‘All Things Vaccine’ and State-County-Healthcare Providers’ Covid Response Top Waimea Virtual Town Meeting Thurs., Feb. 4, 2021

With vaccinations top of many residents’ mind in hopes of stopping the spread and virility, morbidity and mortality of Covid-19 and help get life back to some semblance of “normal,” all things vaccine will be the focus of Waimea Community Association’s 5:30 p.m., Thurs., Feb. 4, 2021 virtual Town Meeting – streamed live on Facebook.  As always, the meeting will be recorded and available for viewing later on Facebook.  It also will be saved to YouTube and be accessible on the association’s website (www.WaimeaTown.org).   

Topping the agenda will be Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who will provide an update on the status of the state’s Covid-19 vaccine plan and rollout, plus his recently proposed reopening plan – first for interisland travel, and then mainland travel to people who have been vaccinated for COVID-19.

Green first shared his proposed reopening plan with Hawaii News Now Sunrise this past Fri., Jan. 29, 2021 and said it would need to be vetted by the Governor and County Mayors.

Next up will be we will be Steven Bader, the newly appointed Executive Assistant to Mayor Mitch Roth, who is the County’s lead on Covid-19 response, along with Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno.  They will both be speaking on behalf of the County with updates to ongoing testing and other critical aspects of the County’s response to the pandemic. 

As usual with WCA’s virtual town meetings, the community is encouraged to submit questions in advance to: WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com.  Questions may also be typed into the Facebook chat during the meeting and will be addressed as time permits. 

Also on the town meeting agenda will be a presentation by Hamakua-Kohala Health – both on their recent vaccination program, and also on their dramatic expansion of medical care services and providers available to Waimea clients.  Hamakua-Kohala Health will be the meeting’s spotlighted not-for-profit and virtual meeting attendees will be invited to consider supporting the 50-year-old community health organization by making a tax deductible donation via their website:  https://www.hamakua-health.org/donate/donation-form/

Also on agenda will be an update on Queen’s North Hawai’i Community Hospital’s vaccination program with Iwalani Ohia, Director of Risk Management & Quality, who is also the hospital’s Vaccination Coordinator.  QNHCH continues to schedule Pfizer vaccinations for Tier 1B - those age 75 and over as well as essential workers including school teachers and staff.  Vaccinations are by appointment only and they can be made by calling 808-881-4668 or emailing  QNHCHVaccine@queens.org and provide the following information: Name, phone number, date of birth and employer if eligible as a Tier 1B essential worker.

WCA Town meetings always include a public safety update by Waimea Police Capt. Sherry Bird, who will be joined by Community Policing Officer Aaron Kaeo.    

Everyone is invited to sit in for WCA’s virtual town meetings and are also invited to become an association member to support the organization.  For more info, go to www.Facebook.com/WaimeaCommunityAssociation or email WCA President James Hustace at WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com.