At the start of the pandemic, Hawaii felt the benefit of its isolation from COVID-19, if only for a short while. Similarly, the avian flu has not yet assaulted isle chicken farms as it has nationally. That’s given shoppers the option of locally sourcing eggs — much more cheaply, at wholesale outlets.

Now mainland chickens could be vaccinated in the hopes of arresting the avian outbreak. We all hope that works — for the poultry and eggs, but especially to quash the fear of another pandemic for us humans.