The latest breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 has been approved for kupuna aged 65 and above, and immunocompromised individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended Pfizer and Moderna’s bivalent booster doses for adults aged 65 and over, as well as additional doses for immunocompromised patients if necessary. The primary series vaccines are no longer being recommended in the US. These recommendations follow the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the additional round of bivalent boosters for those aged 65 and over at least four months after the previous dose, and for those with compromised immune systems, at least two months after the last one. Simplifying the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and offering greater flexibility for people at risk are among the reasons cited by the CDC. The state Department of Health recommends that people receive the bivalent booster if they have not yet done so; it targets both the original strain and Omicron variants of COVID-19 and has been available in Hawaii since September 2022.
According to DOH data, about 27.4% of the eligible population in Hawaii has received the bivalent booster, with the highest uptake among kupuna age 75 and above at 59%, and kupuna aged 65-74 at 51%. Only 28% of adults aged 50-64 years have received the booster. XBB.1.5, an Omicron subvariant, is the most prevalent subvariant in Hawaii, accounting for about 84% of cases, according to the latest DOH variant report.
Despite these efforts, the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in the state remains at 133 cases per day. On April 12, the state had an average positivity rate of 7.9% compared to 9.2% previously. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii reported 73 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals, with eight in intensive care, and ten more deaths were announced, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,878.
The data illustrates the ongoing challenges that Hawaii faces in containing the pandemic. The state’s infection prevention and control measures will need to be maintained and strengthened to prevent further spread of the virus.
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