THE C-D-C TOLD ALL STATES LAST
WEEK TO GET READY TO DISTRIBUTE
A VACCINE AS SOON AS NOVEMBER
FIRST.
HAWAII'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
HAS YET TO DECIDE WHO WILL TAKE
THE LEAD IN DEVELOPING
GINA MANGIERI IS ALWAYS
INVESTIGATING AND REPORTS ON
CALLS TO GET A HEAD START.
PLANNING UNDERWAY, BUT HAWAII'S
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
SAYS THEY'RE REVIEWING THE C-D-C
GUIDANCE.LAWMAKERS SAY: GET THE
LOGISTICS IN
PLACE A-S-A-P.
LIMITED COVID -19 VACCINE DOSES
MAY BE AVAILABLE BY EARLY
NOVEMBER, WITH THE SUPPLY
INCREASING SUBSTANTIALLY
IN 2021. THAT'S WHAT THE CDC
TOLD ALL 50 STATES IN AN URGENT
REQUEST HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE IN
OCTOBER FOR WHAT THE
DIRECTOR CALLS "FULLY
OPERATIONAL" DISTRIBUTION.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TOLD
ALWAYS INVESTIGATING THEY GOT
THE CDC'S GUIDANCE LAST THURSDAY
AND
ARE STILL REVIEWING IT
"CAREFULLY AND EVALUATING THE
NEXT STEPS."
THEY ADD "DEVELOPING THE PROCESS
WILL TAKE SOME TIME DUE TO STILL
MANY UNKNOWNS AND MAY BE LED BY
A SELECT
GROUP OF EXPERTS OR TASK FORCE
OR AN EXPERIENCED INDIVIDUAL."
THIS AS SEVERAL OTHER STATES
ALREADY HAVE VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION PLANNING PROCESSES
WELL UNDERWAY.
SEN. DONOVAN DELA CRUZ-"ARE WE
JUST G GNG TO BE CONTINUE TO BE
REACTIVE, SLOW ON THE TAKE, LATE
TO THE GAME OR ARE WE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AHEAD OF
THIS AND START TO PUT A TEAM IN
CHARGE OF BUILDING OUT
INFRASTRUCTURE, CAPACITY,
LOGISTICS SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE
AND LEAD WITH THE PANDEMIC A LOT
MORE EFFECTIVELY."
THERE IS NO FDA APPROVED VACCINE
YET BUT SEVERAL ARE IN LATE
STAGE-THREE TRIALS, AND THE
CDC TOLD THE STATES THE FDA
COULD AUTHORIZE EMERGENCY
RELEASE. PUNDITS QUESTIONED THE
CDC'S CALL FOR ELECTION-EVE
READINESS AS A PREMATURE AND A
POLITICAL MOVE.
DELA CRUZ-"EVEN THOUGH SOME
PEOPLE MAY BE SKEPTICAL, ALL OF
US MAY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT IF
THAT'S REALLY REAL OR NOT, IT
COULD BE AN ELECTION PLOY, THE
REALITY IS FOR OUR OWN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IS WE HAVE TO GET
AHEAD OF THE GAME. WE CAN'T
KEEP REACTING. IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE'S MANY
ISSUES WE'RE JUST PLAYING
CATCHUP ON."
THE CDC INSTRUCTS STATE HEALTH
OFFICIALS TO OUTLINE PRIORITY
RECIPIENTS, WHICH PROVIDERS WILL
ADMINISTER IT WHERE AND WHEN,
EVEN HOW AND WHERE DOSES WILL BE
KEPT.
THE STATE'S COVID-19 JOINT
INFORMATION CENTER TOLD KHON2
"MASS VACCINE DISTRIBUTION WILL
BE COMPLICATED...WITH MANY
VARIABLES LIKE... REFRIGERATION,
SHELF LIFE, DOSAGE, AND
DELIVERY"
SEVERAL COUNTIES TOLD ME
THEY'RE DEFERRING TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
TO MANAGE PLANNING FOR THE
ENTIRE STATE AND
STAND READY TO WORK WITH THEM ON
A DISTRIBUTION PLAN.
THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCY SAYS IT WILL
SUPPORT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN
DEVELOPING THE VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION PROCESS. SOME SAY
HIEMA AND THE HAWAII NATIONAL
GUARD WOULD BE BETTER TO TAKE
THE LEAD.
DELA CRUZ-"GEN HARA WAS PUT IN
A REASON. WHAT HE IS GOOD AT IS
LOGISTICS,
PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION,
CREATING BENCHMARKS, FOLLOW-
THROUGH. LEAVE THE TECHNICAL AND
MEDICAL EXPERTISE TO
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH."
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS SPRUNG
UP BEYOND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
FOR OTHER COMPONENTS LIKE
CONTACT TRACING AND
TESTING MAY ALSO BE A FALLBACK
DELA CRUZ-"WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE
YOU'VE JUST GOT TO PUSH THE
BUTTON TO SAY GO, AHEAD AND
LET'S DO TNDHIS."
GINA MANGIERI KHON2 NEWS ALWAYS
JOE:
