Vaccine

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) confirms the presence of the B.1.1.7 variant in Hawai‘i. The confirmed specimen is one of four samples previously identified in Hawai‘i as having a molecular clue consistent with the B.1.1.7 variant. The other specimens are still being analyzed. “We have already initiated contact tracing investigations and are monitoring these cases closely,” said Acting State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble. The variant strain was detected in an O‘ahu resident with no history of travel. This person initially experienced symptoms in late January. One close contact also tested positive for the COVID-19. [...]

KALAUPAPA – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) delivered and administered COVID-19 vaccines to residents and employees at the Kalaupapa Settlement of Kalawao County on the island of Moloka‘i this week. Dr. Glenn Wasserman, chief of the Communicable Disease and Public Health Nursing Division of the Hawai‘i Department of Health, and two DOH public health nurses flew to Kalaupapa Airport Monday. “It is gratifying to be able to protect our Kalaupapa patients and community with these vaccinations. Our patients are elderly with significant comorbidities that make them especially vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Dr. Wasserman. “We’ll be back in four weeks [...]

Research shows that half of Hawaii's population wants the vaccine and another quarter are still deciding HONOLULU – Findings from a survey that was conducted last month have informed the Hawai‘i State Department of Health’s focus on outreach to key segments of the population that are prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. The study also affirmed that Hawai‘i residents understand and support the need to allow those with the greatest risk from COVID-19 to receive the vaccine first and that we have to wait our turn as the vaccine supply becomes available. About half of Hawai‘i residents said in a [...]

HONOLULU – To more accurately convey the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Hawai’i, the Department of Health (DOH) is releasing a preliminary number in addition to the vetted and verified number issued every Wednesday. This new preliminary number will be posted daily, Monday through Friday, by 8 a.m. on the DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD) website. The preliminary number will also be available by connecting with the DOH via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. DOCD will continue to publish the vetted and verified number of vaccinations administered every Wednesday at 12 p.m. This vetted and verified number will include [...]

HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health continues to receive and distribute shipments of COVID-19 vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are the latest figures. Grand total vaccinations administered to date 56,000+ Grand total vaccine doses received statewide to date 152,650 (Moderna & Pfizer-BioNTech combined) Vaccine doses received statewide just this week 39,700 # # # PDF: Hawai‘i Department of Health: Vaccine Distribution Update January 15, 2021

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health issued an executive summary of its updated COVID-19 vaccination plan today to provide a roadmap of how the vaccine will eventually be made available to all Hawai‘i residents by the end of this summer. The prioritized system ensures the vaccine is distributed and administered in an orderly, safe and efficient manner, starting with prioritized groups based on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) released on December 20, 2020. The health department submitted its initial draft vaccination plan to the CDC in mid-October 2020, [...]

HONOLULU - The Department of Health (DOH) Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD) has added information on the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Hawai‘i to its data portal. This new feature can be found here. It displays statewide and county-by-county totals for the number of vaccinations administered. These numbers will be updated every Wednesday at 12 p.m. This new data post shows 25,470 vaccinations were administered through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, January 2. The three-and-a-half-day lag in reporting allows for data from dozens of sources to be checked for accuracy. Additional vaccinations will have been administered between the weekly Saturday cut-off [...]

HONOLULU – As a way to continue to rapidly administer COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers, the Hawai‘i Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii are working with hospitals in each county to ensure independent healthcare providers and their staff can obtain the first dosage of their vaccine this month. Hawai‘i’s hospitals are serving as conveniently located vaccination hubs where independent providers can also obtain their second, follow-up dosage 21 days later. Hospitals are using the Pfizer vaccine for healthcare workers. Independent healthcare providers and their staff who have not yet received a vaccination should complete an online survey [...]

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health continues to receive and distribute shipments of COVID-19 vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are the latest figures. Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine: 11,700 doses ordered today. Delivery expected early next week. 21,450 doses previously delivered. Moderna vaccine: 10,900 doses ordered today. Delivery expected early next week. 12,000 doses previously delivered. 5,400 Moderna doses previously delivered to CVS & Walgreens for use in long-term care facilities   Combined totals (Pfizer-BioNTech & Moderna) 22,600 vaccine doses ordered today. 33,450 vaccine doses previously delivered. 5,400 vaccine doses delivered to CVS & Walgreens Hawai‘i expects to receive a [...]

 Statewide survey is first step for efficient distribution HONOLULU – With the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to Hawai‘i’s major hospitals already underway, these healthcare facilities in partnership with the Hawai‘i Department of Health and Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i are now preparing to launch the next major step: distribution of the vaccine to doctors who have independent practices to ensure the vaccine is readily accessible and available to them. According to the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, independent physicians and their office staff are designated as high-risk health workers, and should be among the first groups [...]