Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 9, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The charts below will be included in the Daily News Digest, Monday-Friday. 42 New COVID-19 Cases Reported DOH reports 42 new cases of coronavirus today, with 16 cases on O‘ahu, 18 on Maui, 7 on Hawai‘i Island, and one (1) diagnosed out-of-state. This report includes cases up until Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Full data is posted on the State COVID-19 dashboard and on the DOH Disease Outbreak & Control Division website daily: HawaiiCOVID19.com/dashboard. Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 11:59 p.m. March 7, 2021 Island of Diagnosis New Cases Reported [...]
First Johnson & Johnson vaccines administered
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) administered hundreds of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines to Department of Education (DOE) employees at clinic in Kaneohe today. “It is gratifying to see that so many people recognize the benefits this new vaccine offers,” said State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is similar to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in that they are all highly effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death, but different because Johnson & Johnson is a single-shot regimen.” Today’s vaccination clinic was run by the DOH Behavioral Health Administration at the [...]
Department of Health fines Doner Shack $4,000 for food safety placard and permit violations
HONOLULU - The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) to Doner Shack located at 79 South Pauahi St. in Honolulu. The company is ordered to pay a fine of $4,000 for removing the red placard posted at their establishment by a health inspector and for operating without a permit on three occasions. In response to a public complaint received on Jan. 20, health inspections were conducted at Doner Shack on Jan. 25 and 27. During both inspections, the establishment’s manager was observed working without a face mask among customers. [...]
No One Is Left Behind in Hawaii’s Vaccination Plan
In Hawaii’s efforts to vaccinate our high-risk residents as quickly and efficiently as possible, it’s comforting to know that no one is being left behind or forgotten. These high-risk target groups include Hawaii’s 3,200 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities served through the Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) in the state Department of Health. With collaboration between the DDD, Behavioral Health Administration and other partners, Hawai‘i has successfully vaccinated the majority of residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities in just the past two months. “Hawai‘i residents with developmental disabilities often have underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19. [...]
5 Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating
This year the pandemic, although challenging, has been an opportunity for families to spend more quality time together. From keiki to kupuna, family members young and old are reconnecting in the kitchen over treasured recipes passed from one generation to the next, and new recipes to add to the mix. “The pandemic has renewed interest in home-cooked meals, but we realize that many of Hawai‘i’s families still struggle to prepare healthy meals at home,” says Lola Irvin, Administrator of the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division. “Thankfully, there are simple steps we can take to [...]
Vaccine Distribution to Frontline Healthcare Workers: Q&A with Tarquin Collis, MD with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
COVID-19 vaccines are here in Hawai‘i, and distribution to frontline healthcare workers has already begun. Kaiser Permanente Hawaii is playing a leading role in COVID-19 care and vaccine distribution in our state. They received their first shipment of 975 doses of the vaccine last week Wednesday, and started administering shots the following day. In September, we asked Tarquin Collis, MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, to share his frontline observations in providing care for patients with COVID-19. Today, the Hawai‘i Department of Health asked Dr. Collis for his insight on how hospitals prepared to administer its first [...]
Holidays and COVID-19
A practical guide for a safe holiday season Avoiding ‘superspreader’ gatherings with family and friends ‘Tis the season for planning holiday parties and potlucks. This year, your ‘ohana’s heath and safety is the top priority. We hope you can enjoy the holidays with the help of some precautions from the Hawai’i Department of Health. In Hawai‘i, the holidays typically are a time to welcome home family members who have been away at school or host visiting friends. Unfortunately, the holiday merriment and festivities we crave are among the highest-risk scenarios for transmitting COVID-19. It’s important to keep everyone safe, especially [...]
COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A with Ronald Balajadia, Hawai‘i Department of Health Immunization Branch Chief
Ronald Balajadia, Hawai‘i Department of Health Immunization Branch Chief The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has many asking wondering: When will it be available here? How does it work? Is it like the flu vaccine? Are there any side effects? Can it cause you to get very sick? We spoke with Ronald Balajadia, Hawai‘i Department of Health Immunization Branch Chief, who answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the vaccine: Q: When will the vaccine be available for people in Hawai‘i? Ron: The first supply of the COVID-19 vaccine will likely be available in mid-to-late December [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest November 27, 2020
Department of Health: Three Additional Deaths Reported Today DOH reported an additional three(3) COVID-19 deaths today. All were from Honolulu, had underlying conditions and had been hospitalized. Two were men, one between the age of 60-69 years old and the other between 70-79 years old. The other was a woman, between the age of 70-79 years old. This DND includes cases reported up until Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m. Full data is posted on the State COVID-19 dashboard and on the DOH Disease Outbreak & Control website at noon each day. hawaiicovid19.com/dashboard Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 11:59 [...]
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest November 24, 2020
Office of the Governor: Tighter Restrictions Begin for Trans-Pacific Travelers Headed to Hawai‘i Late yesterday, Gov. David Ige signed a 16th emergency proclamation that requires all trans-pacific travelers to have a negative test result from a trusted testing partner before their departure to the State of Hawai‘i, in order to bypass the 14-day quarantine. The new policy officially began today. Gov. Ige said, “We are implementing this added layer of safety in response to the dramatically increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the continental United States and around the world. The health of our residents and visitors is our primary concern, [...]