HONOLULU, HI – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) supports the latest recommendations announced yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allowing an additional dose of the bivalent booster against the virus that causes COVID-19 for individuals at increased risk for severe infection.
CDC’s announcement also simplifies vaccination schedules to allow bivalent vaccines to be used for primary vaccination series, as well as boosters. “These simplified recommendations make it even easier to protect yourself and your family from severe COVID-19 illness and death,” said State Epidemiologist Dr.
Sarah Kemble. “COVID-19 is still circulating, and we have seen a recent rise in hospitalizations. We had 10 COVID-19 deaths reported in the last week.
It is definitely worth it to get a booster dose now, if you are eligible. This is particularly important for kūpuna and people who are immunocompromised.”CDC’s recommendations follow the action on Tuesday April 18, 2023, by the U.S.