Do you have questions?

It’s exciting to know that as more folks get vaccinated, our community is steadily becoming better at preventing the spread of the virus. But until the majority of people have immunity — their bodies are protected so they won’t get sick — we all need to keep doing what we can to stop the virus from hopping from person to person. We all need to wear masks, wash hands and respect the bubble, even folks who have already gotten the vaccine. 

We want to make sure the people who are most at-risk get it first. That means our kupuna and people who may have other health problems are first in line because they would probably have a really bad case of COVID if they get it. It also means our front-line workers get vaccines first because we depend on them to take care of our community; we need healthy doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters, educators and others to continue to help us. The State of Hawaiʻi shared their plan for who gets in line for the vaccine first, so we can best protect our community. As more vaccine doses continue to arrive, more people will get their turn until everyone has had a chance.

As of May 2021, anyone aged 12+ is eligible to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine; Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available to anyone 18+. Scientists are working right now to ensure the vaccines are safe and effective for younger keiki, and as soon as they have all the evidence that proves the vaccine is good for smaller kids, our health care providers will make sure those keiki are able to access the vaccine as well.

When your family makes a decision about how many folks will be in your COVID safety bubble, it’s important to think about how much the virus is spreading in your community, whether the folks you’re bubbling with all agree to the same bubble safety ideas, as well as how many of the adults have been vaccinated. Until the majority of people in your community have been vaccinated, it’s best to keep bubbles small so everyone can still stay safe from the virus.

It is really important that we all, including people who have been vaccinated, keep using masks and continue to respect the bubble. It cuts down the possibility that folks could unknowingly pass along virus germs, and helps everyone continue these healthy habits by keeping them normal and fair for everyone.

The best place to go for reliable, official information is www.hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine.

The vaccine is a really powerful tool in the toolbox we’re using to end the pandemic in Hawaiʻi. It can help people strengthen their bodies so they can fight off the virus without getting sick if they come into contact with it. And to prevent contact in the first place, we know what to do: wear masks, wash hands and respect the bubble. When the majority of people in our community are vaccinated, the virus won’t have anywhere to go, and as the number of people who have the virus goes down, more freedom to do things like see friends, hug Tutu, dance with your halau and play team sports will come.

With some vaccinations, a second shot helps to “boost” your body’s defense. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines work that way. After your first dose, your immunity to the virus improves, but not nearly as much as after you get the second dose. This helps to sustain your body’s natural defenses to the disease. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine works very well with just one dose.

Vaccines work by telling your body to be prepared for a disease before you get the real thing allowing your natural defenses to prevent getting sick. Many vaccines work in similar ways but may work differently based on how they are made. Current COVID-19 vaccines use mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) technology to tell your body to get ready. mRNA are chunks of genetic material in all cells that help to carry out construction of cellular functions like a blueprint for construction.

Some people that get the vaccine do feel a little sick after receiving it. However, it is due to your body’s response to the vaccine, and this is part of the process of building your protection. Severe reactions to the vaccine are rare but possible so everyone receiving the vaccine is observed afterwards to make sure they are OK.