Hawaii Guard troops to stay on state COVID-19 duty through December
STAR-ADVERTISER
Hawaii Army National Guard Spc. James Falcon screened an interisland passenger, in June 2020, at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
A federal extension has been granted through December for Hawaii National Guard COVID-19 assistance around the state with the explosion of delta variant cases.
A federal extension has been granted through December for Hawaii National Guard COVID-19 assistance around the state with the explosion of delta variant cases.
About 550 citizen soldiers and airmen that are part of a coronavirus joint task force are on federal mobilization orders that were set to end in September, Hawaii Guard spokesman Jeff Hickman said today in a release.
“Based on the current rise in COVID-19 infections, the Hawaii National Guard leadership assessed that we would likely need to continue our support to the counties and state of Hawaii in their efforts to mitigate COVID-19,” said Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi, Jr., the joint task force commander.
Kaoiwi said the Hawaii National Guard is prepared to continue providing that assistance.
Guard troops currently support multiple state agencies with airport passenger thermal screenings, administering rapid swab tests and vaccines, supporting COVID-19 mapping assistance, public health outreach for at-risk communities, and distribution of personal protective equipment.
