Immunization update: deployment details presented

Governor David Ige provided an update today on the state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, saying that healthcare workers, residents and nursing home staff are currently being vaccinated. The second doses of the vaccine have started to arrive and will be given as well.

In addition, first responders, essential frontline workers, and people 75 and older are also starting to be offered the vaccine.

Thereafter, the next phase will involve vaccination of people over 65 years old. It will also include people over 16 who are at high risk for complications from COVID-19 and other essential workers. By early summer, the vaccine will be open to all members of the community, according to the state’s plan.

(A full breakdown of who is included in each phase and when the phase will be deployed is provided by scrolling down in this article).

Governor Ige said, “I call on everyone to remain vigilant and continue the safe practices that have made Hawaii a leader in containing the spread of COVID-19: wearing masks, washing hands and observe the distances. By doing this – and getting vaccinated when it’s our turn – we can protect public health, jump-start the economy, and strengthen our communities.

Those who may qualify for the vaccine, but who are not tied to a specific healthcare facility or employer, are urged to ensure that in the next few days they visit the state’s website hawaiicovid19.com . State officials say there will be links and more advice in the coming weeks where the public can click “I need / want a vaccine” and be guided for further instructions. The state will also establish a phone line where people can call.

Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green said the state will increase distribution in about two weeks for those who fall into the Phase 1b category. He said the second week of January should be a time when the federal government and its supply chain could give Hawaii more vaccine each week.

“It has already started and we have started to vaccinate some people in this category, including first responders,” said Lt. Gov. Green, noting that Hawaiʻi can get herd immunity if about 75 to 80 percent of the population is vaccinated.

According to Lt. Gov. Green, a recent state poll showed that about 55% of respondents said they absolutely would like to get the shot, and 25% said they were ready to be convinced.

“I think 80 percent of our population will eventually get the vaccine – that’s 80 percent of 1.4 million – or over a million people,” he said.

To date, the state has received more than 82,000 doses of vaccination. Lt. Gov. 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 to date, is plans to receive 150,000 doses each month at some point in the future.

An estimated 609,000 people combined fall under phases 1a, b and c, and large-scale sites are being set up for the distribution effort.

Lt. Gov. Green said: “Our number one priority is to keep everyone safe while working as quickly and efficiently as possible to use the vaccine and get it out the door and into the guns. We ask for everyone’s patience as we, and the whole world, undertake this monumental task.

Phase 1a: December 2020 – January 2021

• Health care workers: Paid and unpaid personnel working in health care facilities who may be exposed directly or indirectly to patients or infectious materials. (Total Est .: 40,000)
• Residents of long-term care facilities: Adults who reside in facilities that provide a variety of services, including medical and personal care, to people unable to live independently. (Total Est .: 10,000)

Phase 1b: December 2020 – March 2021

• Hawaiian residents aged 75 and over: adults over 75 (estimated total: 109,000)
• Essential front-line workers: Workers whose duties must be performed on-site and must be in close proximity to the public or co-workers, are at significantly higher 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 responders; correctional officers and staff; emergency service dispatchers; people essential to federal, state and local government operations; essential transport infrastructure workers (port and dock workers, public transport, etc.); critical public services (energy, water, etc.); teachers and childcare and educational support staff (daycare, preschool, preschool education, K-12, post-secondary, etc.); US Postal Service employees. (Total Est .: 50,000)

Phase 1c: TBD: March – May 2021 (estimated total: 400,000)

• Hawaii residents 65 and over: adults aged 65 to 74
• People with underlying medical conditions: People of all ages eligible for the licensed vaccine with co-morbid and underlying conditions that put them at increased risk of 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, vaccinations will be distributed to priority populations first to the oldest, then in descending order of age
• Vaccinations can be redistributed in case of epidemics or large clusters
• Priority groups can be expanded to include others if deemed necessary to limit the spread of disease, morbidity or mortality
• Where possible, immunization can be distributed to prioritized populations taking into account current disease activity, disproportionately affected communities, and health and socio-economic vulnerabilities.

Phase 2 and 3

Vaccination of the general population is expected to begin in early summer 2021, depending on production and federal dose allocation as part of “Operation Warp Speed”.