PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Berkshire Health Systems chief medical officer Dr. James Lederer said while the public health emergencies have been dropped, coronavirus is still with us, but there is less of a need to have restrictions in place because, in large part, hospitalizations for COVID-19 are at the lowest they've been since the start of the pandemic.
“Now we have to learn how to manage what is an ongoing endemic situation, not pandemic, endemic," Lederer said. "Just meaning it will always be with us and we know now what to do.”
What You Need To Know
- Thursday, May 11, 2023 marks the formal end of the national COVID-19 public health emergency
- Universal masking is no longer required at BHS facilities, effective May 11
- The health system is asking all patients and visitors to self-screen upon arrival at any BHS facility
- Berkshire Health Systems has revised their visitation policy, effective May 11
Lederer said the lessons learned and care protocols established while handling COVID-19 have made Berkshire Health Systems a better operation.
“I think for the county, what it did is prove to ourselves that we have a well-integrated system," Lederer said. "We did things that other Commonwealth counties couldn't do. We had a comprehensive testing center strategy. We had a comprehensive treatment strategy. Once the newer agents were released, we had comprehensive testing and reporting and just access as needed by the community.”
Lederer said COVID-19 has shown it doesn't necessarily follow seasons, however it does have surges and changes in genetics with strains, but now there is a certain level of widespread immunity.
“What we're seeing now with the current XBB strains is that while they still emerge as new strains, they don't seem to have the clinical impact," Lederer said. "Probably because, according to the CDC, 96% of us have either been vaccinated, vaccinated and infected or just infected. And so, we all have evidence of immunity.”
Lederer said wearing a mask will always be a personal protection option and, while it’s unexpected, the hospital is ready to respond if things change.
“Not having a mask on today feels good," Lederer said. "But if tomorrow the Department of Public Health said, 'We're seeing something emerge, you know, a new coronavirus strain, it looks like it's going to be impactful,' then we might have to change our current guidance and go back to a masking strategy.”
Berkshire Health Systems will be closing their COVID-19 testing centers at the end of the month and they’re asking all patients and visitors to self-screen upon arrival at any BHS facility.