Berkshire Health Systems Additional Testing Centers Are Open

Additional "Stop the Spread" testing sites announced earlier this week are now open for local residents to receive free testing.

The Berkshire County locations are as follows:

Pittsfield: 505 East St., St Luke's Square, adjacent to BHS Urgent Care; open daily from 8:30 to 4.
North Adams: 98 Church St., next to the North Adams Library; open daily from 8:30 to 4.
Great Barrington: Drive-thru tent at 10 Maple Ave. until Thursday, Dec. 17; open daily from 8 to noon
Great Barrington: Opens Dec. 17 at 475 Main St., next to the Police Department; open daily from 8 to noon.

All centers will be closed on Christmas and New Year's Day.

COVID-19 testing, either through the Stop the Spread program or for symptomatic testing, is by appointment only. Those looking to be tested should call the BHS COVID-19 Hotline, 855-BMC-LINK, or 855-262-5465, which is available daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Testing will not be available for walk-ins.

Stop the Spread testing centers are no-cost surveillance testing centers for individuals who don't necessarily have symptoms and would still like to be tested. The goal of the Stop the Spread testing centers is aimed to provide expanded testing in communities where positive test rates are above the state average who have less access to testing.

Building on Massachusetts’ nation-leading COVID-19 testing program, the announcement of the new testing sites came from the Baker-Polito Administration on Tuesday. Gov. Charlie Baker announced an expansion of free testing yesterday, including at three sites in the Berkshires. He also said that beginning Friday, hospitals would “curtail” inpatient elective procedures that safely can be postponed, in order to free up bed space and staff.