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 [...]
Vaccine Discussions
To view informational sessions you may be required to register. You will not be asked to provide any payment. January 30, 2021 AARP Hawaii telephone forum December 16, 2020 Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center Town Hall Meeting December 10, 2020 Informational Meeting for Medical Professional & First Responders | Slide deck 12-10-20 Vaccine Safe Gatherings Testing, Isolation & Quarantine
Department of Health Steps Up Outreach to Pacific Islanders
Contact Tracer Lead Investigator Chantelle "Tellie" "Matagi and her team of 10 contact tracers and monitoring specialists conduct in-person educational outreach events for Pacific Islander communities. Different approaches to public health outreach and education are used to reach Hawai‘i’s diverse ethnic populations and large number of immigrants for whom English is a second language. The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Disease Outbreak Control Division is ready to engage and collaborate with the communities. Recognizing the need, Disease Investigations Branch Chief Emily Roberson recently commissioned a contact tracing team dedicated to outreach to Pacific Islanders. Chantelle “Tellie” Matagi started as [...]
How to have a safe and fun Halloween during the pandemic
This Halloween, the Hawai‘i Department of Health recommends celebrating with your household members at home and avoiding traditional door-to-door trick or treating where treats are handed to children or children take candy from a shared bucket. These are high-risk activities as they can result in close contact and crowding among people outside your household. Encourage safe Halloween activities by sharing these infographics with friends and family. View lower, moderate, and higher risk Halloween activities recommended by the CDC.
Should I get a pulse oximeter for early COVID-19 detection? Q&A with Dr. Brent Tatsuno
Q&A with Dr. Brent Tatsuno, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at The Queen’s Medical Center A pulse oximeter is a digital device that measures the percentage of oxygen in your blood. Dr. Tatsuno shares about the phenomenon of “silent hypoxemia” that occurs when COVID-19 patients feel fine but have low oxygen saturation. COVID-19 doesn’t always cause obvious breathing problems even when people are heading toward respiratory failure. Honolulu resident Wilma Ogimi recently shared her early detection success story in using a small device – after she received a false negative test result for the virus. The retired medical [...]
Tough questions answered: Dr. Tarquin Collis, Chief of Infectious Disease with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, shares his insight on COVID-19
Tarquin Collis, MD, Chief of Infectious Disease with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, is passionate about sharing his knowledge about COVID-19 with his patients, their families, and others in the community. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hawai‘i in March of 2020, Dr. Collis has been heavily involved in caring for patients with COVID-19 at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, as well as consulting on Kaiser Permanente’s outpatient population of COVID-positive members. He also helps direct Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i’s overall response to the pandemic. Dr. Collis has been active in the community as an educator and has assisted both in [...]
Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps volunteer shares about her first day collecting data on mask-wearing behavior
A behind-the-scenes look at a new metric on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard: Community members wearing masks at the Hanalei Swap Meet. On a sunny weekend morning in the Garden Isle, Sharon Gottfried would typically be at the beach distance swimming. But today is different. The North Shore resident is heading to the Hanalei Farmer’s Market. But Sharon’s not here to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. She’s on a special mission – to collect observational data on who is and isn’t wearing a mask and who is wearing theirs properly. The Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps volunteer is one of [...]
Aloha knocks on the door of Hawaii’s vulnerable
Photos courtesy of Hawaii National Guard The pandemic has intensified the differences between the haves and the have-nots. Health and social disparities in Hawaii have become more pronounced. The Hawaii Department of Health, in collaboration with other government agencies and nonprofit organizations, is tackling this head on, and is an important part of an overall strategy to make sure everyone has access to care. Rather than being marginalized, low-income families and individuals have been a top priority in outreach and education efforts to keep everyone in the community healthy. A Model of Effective Collaboration Much of this outreach [...]