Gov. Josh Green has issued an emergency proclamation to change when pharmacists can administer the COVID-19 vaccine — and make it easier for residents to get the shot.
The proclamation suspends certain parts of Hawaiʻi's law to allow pharmacists to continue giving the vaccine to people age 3 or older without requiring a health care provider’s approval.
Green's announcement is a response to a decision from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Sep. 19, the CDC committee voted to move forward with shared-clinical decision making, meaning people who want the COVID-19 vaccine need to consult with their health care provider before getting it.
In his proclamation, Green said the federal action would cause hesitancy and confusion for pharmacists on whether or not to give the vaccines.
He followed by saying it is the governor’s responsibility to react to emergencies or disasters in the state, and that he must “protect the public health, safety, and welfare” of Hawaiʻi.
Dr. Sarah Kemble, the epidemiologist at the state Department of Health, said the amount of confusion from residents seeking the vaccine, from physicians, and from pharmacists is enough to warrant this proclamation.
“We are approaching that state of emergency. People have been very confused about what to do, what they can access in terms of vaccines, and what's going to be available to them. I think that confusion in itself presents a kind of emergency,” Kemble said.
The proclamation states that pharmacies have been a vital point of access for vaccines in Hawaiʻi, because many people in rural areas do not have primary care physicians or access to readily available doctors.
“The reality is that a lot of people may not have a primary care physician today, and they have to go get one, and that might take a long time. Or they do have one, but they aren’t able to get an appointment fast enough,” Kemble said.
She added that this proclamation is not trying to deter people from consulting their primary care physicians, but rather to break down the barriers put up if these mandates were kept in place.
The state proclamation remains in effect through Nov. 22.
