Kona Community Hospital has begun pre-registering Phase 2 individuals age 50 and older to receive the Pfizer vaccine at its Thursday mega clinics at Kekuaokalani Gymnasium in Kailua-Kona.
“Because of our population, we have moved through our kupuna age 65 and up,” said Judy Donovan, KCH marketing and strategic planning director. “We’ve moved through the majority of our essential workers. We are still working on them and have appointments set up through April.”
The Healthcare Association of Hawaii, a hospital and health care facility trade organization, represented KCH and Hilo Medical Center in their requests to widen the net of eligible individuals.
“We feel the need to continue moving so we argued our case through HAH and last Wednesday we were green-lighted to go to the next age group,” Donovan said.
Although smaller clinics at the hospital are booked through April, KCH is planning on rolling into the next phase at its mass clinic the first week of April.
Donovan said last Thursday’s mass clinic drew 1,464 individuals in groups 1A, 1B and 1C, including 480 people receiving their second dose. An additional 700 individuals were vaccinated at the hospital’s clinic in Kealakekua.
“We want to ensure that as we are rolling forward in our county in the coming weeks, we continue to pull 1,000 plus people into the mass clinic,” she said.
Donovan said the hospital’s call center is still experiencing heavy volume.
KCH has been working diligently to reach out to the resorts to vaccinate those essential workers. Many have already passed through the mass clinics.
To pre-register, visit kch.hhsc.org/wp-
West Hawaii Community Health Center is expected to start vaccinating individuals in Phase 2 at their April 2 walk-in clinic at Kekuaokalani Gymnasium. Pre-registration is not required; however, vaccines will be given on a first come basis.
Email Laura Ruminski at lruminski@westhwaiitoday.com