Photo By Sgt. John Schoebel | The Hawaii National Guard worked in teams of two for vaccination administration at...... read more read more
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Beginning early in the new year during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Hawaii National Guard began a new role of support within their community to the islands of Hawaii and Maui: Vaccinations.
With vaccinations becoming more readily available statewide, the Department of Health requested assistance from the National Guard to efficiently administer more vaccinations in a timely manner to the public.
As initial vaccination plans began during the 2020 holiday season, the Hawaii National Guard (HING) began receiving opportunities to get their front-line service members vaccinated at the Tripler Army Medical Center on Oahu, Hawaii. The HING Joint Task Force (JTF) commander received his first vaccination dose on December 22nd, with the second dose on the 12th of January.
As the vaccination plan continued, Maui and Hawaii Counties requested assistance from the HING to help vaccinate the public. Unlike the Guardsmen on Oahu, who have yet to begin public vaccinations, HING members within the Maui and Hawaii task forces are administering the vaccines.
1st Sgt. Rafael Ped is the Senior Enlisted Leader for Task Force Hawaii who recently took charge in the middle of the vaccination missions.
“On average we are doing four to five vaccination missions per week,” said 1st Sgt. Ped.
One of the many vaccination events with assistance from the HING was at Kealakehe High School in Kona, where roughly 725 teachers and staff received their 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after receiving their first dose a few weeks earlier.
Chad Keone Farias, Complex Area Superintendent for Kau-Keaau-Pahoa complex on Hawaii Island was the head of the Department of Education vaccination planning.
“Today is our fourth event on DOE campuses and fourth event the (Hawaii) National Guard has helped out with and taking a leading role in vaccinations, parking control, and doing everything,” said Farias.
Next week, the vaccinations continue on Hawaii island with 4,100 vaccinations planned in a single day. An additional medical team, commonly referred to as “Team Mando,” will also potentially be used. The team consists of five to six medics, nurses, and providers that travel from Oahu.
“In an upcoming event with Hilo Medical center, we are pulling the (HING) medics from Hilo and Kona and Team Mando from Oahu to assist with giving 4,100 plus vaccinations in one day,” said Ped.
Currently, the Hawaii National Guard has vaccinated nearly 4,800 individuals between Hawaii and Maui Counties as of March 6, 2021. The City and County of Honolulu is currently in the planning phase of utilizing National Guard assistance with future large-scale vaccination events.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.09.2021 17:57 |
| Story ID: | 390968 |
| Location: | KONA, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 261 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Hawaii National Guard Administers COVID-19 Vaccine to Hawaii Residents, by SGT John Schoebel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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