State Department of Health has confirmed that State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park is on paid leave, effective today.   Park has been under heavy criticism for how the State Department of Health has handled — or mishandled, according to numerous critics — contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Wednesday, Emily Roberson, PhD, who was hired on July 16 to take over the contact tracing function, request a leave of absence, saying the State Health Department needed to determine who was in charge and from whom she should take direction.  She was officially reporting to State Department of Health Deputy Director Danette Wong Tomiyasu.

U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard said Wednesday afternoon that the problem at the Health Department that  prompted Roberson’s unexpected departure was Dr. Park’s continued micromanagement.  She called for Park to step down, echoing concerns expressed for weeks by Dr. Josh Green, the State’s Lieutenant Governor and a practicing physician who is helping coordinate the State’s COVID-19 response.

The official statement from State Department of Health spokesperson Janice Okubo, via email, this morning at 8 a.m.:  “At this time, Dr. Sarah Park is taking a leave of absence from her work at the Department of Health.  During her leave, Deputy Director Danette Wong Tomiyasu is in full charge of all disease investigation and immunization activities under the Disease Outbreak Control Division. The Department of Health is continuing to fully execute disease investigation and immunization activities for the state.  This includes an accelerated expansion of contact tracing capacity. All COVID-19 response activities are proceeding and continue to be reinforced by the entire Department of Health, National Guard, Counties, and federal and community partners.”

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said Thursday afternoon he is establishing a COVID-19 Command Center, which will incorporate county and state functions–including the Department of Health Hawaii Island contact tracing function.  On Wednesday afternoon the State COVID-19 Joint Information Center said there are 40 contact tracers with State Health on the island, charged with contacting each person with COVID-19 and finding out where they’ve been and with whom they’ve been in contact.  They are charged with notifying those people so they know they’ve been exposed, and help arrange for testing and/or isolation as appropriate.

Gov. David Ige announced on Monday that  State Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson will retire effective Sept. 15, and named Dr. Libby Char as his interim replacement.  Both Anderson and Park have been heavily criticized by state legislators and medical professionals and county officials for the lack of transparency and progress relative to the COVID-19 response.