Mass vaccination clinics winding down

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Chairs in the holding area are nearly empty as vaccination demand dwindles at Kona Community Hospital’s last mass vaccination clinic Thursday at Kekuaokalani Gym. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
Kona Community Hospital Chief Nurse Executive Diane Hale administers a COVID-19 vaccine to 12 year-old Conlan Okagi Thursday at their last mass vaccination clinic Thursday at Kekuaokalani Gym. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
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With dwindling demand, Kona Community Hospital held its final mass vaccination clinic Thursday at Kekuaokalani Gym.

The “mega clinic” was open to individuals 12 years of age and older. Among the 600 appointments scheduled for Thursday, 100 keiki ages 12 to 18 received their first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine while 50 others received their second shot.

As of Thursday, the hospital had administered 22,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine at its Kealakekua campus and mass vaccination clinic since December. At its peak, the hospital was administering 1,500 vaccines at the mega clinic.

The Department of Health will hold its last Wednesday clinic at Kekuaokalani Gym on May 26 where they will be administering the single-dose Johnson &Johnson vaccine.

In June, the department will be shifting clinic operations to the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Makaeo Pavilion. For those clinics, the department will offer the two-dose Moderna vaccine.

West Hawaii Community Health Center will hold its last mass vaccination clinic featuring the two-dose Moderna vaccine on May 28 at Kekuaokalani Gymnasium. Thereafter, vaccinations will be offered at its clinic sites.

North Hawaii Community Hospital offers the Pfizer vaccine every Wednesday on a walk-in basis in Waimea. Appointments can also be scheduled to receive the vaccine. As of Thursday, the hospital had administered more than 16,200 doses.

Statewide, more than 1.42 million doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &Johnson vaccines have been administered, including more than 154,000 on the Big Island.

Approximately, 72,000 Big Islanders, or 40% of the population, have completed the vaccination process.

The state is currently in Phase 2 of its vaccination plan, with all individuals 12 years of age and older eligible to be inoculated. Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use on persons under age 18.

For a full list of vaccine locations, visit www.hawaiicovid19.com.