KONA, Hawaii – Early in the new year during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hawaii National Guard began vaccinating residents of the islands of Hawaii and Maui.
With vaccinations becoming more readily available statewide, the Department of Health asked the National Guard to help efficiently administer more vaccinations to the public.
Front-line members of the Hawaii National Guard began getting vaccinated at the Tripler Army Medical Center on Oahu in late December. The HING Joint Task Force (JTF) commander received his first vaccine dose Dec. 22, with the second dose Jan. 12.
Maui and Hawaii counties requested assistance from the HING to help vaccinate the public. Unlike the Guard members on Oahu, who have yet to begin public vaccinations, HING members within the Maui and Hawaii task forces are administering the vaccines.
“On average we are doing four to five vaccination missions per week,” said 1st Sgt. Rafael Ped, the senior enlisted leader for Task Force Hawaii who recently took charge in the middle of the vaccination missions.
One of those missions was at Kealakehe High School in Kona, where roughly 725 teachers and staff received their 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Chad Keone Farias, complex area superintendent for Kau-Keaau-Pahoa complex on Hawaii island, was in charge 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. An additional medical team, commonly referred to as “Team Mando,” will be used. The team of five to six medics, nurses, and providers travels 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.
As of March 6, the Hawaii National Guard had vaccinated nearly 4,800 people in Hawaii and Maui counties. Honolulu's city and county are planning to call on National Guard members to assist with upcoming large-scale vaccination events.