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VIDEO: Gov. Ige expects COVID-19 vaccine in Hawaii ‘as early as next week’

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COURTESY GOV. DAVID IGE / FACEBOOK

The state of Hawaii expects to receive more than 81,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and Moderna, with a first batch of doses arriving “as early as next week,” according to a statement by Gov. David Ige today.

“Today marks a hopeful moment in the fight against this pandemic. … It is the beginning of our path to recovery,” Ige said during a media briefing today at the Hawaii State Capitol.

The vaccine will be administered “to priority groups in high-risk settings,” he said. The doses being sent are meant to be used for a first round of vaccinations, with a second round scheduled to be sent in the future.

“This may be the largest immunization campaign in the history of our state,” Ige added, noting that the state Department of Health had begun planning for vaccine distribution “months ago.”

“I trust the science and plan to be vaccinated as soon as I am able and my place in line comes up,” he said.

Ige was joined at the Hawaii State Capitol by Lt. Governor Josh Green, state health director Dr. Elizabeth Char, state Health Immunization Branch chief Ron Balajadia, HiEMA director Kenneth S. Hara, Healthcare Association of Hawaii president and CEO Hilton Raethel, and Dr. Kelley Withy, director of the Hawaii Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center and COVID-19 vaccine trial participant.

Watch a replay of the briefing via the video above or go to Gov. Ige’s Facebook page.

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