Everyone over the age of 65 on Oʻahu is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That’s according to data from the state Department of Health.
The City and County of Honolulu credited the work of the KVOG — the Kūpuna Vaccination Outreach Group.
It is a public-private coalition of more than 50 organizations that has advocated for vaccine access for older persons.
“We are grateful to have been part of amazing community effort to ensure our most vulnerable and hard to reach kūpuna were not forgotten,” Derrick Ariyoshi, administrator of the City’s Department of Community Services, Elderly Affairs Division, said in a statement. “All credit goes to the incredible community partners who stepped up in time of need and truly made a difference.”
The group consisted of the city’s Elderly Affairs Division, AARP Hawaiʻi and the state Executive Office on Aging.
It coordinated with community health providers to provide vaccine access at senior housing properties, and set up a vaccination call center.
KVOG support included:
- Coordinating with community health providers to provide vaccine access for over 10,000 kūpuna at low income senior housing properties, Adult Day Care sites, senior centers, and at home.
- Standing up a Kūpuna Vaccination Call Center to make COVID-19 vaccine registration possible for those kūpuna without a computer or internet access. The Call Center was made possible through a contract by EAD with Aloha United Way and St. Francis Healthcare System in which kūpuna could get assistance by simply calling 2-1-1.
- Providing direct outreach to over 15,000 kūpuna and kūpuna caregivers through outgoing phone calls and door-to-door visits.
- Organizing interpretation and translation support, appointment scheduling and registration assistance, transportation, and home visits.
- Coordinating COVID-19 booster shots at low-income senior housing properties.
The city proclaimed this past May 6 as KVOG Day to mark the milestone.
