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ABOUT THE GOVERNOR
David Ige
Governor David Y. Ige was sworn in as the eighth governor of the State of Hawai‘i on December 1, 2014. He became the fourth native-born Governor of Hawai‘i and first governor in the United States of America of Okinawan descent.
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Governor David Ige, Hawai‘i State Director of Health Dr. Elizabeth Char, and other stakeholders today laid out the first steps of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, including plans to distribute an expected 81,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccinations in the month of December to high-risk health care workers and long-term care facilities across the state.
Earlier today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee recommended Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. This recommendation must be adopted by the FDA, which is expected in the coming days.
Pfizer will pre-position the first shipment of 4,875 doses of vaccine in Hawai‘i, but providers will not be able to begin to vaccinate groups in the first phase until the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides guidance on who can be vaccinated. ACIP guidance is expected in the coming days.
“This pandemic has cost Hawai‘i residents so much—the lives of loved ones, our health, and our economic security,” said Governor David Ige. “The recommendation by the FDA panel to approve the Pfizer vaccine is a vital step in keeping our situation from becoming worse and beginning our road to recovery. Once final approval is granted, I am confident in the Department of Health’s ability to distribute vaccines across Hawai‘i.”
“Just hours ago, the FDA’s committee of experts voted overwhelmingly in favor to recommend Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. We are optimistic that the FDA will grant the Emergency Use Authorization soon,” said Dr. Char, “However, we know that our work is just beginning. After months of planning, we are prepared to join with our partners to distribute the first shipments of a vaccine. As there will not be enough vaccine for everyone at first, we must first care for those who cared for us—essential healthcare workers and kupuna in long-term care facilities.”
The first phase of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan is divided into three groups:
• Phase 1a – Essential healthcare workers
• Phase 1b – Essential workers
• Phase 1c – 65 years and older and adults with high-risk medical conditions
Upon ACIP approval and guidance being issued on the Pfizer vaccine, Hawai‘i will move into Phase 1a. ACIP guidance could also lead to changes in prioritization. As new information and guidance becomes available, the state plan may be adjusted based on the national recommendations from ACIP, which is expected within a few days.
The Hawaii State Department of Health is working in close coordination with federal partners, the Hawaii National Guard, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and medical providers to accept and dispense the first shipments of COVID-19 vaccines.
Hawai‘i’s Phase 1a distribution focus will begin with high-risk health workers involved in direct patient care and workers who provide transportation, environmental services, and other healthcare facility services and who are at risk of exposure; and residents and staff of congregate long-term care facilities.
Following the vaccination of these groups, Phase 1b and 1c populations include first responders and essential workers, adults with high-risk medical conditions, and adults 65 or older.
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is scheduled to be evaluated by the federal Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on Dec. 17. If approval is granted, Hawai‘i is expected to receive 36,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, in addition to nearly 46,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the month of December alone.
Essential health care workers will be vaccinated at Points of Dispensing (PODs) across the state. Vaccinations will be administered to long-term care facilities through a federal partnership with Walgreens and CVS.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require a two-dose regimen. The second dose must match the brand of the first dose. The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine needs to be administered not less than 21 days after the first dose, while the Moderna vaccine needs to be administered at least 28 days following the first dose. Following the administration of the first dose, the state will be able to order additional supply.
Additional vaccine supply is expected in the first half of 2021.
Watch the news conference here: www.facebook.com/GovernorDavidIge/videos/1543484689177669
Read the presentation deck here: governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DOH-Presser-12.10.20-v2.pdf
governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/jic-news-release-with-fda-panels-recommendation-to-approve-first-cov...
December 10, 2020 News Conference: Vaccination Plan
Joining me are
• Lt. Governor Josh Green
• Dr. Elizabeth Char, Director, Dept. of Health
• Kenneth S. Hara, Director, Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency
• Hilton Raethel, President & CEO, Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i
• Dr. Kelley Withy, Director, Hawai‘i Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center & COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Participant
• Ron Balajadia, Health Immunization Branch Chief, Dept. of Health
News Release: governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/jic-news-release-with-fda-panels-recommendation-to-approve-first-cov...
Joining me for a news conference this afternoon are:
• Lieutenant Governor Josh Green
• Dr. Elizabeth Char, Director, Hawaii State Department of Health
• Kenneth S. Hara, Director, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency
• Hilton Raethel, President & CEO, Healthcare Association of Hawaii
• Dr. Kelley Withy, Director, Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center & COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Participant
• Ron Balajadia, Health Immunization Branch Chief, Dept. of Health
If ever there was a year to be thankful for teachers, it’s this year. The pandemic has meant everyone — students, parents, and teachers — have had to adapt in ways like never before. All of this made the Hawai‘i Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year Awards that much more meaningful as 16 finalists statewide were honored in the first-ever virtual ceremony.
This year’s winner, Lori Kwee, a 4th grade teacher at Ala Wai Elementary, was recognized for fostering student leadership through community-based projects, a nationally recognized anti-bullying campaign and helping promote gratitude and kindness in her students as ambassadors of aloha. Other teachers were praised for their passion and dedication to their fields — whether it was in science and technology, sustainability, cultural literacy, civic engagement or community service. But they all had one thing in common: a love of their profession as teachers shaping the future leaders of our state. Kwee will represent Hawai‘i next spring in Washington, D.C.
Governor and Mrs. Ige, who usually host the awards ceremony at Washington Place, congratulated the finalists virtually and praised all teachers for meeting the challenge of the pandemic. “Some things don’t change, and that includes our teachers’ devotion to our students and our appreciation of our teachers.” As a former teacher herself, Mrs. Ige said, “COVID-19 has presented numerous challenges for our families. You all somehow found the grace and the grit to innovate and inspire.” DOE Superintendent Christina Kishimoto added, “Our teachers are heroes in the classroom and in their communities. These teachers have ensured that our haumana continued to learn, develop and grow, no matter how difficult and unpredictable the circumstance.” To watch the ceremony and hear from all the finalists, visit the Hawai‘i Public Schools’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HIDOE808/.
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Governor’s Office:
Furloughs for State Employees Start January 1, 2020
In an e-mail to state employees, followed by an afternoon news conference, Gov. David Ige announced two-day-a-month furlough starting January 1 of next year, to balance the state budget. The state is projecting a $1.4 billion budget shortfall in the general fund for each of the next four years.
“If the furlough is effective for one year, the state will save about $300 million. This is the last major element of the balanced budget that I am required to submit to the state Legislature every December,” said Gov. Ige. “The pandemic has had harsh economic impacts on our country, and as a result, every state is having to make difficult choices. Hawai‘i is among the hardest hit states in terms of job loss and lower economic activity, because of the state’s reliance on tourism.”
Over the past eight months, the state has been closely assessing COVID-19’s impact on the economy, addressing the loss of tax dollars and the need to budget for new emergency initiatives.
Click the link below to read more from the Department of Public Safety and Department of Human Services as it relates to COVID-19.
governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/hawaii-covid-19-joint-information-center-daily-news-digest-dec-9-2020/
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