COVID-19 News
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Denby Fawcett: Why So Few People Are Getting The New Covid Shot
November 7, 2023
Experts are worried about the lack of interest as people are still suffering from the virus and long Covid. By Denby Fawcett Original article on Civil Beat, November 7, 2023 I keep...
Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 ends on May 11, 2023
May 11, 2023
HONOLULU, HI –The federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, will expire at the end of the day on May 11...
Seniors now eligible for additional COVID-19 bivalent booster dose, COVID vaccine recommendations simplified
April 20, 2023
HONOLULU, HI – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) supports the latest recommendations announced yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allowing an...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise
April 5, 2023
HONOLULU, HI – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) reports a rise in the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations. The number of total positive COVID-19 hospitalizations has increased...
Wastewater Samples Show Higher COVID Concentrations & New Subvariant
January 6, 2023
The Hawai‘i State Department of Health’s most recent Wastewater Surveillance Report documents two significant developments about COVID-19 in Hawai‛i. Higher concentrations of the...
Bivalent boosters for keiki as young as 6 months
December 22, 2022
Updated COVID-19 bivalent boosters are now available in all counties for keiki as young as six months of age. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use...
Celebrate a COVID-19 free holiday by taking simple safety precautions
December 21, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health encourages people to celebrate the holidays safely by taking simple steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory...
Updated COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months coming soon
December 9, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health has placed orders to supply participating healthcare providers with updated COVID-19 bivalent vaccines for children as young as six...
New Study Supports Bivalent Boosters
November 25, 2022
You will be hard pressed to find a better Black Friday deal than a COVID-19 bivalent booster shot. They are free! And new data shows bivalent mRNA booster formulations...
Media Availability with Dr. Sarah Kemble and DIB Chief Caroline Pratt
November 10, 2022
State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble and Disease Investigation Branch Chief Caroline Pratt provide an update on RSV and other respiratory viruses in Hawai‘i. RSV and influenza are...
Hawaiʻi respiratory virus rates rise early in season
November 10, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is reporting that cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza are increasing in Hawaiʻi, in line with trends observed...
Novavax COVID-19 boosters available in Hawai‘i
October 19, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) announces the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 booster by Novavax and...
COVID-19 bivalent boosters recommended for children five and older
October 12, 2022
HONOLULU – The Department of Health (DOH) recommends COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines for everyone age five and older. Bivalent boosters are the first COVID-19 vaccinations...
Wastewater data consistent with important COVID-19 metrics
October 4, 2022
HONOLULU – The Department of Health (DOH) published a COVID-19 Wastewater Report on Thursday, September 29. The report shows COVID-19 cases have declined since early June and the...
COVID-19 Reinfections More Common
September 28, 2022
Since the emergence of the Omicron variant in Hawai‘i, a greater percentage of COVID-19 cases involve people who have been infected multiple times. On Wednesday, the Hawai‘i...
COVID-19 reinfection rate rising
September 28, 2022
HONOLULU – The Department of Health (DOH) is enhancing the Hawai‘i COVID-19 data dashboard to include reinfections. The percentage of COVID-19 cases involving individuals who had a...
Monkeypox: What You Need to Know
September 15, 2022
Many of the preventative measures that protected us during the COVID-19 pandemic also prevent the spread of other diseases, including monkeypox. Preventative measures include...
New bivalent COVID-19 boosters offer enhanced protection
September 1, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) recommends the use of the first bivalent booster vaccines designed specifically to protect against original COVID-19 and the most...
Kaua‘i District Health Office survey finds majority remain concerned about COVID-19
August 16, 2022
LIHUE – The Department of Health’s (DOH) Kaua‘i District Health Office released the preliminary report of its July Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response...
Novavax COVID-19 vaccine available in Hawai‘i
August 10, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health announces scheduling opportunities for the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Novavax. Novavax is a two-dose primary series vaccine for...
Media Availability with Dr. Sarah Kemble and DOE Deputy Superintendent Heidi Armstrong
July 12, 2022
Hawai‘i Department of Health State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble and Hawai‘i Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Heidi Armstrong discuss school guidance for the...
Kaua‘i District Health Office to conduct survey to assess COVID-19 response efforts & emergency preparedness
July 12, 2022
LIHUE – The Department of Health’s (DOH) Kaua‘i District Health Office will conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey to assess the...
Moderna vaccine now an option for children ages 6-17
June 24, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting the CDC recommendation that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as an option for children and adolescents ages 6...
Children under five eligible for COVID-19 vaccines
June 20, 2022
Parents encouraged to explore vaccination opportunities HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is excited to announce long awaited COVID-19 vaccines for keiki under the...
Local Vlogger Details His Family’s Experience With COVID-19
May 26, 2022
For three years the YouTube channel “Hello from Hawaii” has been providing talk-story type videos about life in Hawai‘i from the viewpoint of one local family. The video blogs...
Celebrate graduates safely
May 20, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) salutes the Class of 2022. DOH recognizes the importance of graduations and what they mean to Hawai’i families. DOH encourages...
Keiki ages 5-11 eligible for COVID-19 boosters, Second booster shots recommended for 50+ and immunocompromised
May 19, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting guidance from the CDC recommending boosters for children ages 5 through 11 and strengthening booster recommendations...
Pandemic Creates Urgent Need to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis
May 12, 2022
The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in December 2021 highlighting the urgent need to address our nation’s ongoing youth mental health crisis which has been significantly...
Media Availability With Dr. Sarah Kemble and Acting DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi
May 11, 2022
State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble and Hawai‘i Department of Education Acting Superintendent Keith Hayashi discuss the COVID-19 numbers released today and COVID’s continued...
Translations Provide Critical COVID-19 Information for Non-English Speakers
April 12, 2022
Hawaiʻi’s diverse ethnic population means that about one in four residents speak a language other than English at home – higher than the U.S. average of 21 percent. In 2006, the...
Where to Get Your COVID-19 Vaccination Now
March 31, 2022
As the number of COVID-19 cases has declined in Hawai‘i and healthcare providers have pulled back from running large vaccination and testing clinics statewide, there are still many...
Additional booster shots available
March 29, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding COVID-19 booster shots...
State moves to weekly COVID data reporting
March 9, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is transitioning from daily to weekly COVID-19 data reporting effective immediately. Case counts and vaccination updates will be...
Hawaii’s State Veterinarian says pets can get COVID, but it is not common
March 3, 2022
We love our animals in Hawai‘i. We treat our pets like family and our farm animals with respect. Unfortunately, just like humans, animals can contract COVID-19. The virus is...
Pediatrician Answers Questions About Resuming Regular Keiki Checkups
February 16, 2022
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some families decided to forgo regular, in-person checkups with their children’s doctor and other healthcare professionals over concerns about the...
Free COVID testing available in Chinatown
February 4, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) and Hawaii National Guard, is providing free COVID-19 testing at...
State Laboratories Staff ‘Rise to the Occasion’ to Protect Hawaii’s People
February 3, 2022
For the past two years, the State Laboratories Division (SLD) of the Hawai‘i Department of Health has been very busy analyzing thousands of samples COVID-19 specimens due to the...
New COVID-19 hotline
February 1, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has a new hotline for people with questions about COVID-19. What should I do if I test positive? What should I do if I have been...
Revised data shows increase in boosters administered & decrease in vaccinations completed
January 24, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has revised its reporting of the number of COVID-19 vaccination series completed and booster doses administered in Hawai‘i. The...
Remembering the lives and lessons of Kalaupapa
January 20, 2022
More than 150 years ago, an infectious disease with no known cure spread fear across Hawai‘i – leprosy. Fearing leprosy (or Hansen’s disease) would spread uncontrolled, King...
Surging COVID-19 case counts & test volume force changes to data reporting and case investigation
January 15, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will temporarily stop reporting specific data sets on Sunday, January 16 so its data collection and reporting system can continue...
Media Availability with State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble & DOE’s Keith Hayashi on K-12 Health Policy Updates
January 11, 2022
Media Availability with Hawai‘i State Department of Health’s Dr. Sarah Kemble and Department of Education Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi discussing the updated health...
DOH issues interim K-12 school guidance
January 11, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has updated interim COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidance for K-12 schools. The updated guidance is closely aligned with new...
Booster shot eligibility expands
January 6, 2022
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting the most recent COVID-19 booster shot recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...
DOH revises state’s isolation & quarantine policy
December 29, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is revising the state’s COVID-19 isolation and quarantine policies to closely align with recommendations made by the Centers for...
DOH provides bridge COVID-19 testing during winter break
December 27, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is expanding access to free COVID-19 testing on O‘ahu by providing families with community testing options during winter break...
Additional Omicron cases detected in Hawai‘i
December 22, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected 24 additional cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron...
Safe holiday celebrations
December 22, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) wishes everyone a joyous holiday season and reminds everyone to celebrate safely. “Please, if you are eligible for a COVID-19...
Additional Omicron cases found in Hawai‘i
December 20, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has detected additional COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant bringing the statewide total of Omicron cases to 50. Forty-nine of...
Concert attendees urged to get tested
December 20, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is investigating 30 COVID-19 cases among patrons and employees of The Republik nightclub. All 30 individuals were at the nightclub...
Caution urged as new surge hits Hawai‘i
December 17, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is urging everyone to please exercise caution and celebrate the holidays safely as COVID-19 is surging. The 797 new COVID-19 cases...
State ends operation of isolation / quarantine facilities
December 17, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will cease state-wide operation of isolation / quarantine facilities on December 31, 2021. This is pursuant to Governor Ige’s...
Hawai‘i marks COVID vaccine anniversary
December 15, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) marks the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 vaccinations in the islands by thanking the people of Hawai‘i, vaccination providers...
Hawai‘i’s Filipino Community Demonstrates There is Power in Unity
December 10, 2021
The devastating effects of the pandemic have sometimes brought out the best in people by encouraging them to create new partnerships and find solutions to care for those in need...
Omicron variant spreads
December 10, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected 12 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron variant, on...
Hawai‘i Department of Health issues cease & desist order, $58,000 penalty to NextHealth for conducting unauthorized COVID-19 testing
December 10, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has ordered NextHealth to immediately cease and desist performing COVID-19 tests in the State of Hawai‘i without a license, permit...
DOH expands booster authorization to 16 and 17-Year-Olds
December 10, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting expanded guidelines from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on COVID-19 booster vaccinations...
2 New Omicron Variant Cases, DOH Alerts Public to Possible Exposure
December 6, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) reports two additional confirmed Omicron variant COVID-19 cases and several possible points of exposure in Hawai‘i. “It is...
DOH examines specimens as possible Omicron cases
December 3, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) is performing whole genome sequencing on three COVID-19 specimens with molecular clues indicating...
Media Availability with State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble on Omicron Variant on Oahu
December 2, 2021
Today, the Hawaii State Department of Health has confirmed one case of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus on Oahu. The resident was unvaccinated. The variant was found...
Hawai‘i Department of Health laboratory detects Omicron variant in Hawai‘i
December 2, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s (DOH) State Laboratories Division (SLD) confirms the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron variant, has been...
DOH recommends all vaccinated adults receive a booster
November 30, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting stronger guidelines from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on COVID-19 booster vaccinations...
DOH reactivates Hawaii Immunization Registry
November 29, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has reactivated the Hawai‘i Immunization Registry. The immunization registry is a statewide information system that stores and...
Say Yes! Home Testing Program Helps Hawai‘i Residents Identify COVID-19 Early
November 24, 2021
When one of her customers who took part in the Say Yes! COVID Test program tested positive for COVID-19, Keri Oyadomari, Pharmacist and Director of Clinical Services at 5 Minute...
Celebrate Thanksgiving safely
November 23, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) reminds everyone to celebrate smartly this holiday season. “Many people in Hawai‘i are fully vaccinated and should be able to get...
Booster eligibility expands
November 19, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is adopting new guidelines from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on COVID-19 booster vaccinations. Effective...
Large COVID-19 cluster warrants caution on Kaua‘i
November 15, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is issuing guidance to a Kaua‘i church and its congregation because of the imminent health threat posed by a large cluster of...
McDonald’s pop-up events
November 12, 2021
Hawaiʻi residents are bound by a sense of community—and this people-oriented mindset has extended to COVID-19 vaccination efforts. As vaccination numbers began to level off this...
Keeping COVID-19 at Bay in Hawai‘i’s Schools
November 12, 2021
COVID-19 vaccinations are critical to keeping the pandemic under control, but the value of ongoing testing should not be underestimated as a mitigation tool. Although COVID-19...
Vaccines prove effective in analysis of Hawaiʻi COVID-19 breakthrough data
November 12, 2021
HONOLULU – A Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) analysis of vaccine breakthrough data found COVID-19 vaccines provide excellent protection against hospitalization and death. A...
Hawai‘i Department of Health issues cease & desist, $207,000 penalty to Embry Health for conducting unauthorized COVID-19 testing
November 5, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) today ordered Embry Health to immediately cease and desist collecting specimens for COVID-19 tests in the State of Hawai‘i without...
$2.2 Million grant to augment community health workforce training programs statewide
November 5, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) was awarded a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to train, deploy and engage...
Hawai‘i Department of Health, City & County of Honolulu Emergency Services Department announce a new emergency medical care treatment site option for O‘ahu emergency patients
November 3, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) and the City and County of Honolulu Emergency Services Department (HESD) in partnership with Hawai‘i Pacific Health are announcing...
Vaccine for children safe and effective
November 2, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is authorizing certified vaccination providers to administer Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5-11 immediately. This...
Free COVID testing at Lanakila Health Center
October 29, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at the Lanakila Health Center Saturday, October 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Testing will...
Halloween safety tips during the pandemic
October 29, 2021
The Hawai‘i Department of Health is offering guidance to help families have a safe and fun Halloween. Encourage safe Halloween activities by sharing these infographics with friends...
DOH authorizes booster doses for Moderna, Johnson & Johnson vaccines
October 21, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health will adopt the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines on COVID-19 booster doses for Moderna and Johnson &...
DOH prepares for likely authorization of COVID-19 vaccine for keiki 5-11
October 21, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is planning for the likely administration of COVID-19 vaccinations to children 5-11 as it closely monitors federal review of the...
One million in Hawai‘i complete vaccinations
October 20, 2021
More than 420,000 not fully vaccinated HONOLULU – Data compiled by the Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) show more than one-million people in Hawai‘i are fully vaccinated...
Hawai‘i Department of Health Offers Halloween Safety Guidance
October 18, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is offering guidance to help families have a safe and fun Halloween. “Celebrating Halloween is a special event for families, and...
As DOH Marks 70% of Hawai‘i Residents Fully Vaccinated, Director Char Urges Continued Vigilance
October 15, 2021
More than 426,000 Hawai‘i Residents Have Not Completed Vaccination HONOLULU – Hawai‘i Department of Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char released the following statement on 70% of...
DOH: COVID-19 far deadlier than influenza
October 12, 2021
Vaccination critical to protect against both illnesses HONOLULU – Dr. Sarah Kemble, Hawaiʻi Department of Health state epidemiologist, released the following statement on mortality...
Lanakila Health Center hosts no-cost COVID-19 testing on O‘ahu
October 8, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at the Lanakila Health Center on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Testing will...
Free COVID testing events in Nanakuli
October 5, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) in conjunction with the Hawai‘i National Guard will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing in Nanakuli every Wednesday in October...
DOH authorizes Pfizer booster doses, prioritizes first shots & kupuna
September 24, 2021
First priority remains providing access to unvaccinated individuals 65+, 50-64 with underlying conditions prioritized for booster HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is...
Department of Health receives $2.2 million federal grant to address pediatric mental health in Hawaiʻi
September 22, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is one of 30 states to receive a $2.2 million federal Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) grant, providing the state...
Oʻahu selected for federal pilot program to provide one million free at-home COVID-19 tests
September 20, 2021
Oʻahu residents in eligible ZIP codes can order free COVID-19 test kits while supplies last at COVIDTestHonolulu.org HONOLULU – Oʻahu was selected for a federal pilot program that...
CDC report highlights Hawaiʻi effort to address COVID-19 health disparities through improving data
September 16, 2021
HONOLULU – A new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report authored by Hawaiʻi researchers demonstrates the value of separating public health data in order to identify...
Hawai‘i Department of Health issues second red placard to Doner Shack for non-payment of $3000 fine and permit renewal fees
September 15, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a Cease and Desist Order and a red “closed” placard to Doner Shack at 79 South Pauahi Street...
September is Suicide Prevention Month
September 10, 2021
Start by Listening and Being Aware of the Emotional State of Others The pandemic has not only taken a toll on the physical health of Hawai‘i residents, but also on our mental...
Federal resources to bolster administration of monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19
September 10, 2021
HONOLULU – A federal team of 30 civilians is being deployed to Hawaiʻi to administer monoclonal antibody therapy to treat COVID-19 patients. Increasing access to monoclonal...
Rising to the Challenge to Address Rising COVID-19 Cases
September 3, 2021
Healthcare professionals in Hawaii’s hospitals have been working tirelessly to meet the needs of patients of all ages, especially those in intensive care units, to provide vitally...
New DOH Reports Underscore Toll of Delta Variant
September 2, 2021
HONOLULU – Two new Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) reports illustrate how the highly transmissible delta variant is sweeping across the state. “These reports reinforce what we...
Hawaiʻi Surpasses 10,000 Active COVID-19 Cases
August 29, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health reports the state has surpassed 10,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past 14-days and a record high one-day case count today. 10,817 cases...
DOH Expands West Oʻahu Testing & Vaccination Events
August 26, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is expanding West Oʻahu testing and vaccination efforts in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in this community...
DOH Statement on the Pono Coalition for Informed Consent
August 26, 2021
HONOLULU – Hawaiʻi Department of Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char, FACEP released the following statement on the Pono Coalition for Informed Consent: “This week, COVID-19 took...
DOH recommends additional mRNA vaccine dose for immunocompromised individuals
August 19, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) issued a medical advisory recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals should receive an additional dose...
Hawai‘i to receive more than 500 healthcare surge staff workers for hospitals statewide
August 18, 2021
Hawai‘i Department of Health, Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency and Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i tap into Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Funding HONOLULU — More...
New DOH program expands free COVID-19 testing
August 18, 2021
Testing available at 7 neighbor island sites; Expected to expand to O‘ahu HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is expanding its network of free COVID-19 community...
Free COVID-19 testing returning to Ewa Beach Saturday
August 13, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at Ilima Elementary School on Saturday, Aug. 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Test results will be...
DOH stands up free COVID-19 testing at Aloha Stadium
August 12, 2021
Testing available Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays & Thursdays through Aug. 31 HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 testing at Aloha Stadium...
Department of Health to offer free COVID testing at Kapolei High School
August 10, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at Kapolei High School three more times in August. Free testing will be available on...
Patrons of Tahiti Nui restaurant on Kaua‘i urged to test after COVID-19 exposure
August 9, 2021
LIHUE – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has identified a COVID-19 cluster of cases associated with Tahiti Nui restaurant in Hanalei on Kaua‘i. The cluster is under...
COVID-19 Exposures Warrant Caution on Kauaʻi
August 5, 2021
LIHUE – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is issuing guidance to individuals who participated in Lihue Missionary Church youth excursions on July 25 and 31. These individuals...
Free COVID testing returns to Wahiawa Friday
August 5, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at Kamalani Academy in Wahiawa Friday, August 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Test...
Partnerships Increase Availability of Free COVID-19 Testing for Hawaii Residents
August 3, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) is increasing awareness of free COVID-19 testing sites available across the state. “Testing is a key mitigation measure...
Free COVID-19 Testing Available in Ewa Beach Saturday
July 30, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at Ilima Elementary School Saturday, July 31 from 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 PM. Test results will...
Free COVID-19 testing returns to Lanakila Health Center
July 29, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at the Lanakila Health Center Friday, July 30 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Test results will...
COVID-19 Guidance for Schools Recommends Layered Approach to Return to In-Person Learning
July 27, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) released updated COVID-19 Guidance for Schools that includes four core essential strategies and additional mitigation...
Department of Health highlights youth-focused empowerment resources with public awareness campaign
July 26, 2021
Local comedian, influencer Tumua Tuinei lends his brand of comedy HONOLULU – The adolescent years are an important time as youth transition to adulthood, making it critical to...
Department of Health to bring health/digital navigators and telehealth support services to underserved communities
July 26, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) has partnered with the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System and the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center at the...
Free COVID testing comes to Wahiawa
July 15, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid testing at the Wahiawa Civic Center three times in July. Tests will be offered Saturday, July...
New data provides a more accurate picture of vaccinations in Hawai‘i
July 6, 2021
Vaccination rates by county and age now include federal doses HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s COVID-19 data are more detailed thanks to statistical information on...
#HIGotVaccinated Announces June Campaign Impact, Plans to Extend Campaign
July 2, 2021
HONOLULU- Hawai‘i’s #HIGotVaccinated campaign gave the state’s vaccination effort a shot in the arm. The campaign’s positive impact and the ongoing need to get more people...
Delta variant detected in all major counties
June 25, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected a total of 13 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617.2, also known as the Delta...
Hawai‘i Department of Health laboratory detects community spread of Delta variant
June 22, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) confirms the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617.2, also known as the Delta variant of concern, is spreading...
Hawai‘i Department of Health laboratory detects Delta variant in Hawai‘i
June 14, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) confirms the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617.2, also known as the Delta variant, has been detected in the...
Free COVID-19 testing coming to Lanakila Health Center
June 9, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will offer free COVID-19 rapid tests at the Lanakila Health Center in Kalihi this coming Saturday, June 12 and next...
Hawai‘i Department of Health vaccination data confirms disparities, shows link between vaccination and mental health
June 7, 2021
HONOLULU – A recent Hawaii Department of Health-commissioned survey has confirmed the need to make vaccinations more accessible for those who face health and social disparities...
State of Hawai‘i, healthcare, business communities launch new vaccination initiative
June 4, 2021
HONOLULU – The State of Hawai‘i and community partners are expanding efforts to get more people in Hawai‘i vaccinated. #HIGotVaccinated Month will run through June and is...
Vaccination progress maps identify areas where improved vaccination access is critical to avoid “vaccine deserts”
June 3, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is unveiling its newest tool to help encourage more Hawai‘i residents to get vaccinated: COVID-19 vaccination progress maps. Based on...
Hawai‘i Department of Health and community partners to expand vaccine access over Memorial Day weekend
May 27, 2021
Restaurants, malls, farmers market & beach park to serve as walk-up vaccination sites HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health is partnering with community...
Variants are dominant COVID-19 in Hawai‘i
May 26, 2021
HONOLULU – A report by the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) shows COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2) variants of concern account for a greater percentage of...
Hawai‘i Department of Health offers free COVID-19 testing before Memorial Day weekend activities
May 24, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is offering 150 free COVID-19 rapid tests at Windward Mall in Kāneʻohe on Wednesday, May 26 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Test results...
Department of Health to add probable cases to state’s case count & mask survey concludes
May 18, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) will add probable COVID-19 cases to the state’s case count beginning Wednesday, May 19. This enhanced metric will...
Department of Health offers free COVID testing at Windward Mall
May 18, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is offering free COVID-19 rapid testing at Windward Mall in Kāneʻohe Wednesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 26 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m...
State’s microbiologists provide genomic virus data to shape future pandemic response
May 18, 2021
Science confirms value of vaccinations HONOLULU – A team of about a dozen microbiologists and other professionals has been on an important mission for more than a year: to collect...
Kaua‘i District Health Office issues green placard to Olympic Café after closure earlier this week
May 13, 2021
KAUA‘I – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch at the Kaua‘i District Health Office issued a green placard today to the Olympic Café located at 1354 Kuhio...
CDC recommends Pfizer COVID vaccine for 12-15-year-olds
May 12, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is pleased adolescents age 12 to 15 are now eligible for COVID vaccines. Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
Temporary increase of WIC cash value benefits
May 12, 2021
Financial relief for Hawaiʻi WIC families HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program will increase their cash value benefit (CVB) to $35 for first-use dates...
Leeward and Windward vaccination PODs wind down as state enters next stage of vaccination rollout
May 10, 2021
HONOLULU – The vaccination clinics or Points of Dispensing (PODs) in Leeward and Windward Oahu that have been in operation for the past five months have been critical to the...
Department of Health and University of Hawai‘i launch ‘one-stop shop’ behavioral health dashboard
May 10, 2021
HONOLULU – Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month, a new data dashboard tracking behavioral health provides key information and statistics on substance use, homelessness...
Hawai‘i Attorney General special agents visit 3,200 hotel rooms for quarantine compliance checks
May 3, 2021
HONOLULU – Since August 2020, Special Agents of the Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General’s Investigation Division have conducted quarantine compliance checks, primarily at...
Quarantine & testing urged after youth football cluster identified
April 30, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) urges anyone who attended a recent youth football tournament on the mainland to get tested for COVID-19 and to quarantine. Teams...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 30, 2021
April 30, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ 118 New COVID-19 Cases DOH reports 118 new cases of...
Collaborative, multi-agency effort underway to reach vulnerable, hard-to-reach Hawai‘i residents
April 29, 2021
HONOLULU – Several government agencies along with private-sector and non-profit partners have launched a full-scale outreach effort to ensure every individual who wants a COVID-19...
Child’s death attributed to COVID-19
April 27, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) regrets having to report the state’s first pediatric COVID-19 death, a child age 0-10 years old. The child, a boy with known...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 26, 2021
April 26, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ 70 New COVID-19 Cases Reported DOH reports 70 new cases of...
Johnson & Johnson Vaccinations Resume
April 26, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will resume use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Thursday, April 29 at a vaccination clinic at Windward Community College...
Live With No Regrets: Hawai‘i survivors share their stories
April 23, 2021
While we have all been impacted by COVID-19 in countless ways, relatively few Hawai‘i residents have experienced the virus first-hand. Only if we truly understand the physical...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 23, 2021
April 23, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ 94 New COVID-19 Cases and One Additional Death Reported DOH...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 22, 2021
April 22, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ 101 New COVID-19 Cases and Two New Deaths Reported DOH...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 20, 2021
April 21, 2021
Governor’s Office: Unrestricted Inter-island Travel for People Fully Vaccinated in Hawai‘i to Begin May 11 Governor Ige announced this afternoon that people who have been fully...
Vaccine eligibility expands to residents 16 and older statewide
April 19, 2021
HONOLULU – Hawai‘i has reached Phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccination program. This means all Hawai‘i residents age 16 and older are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Hawai‘i County...
All residents 16+ are becoming eligible April 19 and supply is still catching up—mahalo for your patience!
April 16, 2021
Starting Monday, April 19 all Hawai‘i residents age 16+ will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. This means 300,000 people will be newly eligible, bringing the total to more than...
From zero to a million in four months!
April 16, 2021
In a year when time appears to play tricks on us, it may seem like quite a while ago when our only defenses against COVID-19 were masks, hand washing and physical distancing...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 13, 2021
April 13, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ 64 New COVID-19 Cases Reported. DOH reports 64 new cases of...
Hawai‘i pauses Johnson & Johnson vaccinations
April 13, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and...
Department of Health to provide free COVID-19 community testing at Jarrett Middle School April 16 & 18
April 13, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is offering free public COVID-19 rapid testing in Pālolo Valley at Jarrett Middle School this coming Friday, April 16 and Sunday...
Hawai‘i CARES: Compassion on call 24/7
April 9, 2021
We are all facing circumstances we never dreamed of a year ago. When Hawai‘i and much of the world went into lockdown last March 2020, most of us thought it would be...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 8, 2021
April 8, 2021
Department of Health: Vaccine eligibility expands to people age 50 and older on O‘ahu DOH will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to O‘ahu residents age 50 and older beginning...
Vaccine eligibility expands to people age 50 and older on O‘ahu
April 8, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to O‘ahu residents age 50 and above beginning Monday, April 12. “This is a great...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 6, 2021
April 6, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest April 1, 2021
April 1, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Weekly Cluster Summary Attached Daily and Weekly...
Large COVID-19 cluster warrants caution on Maui
March 31, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is issuing guidance to a Maui church and its congregation because of the imminent health threat posed by a large cluster of...
Greater vaccine supply facilitates additional vaccination opportunities
March 31, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is asking its District Health Offices on the neighbor islands to expand vaccine eligibility as needed to ensure all available...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 30, 2021
March 30, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Vaccinations expand to people age 60 and older
March 25, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health announces the state will extend COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to people age 60 and older beginning Monday, March 29. “We are closely...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 25, 2021
March 25, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Weekly Cluster Summary Attached Daily and Weekly...
Free rapid COVID-19 testing at UH West O‘ahu on Prince Kuhio Day—Friday, March 26
March 25, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is teaming up with the University of Hawai‘i to offer 200 free COVID-19 rapid tests at UH West O‘ahu in Kapolei this Friday, March...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 24, 2021
March 24, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
New service for kūpuna simplifies COVID-19 vaccination registration process; capable of more than 1,000 calls per day
March 23, 2021
HONOLULU – A new service is making it easier for Oahu kūpuna who are not comfortable with the online registration process for their COVID-19 vaccinations. Trained specialists...
Vaccination clinic opens in Mililani
March 23, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is partnering with Times Pharmacy to offer Johnson & Johnson vaccines every Thursday through April 15th at a vaccination clinic in...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 22, 2021
March 22, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 19, 2021
March 19, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Free rapid COVID-19 testing at UH West O‘ahu, March 19 & 20
March 19, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has partnered with the University of Hawai‘i to offer 150 free COVID-19 rapid tests each day at its West O‘ahu campus in Kapolei...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 17, 2021
March 17, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 16, 2021
March 16, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Department of Health & community partners take action to address COVID-19 race & ethnic disparities
March 16, 2021
Preliminary vaccine data by race guide expanded outreach HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health today outlined state- and community-based initiatives to address racial...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 15, 2021
March 15, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Health Director Provides Details on Move to Vaccination Phase 1c, “Breakthrough” Case of COVID-19 in Vaccinated Individual
March 12, 2021
HONOLULU- Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Director Dr. Elizabeth Char provides detail on the state’s upcoming move to Phase 1c while appearing in a new DOH communication...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 11, 2021
March 11, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Vaccinations for People 65+ and Phase 1c Begins Next Monday...
Vaccinations for those 65+ and phase 1c to begin Monday, March 15
March 11, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health announces the state will extend vaccine eligibility to people age 65 and older and those who qualify as members of phase 1c beginning...
State lights up prevention, awareness and education during Brain Injury Awareness Month
March 11, 2021
HONOLULU – Every year about 12,000 people in Hawai‘i go to an emergency room seeking treatment for a brain injury and approximately 1,300 are hospitalized. Brain injuries can...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 10, 2021
March 10, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Independent pharmacies administer COVID-19 vaccinations at nearly 90% of small care homes on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island
March 10, 2021
HONOLULU – Independent pharmacies on O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island have administered first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to about 10,000 residents and caregivers in...
Johnson & Johnson vaccine available across Hawai‘i
March 10, 2021
HONOLULU – Initial public reaction to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Hawai‘i has been very positive, highlighting its value in the fight against COVID-19. Its proven ability...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 9, 2021
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...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 8, 2021
March 8, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Highly transmissible variant detected in Hawai‘i
March 8, 2021
HONOLULU – The Department of Health State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected a new variant of concern. This new strain has the technical name B.1.351 and is sometimes...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 5, 2021
March 5, 2021
Office of the Governor: Governor approves Kaua‘i’s re-entry into Safe Travels for Trans-Pacific travelers Gov. David Ige has approved Kaua‘i Mayor Derek Kawakami’s request to...
First Johnson & Johnson vaccines administered
March 5, 2021
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...
Department of Health expands mental health assistance in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
March 5, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health, in collaboration with CARE Hawaii, launched a new crisis counseling assistance program to provide support for children and adults...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 4, 2021
March 4, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 3, 2021
March 3, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Weekly COVID-19 Cluster Report (March 3, 2021) Daily and...
Vaccinations for those 70 and older begin Monday, March 8
March 3, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health announces the state is expanding the pool of those eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations by offering vaccinations to people age 70 and...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 2, 2021
March 2, 2021
Governor’s Office: HB 1278/Act 1 Reduces Employer Unemployment Contributions At an afternoon news conference Governor David Ige signed House Bill 1278 which relates to the...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest March 1, 2021
March 1, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Department of Health fines Doner Shack $4,000 for food safety placard and permit violations
March 1, 2021
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...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 27, 2021
February 27, 2021
(Special Saturday Edition) Department of Health: Higher Case Count Today Partially Due to Historic Cases The DOH Disease Outbreak and Control Division (DOCD) is reporting 106...
Following FDA approval, Hawai‘i awaits national guidelines on use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
February 27, 2021
HONOLULU – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today granted Emergency Use Authorization for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccination. With the FDA authorization, the...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 26, 2021
February 26, 2021
Department of Health: State Laboratory Finds New Variant DOH’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) confirms the presence of a new COVID variant in Hawai‘i. The P.2 variant, which...
No One Is Left Behind in Hawaii’s Vaccination Plan
February 26, 2021
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...
Department of Health State Laboratory finds new variant
February 26, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) confirms the presence of a new COVID variant in Hawai‘i. The P.2 variant, which contains the E484K...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 25, 2021
February 25, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily and Weekly Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates...
Negative COVID-19 test result required prior to departure to avoid 10-day quarantine in Hawaii. Tests ONLY accepted from TRUSTED TESTING AND TRAVEL PARTNERS
February 25, 2021
HAWAII’S PRE-TRAVEL TESTING PROGRAM The state of Hawaii will ONLY accept Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) from a certified Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 24, 2021
February 24, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Hawai‘i Department of Health presents best practices on managing clusters with CDC
February 24, 2021
HONOLULU – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidance that has helped Hawai‘i to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, Hawai‘i...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 23, 2021
February 23, 2021
Governor’s Office: One Down, One to Go for Governor, First Lady, Cabinet & Staff Gov. Ige and First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige received their first COVID-19 vaccinations at...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 22, 2021
February 22, 2021
Governor’s Office: Governor Orders Flags at Half-Staff in Memory of Americans Lost to COVID-19 At the direction of President Biden, Gov. David Ige has ordered that the U.S. flag...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 19, 2021
February 19, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Department of Health prepares to open COVID-19 vaccinations to those 70 and older
February 19, 2021
HONOLULU – Hawai‘i State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char today announced that the state will soon open COVID-19 vaccinations to those 70 and older. Currently, kūpuna 75 and...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 18, 2021
February 18, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 17, 2021
February 17, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 16, 2021
February 16, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 12, 2021
February 12, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Daily News Digest February 11, 2021
February 11, 2021
Department of Health: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii/ Daily Preliminary Vaccine Administration Updates The chart...
Hawai‘i Department of Health survey shows pandemic is affecting mental health of Hawai‘i residents
February 11, 2021
Young adults and households that earn less are most vulnerable HONOLULU – The virus that causes COVID-19 is affecting the mental health of all Hawai‘i residents, but...
Hawai‘i Department of Health survey shows diverse views of pandemic and responses
February 10, 2021
HONOLULU – The majority or 91% of respondents in a recent statewide survey plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine, a strong indication that attitudes about the vaccine are rapidly...
Hawai‘i Department of Health warns public about COVID-19 scams
February 9, 2021
HONOLULU – There has been an alarming increase in various types of COVID-19 scams across the nation, and kūpuna and other Hawai‘i residents are not exempt from being targeted as...
Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo receives $510,640 federal civil penalty for infection control deficiencies
February 5, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA) conducted a series of site visits at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home on behalf of the U.S...
Department of Health State Laboratory confirms presence of B.1.1.7 variant
February 5, 2021
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...
State lab detects additional COVID-19 variants
February 2, 2021
HONOLULU — The Department of Health’s State Laboratories Division (SLD) continues to work in partnership with private sector laboratories to collect and examine specimens of...
Department of Health issues red placard to Doner Shack due to repeated mask wearing violations
January 28, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a red “CLOSED” placard to Doner Shack at 79 South Pauahi St. in Honolulu due to repeated instances...
Kalawao County receives COVID-19 vaccines
January 27, 2021
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...
DOH targets outreach on COVID-19 vaccine education
January 27, 2021
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...
Records review reveals 60 COVID-19 related deaths
January 25, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has identified and confirmed 60 previously unreported COVID-19 related deaths. These deaths were linked to COVID-19 after a...
State lab detects COVID-19 variant
January 25, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) State Laboratories Division (SLD) has detected the SARS-CoV-2 variant L452R. This strain of COVID-19 was first detected in Denmark...
Hawai‘i Department of Health to release preliminary COVID-19 vaccination amounts on weekdays
January 22, 2021
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...
Hawai‘i Department of Health: Vaccine Distribution Update January 15, 2021
January 15, 2021
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...
Hawai‘i Department of Health and University of Hawai‘i Release Infographic Report and Data Dashboard on COVID-19 Support Services in Honolulu
January 15, 2021
HONOLULU – The Department of Health (DOH) and the University of Hawai‘i (UH) unveiled a new infographic report and dashboard this week to track COVID-19 isolation and quarantine...
Hawai‘i Department of Health partners with pharmacies to vaccinate more kupuna
January 15, 2021
HONOLULU – To continue the momentum now underway to vaccinate residents and caregivers of small residential care homes throughout the state, the Hawai‘i Department of Health is...
Hawai‘i Department of Health issues red placard to Asia Manoa for repeated mask wearing violations
January 14, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health Food Safety Branch has issued a red placard to immediately close Asia Manoa, located at 2801 E. Manoa Rd., due to repeated...
Hawai‘i Department of Health: Vaccine Distribution Update January 8, 2021
January 8, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health continues to receive, distribute, and administer COVID-19 vaccines as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are the latest figures...
Hawai‘i Department of Health issues updated COVID-19 vaccination plan
January 8, 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...
Vaccination data added to DOH dashboard
January 7, 2021
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...
Hawai‘i State Department of Health Launches AlohaSafe Alert App to Reduce Spread of COVID-19
January 6, 2021
Free app augments contact tracing, keeps data private, sends notice of potential exposure HONOLULU –– The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) in partnership with aio Digital...
COVID-19 vaccination hubs help speed dosages to independent healthcare providers
January 6, 2021
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...
New “Let’s Get Back to Real Life” campaign features young peoples’ COVID-19 trials, tribulations, and hope
January 6, 2021
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health developed a new campaign to highlight the economic and educational toll that COVID-19 has taken on Hawai‘i’s students and young adults...
State laboratory guarding against new COVID-19 strains
December 31, 2020
Fast moving variants heighten concern about social gatherings HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) continues to proactively test COVID-19 specimens looking for new...
Hawai‘i Department of Health: Vaccine Distribution Update
December 24, 2020
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...
Hawai‘i Department of Health preparing for COVID-19 vaccine distribution to individual healthcare providers
December 24, 2020
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...
5 Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating
December 23, 2020
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...
Vaccine Distribution to Frontline Healthcare Workers: Q&A with Tarquin Collis, MD with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
December 22, 2020
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...
FDA panel recommends granting Emergency Use Authorization of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
December 17, 2020
Upon approval, 36,000 doses expected to arrive in Hawai‘i in December HONOLULU – Hawai‘i State Director of Health Dr. Elizabeth Char released the following statement following an...
Thousands of COVID-19 Vaccines Arrive
December 16, 2020
HONOLULU – Hawai’i received another shipment of COVID-19 vaccines today. The Hawai‘i Department of Health received 3,900 doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech. This precious...
Holidays and COVID-19
December 15, 2020
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...
Hawai‘i Department of Health and City & County of Honolulu conduct training exercise for vaccine distribution
December 14, 2020
Counties prepare for vaccinating Phase 1 priority groups HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) and City and County of Honolulu today conducted a vaccination...
COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A with Ronald Balajadia, Hawai‘i Department of Health Immunization Branch Chief
December 11, 2020
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...
With FDA panel’s recommendation to approve first COVID-19 vaccine, Hawai‘i ramps up effort to vaccinate 81,000 individuals in December
December 10, 2020
After months of planning, Department of Health & partners to begin vaccination effort upon FDA Emergency Use Authorization Initial phase includes high-risk health workers...
Hawai‘i Department of Health reports first COVID-19 case in Kalawao County
December 10, 2020
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is reporting the first positive case of COVID-19 in an adult resident of Kalaupapa Settlement in Kalawao County on the island of...
Hawai‘i hospitals prepare for arrival of COVID-19 vaccine
December 5, 2020
Healthcare community is working together to ensure coordination; The Queen’s Medical Center takes part in drill on receiving Pfizer vaccine HONOLULU – Hawai‘i’s hospitals and...
Hawai‘i Department of Health updates quarantine guidance based on review of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new recommendations
December 4, 2020
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) announced that effective today it is reducing the required quarantine period of those who have been exposed to COVID-19 from 14...
Department of Health Steps Up Outreach to Pacific Islanders
November 20, 2020
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...
Hawai‘i Department of Health offers nursing homes grants to buy visitation equipment for in-person visits
November 18, 2020
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health is making Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds available to Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities to...
State adds trusted partners for domestic trans-Pacific, inter-county pre-travel testing program
November 15, 2020
The state will accept COVID-19 test results from the new partners starting Nov. 17. HONOLULU – The State of Hawai‘i has added new trusted partners for its domestic transpacific and...
Hawai‘i Department of Health shares new weekly data on COVID-19 clusters under investigation
November 12, 2020
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is releasing weekly COVID-19 cluster reports to illustrate COVID-19 trends across the state. The DOH will also adjust its...
Pre-travel testing thoughts and tips
November 9, 2020
Honolulu Couple Finds Preparation is Key HONOLULU – When Jeff and Jean Lilley flew to Dallas to be present for the birth of their first grandchild, they knew there was a chance...
Hawai‘i Department of Health launches new safe gatherings campaign in time for the holidays
November 7, 2020
HONOLULU — The holiday season is a time for celebrations and parties with family, friends and co-workers, but large gatherings are the primary cause of COVID-19 clusters. To...
First international flight under pre-travel testing program arrives
November 6, 2020
ANA Flight from Japan Landed This Morning HONOLULU– International travel to Hawai‘i resumed today with the arrival of 64 travelers from Japan on an All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight...
Should I get a pulse oximeter for early COVID-19 detection? Q&A with Dr. Brent Tatsuno
October 2, 2020
Q&A with Dr. Brent Tatsuno, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at The Queen’s Medical Center COVID-19 doesn’t always cause obvious breathing problems even when people are...
COVID-19 quarantine exemption requests go digital
September 18, 2020
Online Submissions Available Starting Tomorrow HONOLULU – In an effort to make the quarantine exemption process easier and more efficient, the State Office of Enterprise Technology...
Tough questions answered: Dr. Tarquin Collis, Chief of Infectious Disease with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, shares his insight on COVID-19
September 17, 2020
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...
Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps volunteer shares about her first day collecting data on mask-wearing behavior
September 11, 2020
A behind-the-scenes look at a new metric on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard: On a sunny weekend morning in the Garden Isle, Sharon Gottfried would typically be at the beach distance...
New state COVID-19 online dashboard now available for public
September 4, 2020
Information from Multiple Sources in One Location HONOLULU – At an afternoon briefing to legislators, Gov. David Ige and representatives from the Hawai‘i Department of Health and...
New Department of Health Campaign Highlights COVID-19 Survivor Stories
September 1, 2020
HONOLULU — Today, the Hawai‘i Department of Health launched a new campaign featuring stories from COVID-19 patients in Hawai‘i to emotionally appeal to Hawai‘i residents who are...
Aloha knocks on the door of Hawaii’s vulnerable
August 13, 2020
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...
Honolulu woman’s powerful story of surviving COVID-19
August 11, 2020
HONOLULU – There was a time, in the spring, when Sarah Bolles of Salt Lake thought she was going to die. Diagnosed in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic she credits excellent...
Contact tracers: Behind-the-scenes heroes of the pandemic
July 23, 2020
Contact tracing was new to many of us in the beginning stages of the pandemic. Now, contact tracing has become a part of our everyday vocabulary. The Hawaii Department of Health’s...
Doing whatever it takes to support youth and families
July 8, 2020
The pandemic may have put some activities on hold, but it has not stopped love and caring for families. At a time when there is more social distancing and families separated from...
More warnings about scammers pretending to be contact tracers
June 23, 2020
HONOLULU – The State continues to warn of a multitude of scams associated with the COVID-19 virus; the latest involving scammers impersonating contact tracers in an attempt to...
Hawai‘i Department of Health and the University of Hawaii report temporary quarantine and isolation center offers long-term benefits that meet the physical and behavioral health needs of Honolulu’s homeless
June 22, 2020
HONOLULU — In its first two months of operation, the state’s first temporary quarantine and isolation center at 524 Kaaahi Street in Iwilei has provided a place for more than 50...
Encouragement to Get COVID-19 Information From Official Sources
June 5, 2020
HONOLULU – Law enforcement agencies across the state are reminding Hawai‘i residents to only rely on official sources of information for the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic and...
The Scoop on Sentinel Surveillance Testing
June 4, 2020
As Hawai‘i cautiously reopens its economy, the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD) is keeping an eye on detecting flu and COVID-19 in the...
Stepping Up for Youth Mental Health
May 28, 2020
How one Hawaii couple has taken care of its family’s mental health during the COVID-19 crisis. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll revealed that nearly half of all Americans...
Signers of the Times
May 21, 2020
The critical role of sign-language interpreters, especially during public health emergencies. You’ve seen them at every media briefing given by the governor, the Hawaii Department...
Q&A: Patty Sakal, Sign-Language Interpreter, Hawaii Interpreting Services
May 21, 2020
Patty Sakal is a familiar face to folks who tune in to the near-daily COVID-19 media briefings led by Gov. David Ige and City and County of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Indeed...
Q&A on COVID-19 Testing: Edward Desmond, Hawaii State Laboratories Division Administrator
May 1, 2020
Edward Desmond, Ph.D., lead administrator of the Hawaii State Laboratories Division, says that Hawaii’s public health and private sector laboratories have stepped up to establish...
Moving Mountains to Move Masks
May 1, 2020
Hawaii high school classmates pull together to get critical PPE to state health care workers Think globally. Act locally. And never forget your Hawaii roots. Doing just that was a...
New Website for Mental Health and Homeless Service Providers
April 6, 2020
HONOLULU – Today, the Behavioral Health and Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group (BHHSURG) launched a website to ensure the continuity of coverage of essential health and...
Hawai‘i Department of Health reminds everyone that face masks are no substitute of physical distancing
April 6, 2020
HONOLULU – Across the state, customers and staff at pharmacies, supermarkets, and take-out food establishments are wearing cloth masks and using physical distancing to prevent the...
Governor Ige and Hawai‘i Department of Health provide additional guidance on face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19
April 3, 2020
HONOLULU – Based on national guidance released today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and recommendations from county mayors and state legislators, Gov...
Five Tips for Conquering COVID-19 Stress
April 2, 2020
Advice from DOH Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Edward Mersereau Feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the constant news about COVID-19 and its threat to our communities?...
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