RESOURCES

COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019 from Wuhan, China. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The virus has spread to 178 countries across the globe.

COVID-19 spreads via droplet transmission. To learn about how COVID-19 is spread click here.

To reduce your risk of infection, wash your hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds. If traditional hand-washing is not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. If you feel sick, stay home. For additional information, and if you have questions about whether or not it is appropriate to wear a face mask click here.

Symptoms of COVID-19 appear 2-14 days after exposure. Primary symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Certain individuals, such as those over 65 or with underlying health conditions are at higher risk for severe illness. To see if this is you or someone you love click here. There are warning signs to indicate you may need to go to the doctor. Please consult your medical provider for any symptoms that are severe of concerning.

The number of cases throughout the country is changing rapidly. To see real-time tracking of cases and fatalities throughout the world click here. For information pertaining directly to Hawaii click here. Currently, Governor Ige has issued a stay-at-home, work-from home order to fight COVID-19. To stay informed on the most up-to-date information, sign up here for daily updates from the Hawaii Department of Health or visit the Hawaii Department of Health website.

There is currently no defined treatment or vaccine for COVID-19. However, many vaccine candidates are in the pipeline for human trials and potential approval. Moderna is the first vaccine candidate to be approved to move into human trials. The candidate is currently in a Phase 1, open-label, dose-ranging clinical trial of 45 healthy participants between 18-55 years old.

Additional Resources:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): click here.

The World Health Organization (WHO): click here.

Harvard Medical School Coronavirus Resource Center: click here.

Stress and Coping:

CDC Resources: click here.

Red Cross steps to help cope: click here.

How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus:

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS): click here.

CDC: click here.

BrainPOP: click here.

Zubin Damania, MD (ZDoggMD), hospitalist: click here.

Caregiving for the Elderly:

Johns Hopkins Medicine: click here.

Scientific and Clinical Literature:

The Lancet COVID-19 Resource Center: click here.

Elsevier Novel Coronavirus Information Center: click here.

Podcasts:

Coronavirus Daily, National Public Radio (NPR): click here.

Coronavirus and the Cerveza for Disease Control (Voices for Vaccines): click here.

To register for the 14th National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships, click here.

Download the pdf version for all active links here.

Download the pdf version for all active links here.

Thank you to everyone who joined our Immunization Update Webinar! We were glad to support and connect with our local immunization champions!
Register at http://immunizationupdatewebinar2019.eventbrite.com.

Nominate a champion by Feb 8, 2019:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H3QG7LQ 

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes individuals who make a significant contribution toward improving public health through their work in childhood immunization. A CDC Childhood Immunization Champion is an individual who is doing an exemplary job or going above and beyond to promote or foster childhood immunizations in his or her community. Champions should meet one or more of the following criteria:

Leadership: The candidate is considered an authority on immunization in his or her community, medical system, or individual practice. Activities may include acting as a spokesperson, trainer, mentor, or educator.
Collaboration:  The candidate has worked to build support for and increase immunization rates in infants and young children. Activities may include establishing or strengthening partnerships, coalitions, committees, working groups, or other.
Innovation:  The candidate has used creative or innovative strategies to promote immunization or address challenges to immunization in their practice, community, state, or region. Activities may include both new strategies and adapting existing strategies in new ways such as for reaching under-immunized populations.
Advocacy:  The candidate is active in advancing policies and best practices to support immunization in infants and young children in their community, state, or region. The candidate cannot be involved in advocacy activities that are related to funding for immunizations.

Champions may include coalition members, parents, healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians, nurses, physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, etc.), and other immunization leaders who meet the award criteria. Self-nominations are welcome, or you may submit a nomination for a deserving individual. State immunization program managers, state and federal government employees of health agencies, individuals who have been affiliated with and/or employed by pharmaceutical companies, and those who have already received the award are not eligible.

Awardees will be announced during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 27–May 4, 2019. Champions will be featured on CDC’s web site and may be recognized by their immunization program during NIIW.

Nominate a champion by Feb 8, 2019:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H3QG7LQ 

Your testimony in support of HAR 11-157
is requested

A public hearing has just been scheduled for Hawaii Administrative Rules relating to Immunization (HAR 11-157). This policy will revise the current immunization policies for school attendance and entry.  Please submit testimony in support of these policy changes.

Testimony can be submitted by email to:  immunization@doh.hawaii.gov

All testimony shall be received no later than Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Hawaii Standard Time.

HEARING NOTICE

The proposed rules may be viewed at:

• Standard Version (“clean copy”):  https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2018/09/HAR-11-157-Standard-9.6.18.pdf
• Ramseyer Version (“tracked changes”):  https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2018/09/HAR-11-157-Ramseyer-9.6.18.pdf
• Exhibits A and B: https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2018/09/HAR-11-157-Exhibits-A-and-B.pdf

Persons who are not able to attend the public hearing may submit written testimony to the DOH by mail at the Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD), 1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 443, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 or by email at immunization@doh.hawaii.gov.

Sample Testimony

Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony. As a community member and public health advocate, I am writing to strongly support the HAR 11-157 proposed rules update.

These proposed changes will bring Hawaii’s rules into compliance with the most current recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

The proposed rules update is especially important for students first entering 7^th grade or higher to receive the HPV, MCV, and Tdap shots because of low uptake levels. This is especially true for the HPV vaccine which prevents HPV-related cancers that might otherwise occur later in life.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that state and local vaccination requirements for daycare and school entry are important tools for maintaining high vaccination coverage rates, and in turn, lower rates of vaccine-preventable diseases.

No vaccine is 100% effective for everyone and not everyone can be vaccinated. Newborns and those with compromised immune systems – such as those experiencing chemotherapy or with autoimmune conditions – cannot be immunized. If approximately 93% of the population is vaccinated, vulnerable groups will stay protected. Immunized students are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases and protect those who cannot be immunized.

Research demonstrates that communities with more vaccine exemptions are at greater risk for vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Limiting exemptions to those that are medically indicated improves protection for our entire community, including those who are particularly vulnerable, the very young and our elders.

I respectfully request that the proposed changes to HAR 11-157 be supported and passed for the health of all of our communities.

Thank you for your consideration.