Statewide COVID-19 Update (04/12)

April 12, 2022
COVID19, News

What is the “Next Normal”?

It’s safe to say that the pandemic has impacted every area of our lives. While the virus itself is not gone, we are able to live in a much safer way, thanks to research. What does it look like to live with COVID-19? Check out the resources below on what it will be like as we transition to living with COVID-19.

FEDERAL UPDATES

Additional COVID-19 Booster Update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded eligibility for an additional booster dose for certain individuals who may be at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. Effective immediately, people who received their first booster shot at least four months ago may receive a second booster shot of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) if:

They are over the age of 50;
They are 12 or older and have a compromised immune system;
They received primary and booster doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

This graphic has been translated into 20 languages and can now be found online at www.hawaiicovid19.com/translations.

‘Stealth’ Omicron: What You Need to Know About the BA.2 Subvariant

Variants like Delta, Omicron and BA.2 are a natural part of the progression of COVID-19 and are expected.

As long as there is a COVID-19 outbreak somewhere in the world, the virus will continue to change through mutations and those mutations can lead to new variants.
This article, What You Need to Know About the BA.2 Subvariant, explains the new variant and how we can each slow the spread of COVID-19.

COUNTY UPDATES

Maui County

Community centers were closed in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Parks and Recreation announced it will reopen its remaining community centers in April and May 2022. The community centers and their opening dates are:

Kihei Community Center, April 30
Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center, May 20
Waikapu Community Center, August 1 (due to much-needed renovations)

Kaunoa Senior Services is offering online classes via Zoom in April for seniors 55 years old and older. A full list of exercise classes occurring Monday through Friday can be found here. Online events that are not recurring include:

Growing Roses Successfully at 11 a.m. on April 21
Introduction to Apple iPhone at 11 a.m. on April 28
Ukraine: A Discussion with Professor Willis H.A. Moore at 1:30 p.m. on April 29

For more information and to register, call (808) 270-7308 or (808) 270-4310.

Kaua‘i County

The pandemic continues to take a toll on our mental and emotional health.

WorkLife Hawai‘i continues to offer free and confidential telephone counseling to all Kaua‘i residents.
Please call (808) 543-8445 for more information, questions, or to schedule/reschedule appointments.

Eligible homeowners experiencing financial hardship may qualify for assistance under the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) to prevent foreclosure (up to $30,000). Funds may be used to reduce monthly payments and pay past-due mortgages, property taxes, and HOA fees. Available to homeowners through September 2025 or until funds are fully expended. Learn more about the HAF and other programs, including financial counseling, income support, renter/homebuyer assistance, and Native Hawaiian Farmer support programs, visit Hawaiian Community Assets.

Hawai‘i County

Bay Clinic will be distributing 1,000 free COVID-19 Test Kits:

WHEN: Saturday, April 16 | 9-12 p.m.
WHERE: Bay Clinic Administration Office (450 Kilauea Ave, Hilo)

Each vehicle can receive four free COVID-19 tests.

City & County of Honolulu

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is resuming full in-person vital records requests (birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates) on Oʻahu only. View office hours, the application process and schedule an appointment online at https://health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords.

The Rental and Utility Relief Program is still accepting applications and residents can get in-person support applying!

WHEN: May 7 from 3-6 p.m.
WHERE: Waiʻanae High School
WHAT TO BRING: A government photo ID (a state ID card or driver’s license) and proof of income (most recent pay stubs or tax return)

Translators available for Chuukese, Marshallese, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, Ilocano, Tagalog, Hawaiian, Mandarin, and Vietnamese will be there to make sure everyone has access to applications. For more information or questions, contact BreakingBarriersHawaii@gmail.com.

STATEWIDE RESOURCES

Resources on the Transition to the “Next Normal”

As COVID-19 restrictions become more relaxed, more people go into offices, and states drop mandates, questions remain about how careful people need to be and what the “next normal” will look like.

Getting to and Sustaining the Next Normal: A Roadmap for Living With Covid offers guidance on how to advance to and sustain the next normal. The roadmap recognizes the demands of COVID-19 and offers practical advice regarding masks, vaccines, testing, schools, public health communication, and returning to work. The roadmap was authored by 53 leading scholars and experts — including six of President Biden’s sixteen-member Covid-19 Advisory Board, advisors to Democratic and Republican presidents, and some of the world’s leading infectious disease researchers.
Download NICHM’s mini infographic that sums up the data in the roadmap: When Can the U.S. Transition to the Next Normal?.
As we transition into the “next normal,” how can we continue to keep ourselves and our families safe? Visit hawaiicovid19.com/everyday-prevention for some easy and reasonable practices we can take in our daily lives to significantly lessen exposure to COVID-19.

New CDC Data Illuminate Youth Mental Health Threats During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A new survey from the CDC has found that more than a third of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year. According to the data:

55 percent reported they experienced emotional abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including swearing at, insulting, or putting down the student.
11 percent experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including hitting, beating, kicking, or physically hurting the student.
29 percent reported a parent or other adult in their home lost a job.

This was the first nationally representative survey of high school students during the pandemic in 2021. Schools and partners who can supply resources to support the health and wellbeing of students are more crucial than ever; learn more by clicking here.

Communicating Through COVID-19 and Beyond: Impact and Insights from the Field of Public Health

The free community webinar, “Communicating Through COVID-19 and Beyond” will offer powerful insights for protecting public health through the current COVID-19 landscape and beyond.

TOPIC: The webinar and an accompanying resource will offer stories and lessons learned from public health communicators across the U.S. that can be used to address current and future communication needs.
TIME: This Wednesday, April 13, from 7-8 a.m. HST.
LOCATION: Zoom; register today!

COMMUNITY SURVEYS

COVID-19 Social Media Survey

Nothing matters more to us at HIPHI than the health of our community. For the past two years, we have been a hub for community resources with the goal of helping you maintain health and wellness during the pandemic.

Please take a moment to fill out our Social Media Survey.
The survey can be done in less than five minutes.
It will help us gather insight on how we can better serve you and your community.

Statewide Survey: Access to Care

The pandemic has transformed how our healthcare is delivered. Access to Care is a project by Community Firstwith a simple goal: to better understand what our island communities statewide need to improve our health.

Through the month of April, Hawaiʻi residents are invited to share their experience with the healthcare and social service systems via a simple, fast, and anonymous survey.
As a mahalo for participating, at the end of the survey there will be a link to enter a drawing for a chance to win a $100 gas card.

PUBLIC HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK

April is Alcohol Awareness Month! Excessive drinking such as binge drinking increased by 21 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, and alcohol-related deaths have increased by 25 percent. Here are five reasons to consider when cutting back on alcohol consumption or to quit drinking.