In January, the State Department of Health issued a press release announcing its plan to roll out the COVID vaccine to the Hawaii public. The plan is to make the vaccine available in two major phases.
The first phase has various groups of people deemed as the first priority. This phase includes healthcare workers, frontline workers, adults 75 years or older, or adults 65-74 / 16-64 who are at high risk. Phase two will cover the rest of the population and is projected to begin in early summer.
I qualify as an essential worker under phase 1b. So I made my appointment online through Hawaii Pacific Health. I chose to get my shot at a new clinic that HPH set up at Pier 2 in downtown Honolulu.
The process of receiving the vaccine was very easy. I parked at Restaurant Row and follow the posted signs all the way to Pier 2. It was a well organized operation. I checked in at my assigned arrival time, and the lines moved quickly.
When I sat down to get my vaccine, I had to say which brand I wanted. The choices were Pfizer or Moderna. The longest wait I had during the whole process was after my actual shot. I had to be monitored for 15-minutes for side-effects.
Two rounds of shots are necessary to be fully protected. So I’ll be back in a few weeks. But let us remember that no vaccine offers 100% protection. Getting the vaccine will reduce our risk of serious illness if and when we come in contact with the virus.
I feel better knowing that I am doing everything I can to protect myself and my family.