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Hawaii hospitals to serve as COVID-19 vaccination hubs for independent health care workers

State health officials have set up vaccination hub sites at Hawaii hospitals in an effort to rapidly administer COVID-19 vaccines to independent health care workers.

The state Department of Health and Healthcare Association of Hawaii are working with hospitals in each county to ensure independent health care providers and their staff can receive the first dosage of their vaccine this month as part of the first phase of the vaccine rollout.

Hawaii’s hospitals, which are using the Pfizer vaccine for health care workers, will also serve as hubs for independent providers to receive their second, follow-up dosage 21 days later.

After health care workers and long-term facility residents and staff are vaccinated, the state will then administer COVID-19 vaccines to seniors 75 and older, along with front-line workers including first responders, corrections officers and teachers. The state plans to begin vaccinating seniors 75 and older in the next week or so.

Independent health care providers and staff who have not yet received a vaccination should complete an online survey developed by the Department of Health in order to start the process.

The information collected from the survey will be sent to the hospital closest to a provider, and the hospital will then reach out to schedule a vaccination appointment.

Those who have already completed the survey, however, should not submit it again.

Health care providers and staff at independently operated care homes and foster homes are being vaccinated through a separate process.

The vaccination hub sites by counties include:

>> Kauai: Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall (visit Kauai.gov/vaccine);

>> Honolulu: Adventist Health Castle, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Pali Momi Medical Center, Straub Medical Center, and The Queen’s Medical Center-Punchbowl and West Oahu;

>> Maui: Maui Memorial Medical Center, Molokai General Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital; and

>> Hawaii island: Hilo Medical Center, Kona Community Hospital and North Hawaii Community Hospital.

Health care providers with a Kaiser Permanente health plan can make an appointment for vaccinations at Kaiser’s Honolulu or Waipio clinic by calling 432-2000, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

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