February 19, 2021, 6:13 PM HST
Eligibility for vaccination is about to expand in Hawaii to a slightly younger population.
The health director, Dr. Elizabeth Char, announced on Friday that the state will soon open COVID-19 vaccinations for those over 70 years of age. Currently, kūpuna 75 and older are eligible for vaccination.
“We are still in phase 1B and we are not yet ready to enter phase 1C. But soon, we would like to welcome those over 70 to be vaccinated. We know that we still have kūpuna and essential workers waiting to be vaccinated, ”said Dr. Char. “We have been vaccinating kūpuna since mid-January, so we would like to add over 70 years and more to really keep the vaccine absorbed.”
The Department of Health will announce when sites are ready to accept registration for this new age group.
However, vaccine availability continues to be affected by weather delays. A total of 27,700 doses of the Modern vaccine originally planned for the week of February 15 are delayed due to ice storms on the continent. DOH is waiting for news about when the replays will be resumed and when Moderna will send the remaining doses. The state anticipates receiving more than 50,000 doses for the week of February 22.