With increased COVID-19 cases in recent days, state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said the best thing you can do is make sure your vaccine boosters are up to date.
"We've often seen a rise in cases, especially right after breaks or major holidays. So a lot of people have just gone on spring break, probably did some travel. So it's, I think, not unexpected to see a rise," she said.
Hawaiʻi's positivity rate is currently about 10%, up from 4% at the beginning of March, the state Department of Health reports.
Officials said the actual rate could be higher since more people are using home tests that may not be included in the state count.
"We aren't seeing a rise in deaths yet. But we have often seen the pattern that when cases and hospitalizations make a bump, we also then start to see increased deaths a few weeks down the road," Kemble said.
The federal Public Health Emergency will expire on May 11, but Kemble said that does not mean COVID-19 is gone.
"It really means transitioning to a state of being able to manage COVID-19 from a public health perspective and having awareness of what's going on and remembering that there are things we can do to stay safe," she said.
Kemble said Hawaiʻi is seeing a very high level of population immunity, but over time it wanes to a certain degree.
"The biggest thing still is getting up to date on your COVID-19 vaccine. So if you've had the bivalent booster, as of today, there is not a recommendation to get another one. But if you have not, go get one now. This is probably the biggest thing you can do to protect yourself and your family," Kemble told The Conversation.
Kemble said it’s also important to recognize if you have COVID symptoms and get tested right away because there are effective and safe treatments to keep you out of the hospital.
Hawaiʻi marked the third anniversary of the pandemic shutdown in March.
This interview aired on The Conversation on April 6, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
