Berks County will reopen its mass vaccination center later this month.
Officials announced Thursday that the Berks Cares Vaccine Center in Muhlenberg Township will begin welcoming patients on Oct. 27.
The center had closed at the end of July after giving more than 5,500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines over three months.
This version of the center will be operated in partnership with Penn State Health.
The center had previously been a collaborative effort with the Berks Community Health Center, which provided the vaccine supply and the medical personnel to administer the vaccines.
The county commissioners at their weekly meeting Thursday approved an agreement with Penn State Health to provide professional medical personnel to staff and operate the center to create a centralized location for residents to continue to get COVID-19 shots and boosters.
In this new partnership, the county will continue to lease the facility at the North Reading Plaza and will help promote the center. Penn State Health will supply the vaccine and staff and manage all site operations.
Under a new lease agreement, the county will pay about $72,000 to lease the facility. Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt, who has led the community vaccination task force, said the money will be coming from the $81.7 million the county received as part of the American Rescue Plan.
“With the county’s continued dedication to serving our residents and Penn State Health’s considerable resources, this partnership is a natural solution to ensure the Berks County community has access to vaccinating services for the long term,” Barnhardt said.
The center, which is located at 5370 Allentown Pike, will offer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by appointment only. The center will initially be open Wednesday through Saturday each week with 100 appointments available each day. Hours will vary.
Residents can learn more about the center and find a link to the Penn State Health online scheduling portal at doyourpartberks.com/vaccinecenter. Appointments can also be made by phone at 844-774-8883.
Jim Bennett, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Penn State Health St. Joseph, said the plan is to offer first-, second-, third shots and booster doses.
“We are excited to partner with the county and eager to offer our community this vital health service,” he said. “Our purpose is to provide boosters and third doses of the COVID vaccine to as many people as possible, as efficiently as possible.”
A third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is part of the primary vaccine series that some immunocompromised patients need to have a better response to the vaccination.
Booster shots, which are a half dose, provide an additional layer of protection as the initially sufficient immune response of the vaccine wanes over time.
Source: Berkshire mont
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