebrated a collective achievement — all houses were off quarantine. No staff or individuals had tested positive in more than two weeks. It had been a long stretch and a lot of struggle to finally feel the lightness of a Covid-free community. A lot of testing, protective practices, caring for one another, and vaccinations were finally paying off. The success continued well into March.
The Agency was given Phase I status for the vaccine, recognized for its essential work. CVS staff visited almost all of the 43 BCArc residential programs, completing the first shot for 500-plus individuals and staff in three short weeks. It then completed the second round, and a third round for any remaining staff a few weeks later, in the end vaccinating more than 700 people at BCArc.
“This is a great opportunity for our staff and I’m glad most of them took advantage of it,” said Ken Singer, President & CEO. “They worked through the entire pandemic, 24-7. So while it is a privilege to be part of Phase I, they earned it.”
As of March, visiting rules and outings had been slightly adjusted to reflect the new metrics, aligning with new state guidelines. “I was a concerned and a little nervous, but once I got the shot, it was gratifying,” site manager Colleen Lester told the Berkshire Eagle in a story about BCArc’s vaccination.
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This could not have been accomplished without the work of Chris Peltier and the support of Eileen West,” said Jennifer Rush, vice president of Residential Services. “Also key to getting this done was Chris Ferrari, Jennifer McNulty, and the supervisors and managers who ran the vaccine clinics for each program.”
“There’s a new feeling in the Agency,” said Ken, “given how many of the staff and individuals are vaccinated, the vigilance of our staff staying safe at work and outside work, and the decreasing positive numbers in the communities. There’s a collective feeling of relief and renewal.”
