At a news briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, Governor Ige and Lt. Governor Green gave updates on the State of Hawaiʻi’s vaccination efforts.

The Hawaiʻi COVID-19 Joint Information Center Daily News Digest for January 5, 2021 reports Gov. Ige said healthcare workers, residents and staff at nursing homes are currently getting vaccinated. The second doses of the vaccine have started to arrive and will also be administered. Additionally, first responders, frontline essential workers, and those 75 years of age and older are also beginning to be offered the vaccine.

The next phase will involve vaccination for people over the age of 65. It will also include those over 16 who are at high risk of COVID-19 complications and other essential workers. By early summer, the vaccine will be open to all community members.

Speaking at the same news briefing, Lt. Gov. Josh Green also gave details on Hawai‘i’s vaccination plans, saying that the state is setting up sites for large-scale vaccinations – including kupuna in phases 1b and 1c, individuals with underlying health conditions, and others who would not receive the vaccine through their workplaces or living settings.

Once this is done, people will be able to sign up for a time slot and get vaccinated. Using this process, the state hopes to vaccinate thousands of people per day.

Further information on the status of the COVID-19 vaccine in Hawaiʻi can be found here.