Gov. David Ige today unveiled an update on the state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, which say health workers, residents and nursing home staff are currently being vaccinated. The second doses of the vaccine have begun to arrive and will also be administered.
In addition, the vaccine is also beginning to be offered to first aiders, front-line essential workers and those over 75 years of age.
Then, the next phase will involve vaccination for people over 65 years of age. It will also include those over the age of 16 who are at high risk for complications from COVID-19 and other essential workers. In early summer, the vaccine will be open to all members of the community, according to the state plan.
(A complete breakdown of who is included in each phase is provided and when the phase will be developed by scrolling down in this article).
Governor Ige said, “I urge everyone to remain vigilant and continue the safe practices that have made Hawaii a leader in the dissemination of COVID-19: wearing masks, washing hands, and observing distances. to do so and to be vaccinated when it is our turn, we can protect public health, reactivate the economy and strengthen our communities ”.
Those who are able to obtain the necessary requirements for the vaccine, but who are not connected to a specific care center or employer, are asked to make sure that they visit the hawaiicovid website in the coming days19. as of the state. State officials say there will be links and more guidance in the coming weeks where the public will be able to click “I need / want a vaccine” and be guided for further instructions. The state will also establish a phone line that people can call.
Hawaiʻi Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said the state will increase distribution by about two weeks for those who fall into the Phase 1b category. He said the second week of January is expected to be a time when the federal government and its supply chain can administer Hawaii and more vaccine each week.
“It has already begun and we have started vaccinating some people in this category, including first aid,” said Lt. Gov. Green, who noted that Hawaiʻi can get immunity from the herd if it is vaccinated between about 75 and 80. percent of the population.
According to Lieutenant Governor Green, a recent state poll showed that about 55 percent of respondents said they would absolutely like to get vaccinated and another 25 percent said they were open to convincing themselves.
“I think 80 percent of our population will get the vaccine, which is 80 percent of 1.4 million, which is more than a million people,” he said.
To date, the state has received more than 82,000 doses of vaccination. Lieutenant Governor Green said the state expects to reach 25,000 doses this week. The projection he said, based on information that has been shared with the state so far, is expected to receive 150,000 doses each month at some point in the future.
It is estimated that there are 609,000 people combined falling into phases 1 a, bic, and large-scale sites are currently being created for the distribution effort.
Lieutenant Governor Green said: “Our number one priority is to keep everyone safe as we work as quickly and effectively as possible to use the vaccine and get it out the door. We ask for patience from everyone as we and the world take over. this monumental task ”.
Phase 1a: December 2020 – January 2021
- Healthcare workers: paid and unpaid staff who serve in healthcare settings and who may be directly or indirectly exposed to patients or infectious materials. (Estimated total: 40,000)
- Residents of long-term care facilities: Adults who reside in facilities that offer a wide variety of services, including medical and personal care to people who cannot live independently. (Estimated total: 10,000)
Phase 1b: December 2020 – March 2021
- Hawaii residents over the age of 75: adults over the age of 75 (estimated total: 109,000)
- Essential front-line workers: workers whose tasks must be performed on site and who require to be very close to the public or their co-workers, have a substantially greater risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and are essential to the functioning of society with special attention to life and safety first. This includes: first aid; officers and correctional staff; emergency services offices; people essential to federal, state, and local government operations; critical workers in transport infrastructure (port and port workers, public transport, etc.); critical public services (energy, water, etc.); teachers and support staff in child care and education (daycare, preschool, early childhood education, K-12, post-secondary, etc.); US Postal Service employees. (Estimated total: 50,000)
Phase 1c: TBD: March – May 2021 (estimated total: 400,000)
- Hawaii Residents: Over 65: Adults 65 to 74
- People with underlying medical conditions: People of all ages authorized for the vaccine authorized with comorbid and underlying conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19.
- Other essential workers: essential workers not included in phase 1b
Additional considerations
- Vaccine distribution can occur simultaneously between phases
- Within each phase, vaccines will be distributed to the priority populations in the largest first, then in descending order of age.
- Vaccines can be redistributed if significant outbreaks or clusters occur
- Priority groups may be expanded to include others if deemed necessary to limit the spread of disease, morbidity, or mortality.
- Whenever possible, vaccination can be distributed to geographically prioritized populations taking into account current disease activity, disproportionately affected communities, and health and socioeconomic vulnerabilities.
Phases 2 and 3
Vaccination of the general population is expected to begin in early summer 2021, depending on production and federal dose allocation through Operation Warp Speed.