Hawaii Department of Health to expand coronavirus vaccination to residents over 70

The State Department of Health reported that the COVID-19 vaccines will be offered soon to people aged 70 and over. Currently, only kupuna aged 75 and over and “essential frontline workers” are eligible to be vaccinated under Phase 1-B of the state’s vaccination program.

The department will announce when the sites are ready to accept registration for members of the extended age group.

Health officials said earlier that they hope to open eligibility for Phase 1-C – individuals aged 65 and over and other essential workers not included in 1-B – in March.

“We are still in Phase 1b and we are not ready to enter Phase 1c yet. But soon, we would like to welcome those over 70 to be vaccinated. We know that we still have kupuna and essential frontline workers waiting to be vaccinated, ”said state health director, Dr. Libby Char, in a press release. “We have been vaccinating kupuna since mid-January, so we would like to add 70 years or more to keep vaccine absorption really fast.”

Vaccine availability continues to be affected by delivery delays due to record winter weather on the continent. The Health Department said that 27,700 doses of the Modern vaccine expected to arrive this week have been postponed, although the state has received 19,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

DOH is awaiting news about when shipments will resume and when Moderna will send the cumulative doses, the statement said. The state expects to receive more than 50,000 doses next week.

It is estimated that 281,315 COVID vaccines have been administered, according to preliminary DOH data released today.