News

For the most up-to-date information, visit mauihealth.org/covidvaccine.

Wailuku, Maui, HI (February 24, 2021) – As reported, the Maui Health vaccination clinic has been actively vaccinating Phase 1A, 1B residents since December 2020. We are nearly finished with rescheduling the first dose appointments for the 5,000 individuals whose appointments were canceled because of the lack of vaccine supply in January. As a reminder, the Maui Health vaccination clinic began in December 2020 shortly after the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine
were received. Maui Health was one of the first in the state to begin vaccinating qualified residents. At the time, we were averaging 750 vaccination appointments per day, and after three weeks of tremendous success in organizing an efficient, fully automated vaccination process, the clinic had to close and cancel all first dose vaccination appointments because of the lack of vaccine supply on Maui. Based on our experience with a restricted supply of vaccine, and the disruption of vaccine shipments because of inclement weather on the mainland in the last two weeks, Maui Health kept
a reserve supply of vaccine to ensure enough was available so that our residents could receive their first and second dose from our clinic. This was and continues to be a typical practice for hospitals around the country.

Additionally, once we completed most of the second doses, we were able to redirect some of the vaccine supply to the first dose rescheduled appointments, which we’ve been doing for several weeks now. To date, over 12,000 residents (with nearly 10,000 of this number having received their first and second dose) have been vaccinated. On average, we have been receiving two trays (975 doses per tray) each week of the Pfizer vaccine. This week, we received an extra tray that has increased our vaccine availability tremendously. With the support from the State Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, we will be expanding our vaccination efforts next week with the goal to increase our vaccine administration to 3,000 first doses (600 appointments per day) next week and 4,000 (800 appointments per day) the following week. We have assurances from the Department of Health that we will have ample vaccine supply to continue our vaccination efforts for both first and second doses.

Beginning this weekend, we will re-open the VAMS portal which will allow those that are already registered in VAMS, including the many kupuna 75 years and older that we have been assisting with the registration process, to schedule their first dose appointment.

Early next week, we will make available through our website, the Maui Health Vaccine Health Record form, which is the first step for Phase 1A, 1B qualified residents to request an appointment. After the form is completed and submitted, Maui Health will input the individual’s information into the VAMS system, and the individual will then be able to complete the VAMS registration process and then secure an appointment in VAMS. For more information on how to begin your registration process, and on qualified Phase 1A, 1B specifics, please visit www.mauihealth.org/covidvaccine.

We are grateful to our Maui community for your patience and support throughout our vaccination efforts and also to our partners at the state Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii for their support of our expanded vaccination plan.

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About Maui Health

Maui Health, aka Maui Health System, community hospitals and associated clinics affiliated with Kaiser Permanente, includes Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, Lanai Community Hospital and associated clinics, and serves the people of Maui and Lanai. The facilities under Maui Health employ more than 1500 Maui County residents, partner with over 460 hospital-based physicians, clinicians, and community-based primary and specialty physicians, and are open to all patients regardless of health insurance coverage. Maui Health is committed to delivering high quality, affordable, patient-centered health care and improving the health of the community. Maui Health is supported by Kaiser Permanente’s industry-leading technology systems, evidence-based medicine and nationally recognized care quality. For more information, visit mauihealth.org.