At least 494 Department of Education employees received Johnson & Johnson’s unique COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, while public schools were preparing to resume more face-to-face classes after spring break.
Angel Ramos, deputy principal of Kalakaua Middle School, was the first in Hawaii to receive the recently approved vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. He said he did not hesitate to accept the injection after seeing Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, reassure Americans that all three approved vaccines – made by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – are effective, according to an interview provided by DOH, which did not allow the media on site due to patient privacy rules.
Johnson & Johnson’s first immunization clinic was run by the DOH Behavioral Health Administration at the Windward Comprehensive Health Center in Kaneohe.
“Not everyone is 100% protected, but Johnson & Johnson leaves me 100% protected against death, that is the most important part,” said Ramos. “Just like the flu – the flu vaccine does not protect everyone 100%. (But) I feel safe. “
The Health Department notified some public school officials on Wednesday about the option of getting the Johnson & Johnson injection or waiting to receive Moderna’s vaccine at another clinic next week.
English teacher Darlene Paton said she “felt very blessed to get an appointment so quickly” after learning that the vaccine was available on Thursday.
“I like the fact that it is a single dose. Also because I am going to travel to see my mother – she was vaccinated and now I have been vaccinated – I feel that it will be much safer ”, she said. “I would encourage anyone who can get a vaccine to do so. We need to get our kids to school, we need to get everyone back to work and make our economy work again, and if this is a way to help, I think everyone should do that. ”
Substitute professor Stephanie Pierobello, who retired after more than 20 years, waited for the vaccine in a single dose to avoid having to worry about the two-dose process.
“My heart goes out to the regular classroom teacher without a vaccine that had to fight it,” she said, encouraging her colleagues not to be “held back by any kind of belief other than their own health.”
“It must be a great joy now to have these options.”
Health officials reported on Friday two new deaths from coronavirus – both Oahu women in their 60s with underlying medical conditions – and 54 infections, bringing the state’s total since the beginning of the pandemic to 443 deaths and 27,753 cases.
The DOH said 391,116 vaccines were administered out of the 496,050 received by the state, with about 16.1% of Hawaii’s general population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.
“It is gratifying to see that so many people recognize the benefits that this new vaccine offers,” said health director Libby Char in a press release. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is similar to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in that they are all highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death, but different because Johnson & Johnson is a single injection regimen.”
Hawaii was scheduled to receive 67,280 doses this week, up from about 40,200 doses a month ago. Federal approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is helping to speed up the vaccination schedule for the state, which is opening immunizations for everyone 70 and older starting today. Until now, the state has reserved doses for health professionals and residents and employees of long-term care facilities, as well as for essential frontline workers, including school teachers, and 75-year-olds and older kupuna.
The Department of Health received 5,900 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Oahu, and another 2,000 vaccines each for the island of Hawaii, Maui and Kauai. Vaccines will be distributed at the so-called “dispensing points”, or PODs, by the state Health Department in addition to hospitals. The state expects to reach 62,330 vaccines next week.
DOH vaccinated public school officials from Waikiki to Waianae on Friday and is scheduled to announce dates for additional groups soon. Visit hawaii covid19.com to sign up.