Health

Nominate a Volunteer Hero

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

County of Maui News Release

Do you know a volunteer hero on Molokai? Now is the time to recognize them! Nominations are being accepted for recognition of outstanding community volunteers, the County of Maui Department of Housing and Human Concerns’ Volunteer Center announced. The center will hold its annual Volunteer Heroes Celebration of Service in April.

The application deadline is at noon Thursday, April 1. To submit a nomination online, visit HandsOnMaui.com. The direct link to submit a nomination is handsonmaui.com/volunteer-hero-nomination-form/.

Individuals volunteering with a nonprofit, private or government volunteer program on Molokai, Maui and Lanai are eligible to be nominated; one application per organization will be accepted.…

Vaccine Clinic for All Residents

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

MCHC News Release

Vaccines are coming this week for all Molokai residents. This free COVID-19 vaccination opportunity for all Molokai residents, aged 18 years or older, will be held at the Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) campus, 30 Oki Place, on Thursday, March 25 from 1 to 5 p.m. and Friday, March 26 from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.

Proof of residency (name with a valid driver’s license, State of Hawaii ID card, utility bill, rental lease, property tax statement, etc.) must be presented at the clinic.

The clinics will be held on a walk-in basis with no appointment required.…

Two New Cases, Vaccine Clinic This Week

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

There were four active COVID-19 cases on Molokai as of Sunday, with the addition of two new cases logged by the Dept. of Health on March 16 and one on March 19, bringing the island’s total cases to 31.

Last week also brought a spike of cases on Maui, which raised concern among officials.

Mayor Michael Victorino expressed frustration on March 18 after receiving the DOH report of 41 new COVID cases in Maui County.

“After reviewing today’s cluster report, it appears the majority of cases are attributed to a new cluster of 24 in a place of worship, eight new cases in an educational setting, additional infections in a cleaning company cluster and two new clusters from bars and nightclubs,” said Victorino.…

Athletics Dept. Plans for Resumed Sports

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Molokai High School athletics leadership is excited to be able to resume athletic workouts and practices with COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols set forth by the Department of Education and Department of Health. Six sports can begin by the end of this month, with exact start dates to be announced.

“We highly encourage our spring sport student-athletes to update their current physical form and consent form during this time to be eligible to practice,” said Athletic Director Lee DeRouin. “Student athletes can pick up these forms at school during the day from [myself] or Athletic Trainer and at milsports.org…

Molokai Nears General Public Vaccine Phase

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai is poised to potentially have its entire eligible population vaccinated, but healthcare providers say they’re waiting for the green light from the Dept. of Health to move forward with vaccinating.

“We’re waiting for confirmation from DOH that we can begin to inoculate everyone on Molokai,” said Janice Kalanihuia, president of Molokai General Hospital (MGH). “There will probably be ad-equate doses here in the next couple of weeks to do that.”

In a March 10 press conference, Josiah Nishita Maui County Deputy Managing Director said vaccine eligibility on Lanai and Molokai will open to residents as young as 16 later this month.…

New Molokai Case, New Variant in HI

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai logged a new COVID-19 case last week, bring the island’s total to 28 cases since the pandemic began. The Dept. of Health reported the new case last Friday. No further details were publicly available.

A highly transmissible variant was detected in Hawaii last week, causing concern among health officials. The new strain is called B.1.351 and is sometimes referred to as the South African variant. It was found in an Oahu resident with no travel history, according to the DOH.

“This is concerning because B.1.351 has a mutation that makes it more transmissible from one person to another, and a separate mutation that might make it less responsive to the antibodies we form when we have COVID or get vaccinated,” said DOH State Laboratories Division Director Dr.…

Spring Sports Given OK to Practice

Wednesday, March 10th, 2021

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Athletic workouts for high school spring sports can begin on Monday, March 8, Maui Interscholastic League executive board president Jamie Yap confirmed last Thursday. The status of when and if competition can commence will be determined by the MIL athletic directors soon. Yap said he expects MIL executive director Joe Balangitao to convene a meeting of athletic directors soon.

Yap is very encouraged by the news. He said he feels it is crucial to get the spring sports onto the field in some sense because that season was the first to be canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic last March.…

Thankful for Vaccines at MGH

Wednesday, March 10th, 2021

Big mahalo to our Molokai General Hospital, Administrator Janice Kalanihuia and all her staff, from the parking crew, sign up crew, vaccination crew, the cleaning crew to the holding area crew before leaving the hospital. We got our two vaccines and are so thankful to have such efficient and courteous people here at our Molokai General Hospital. Thank you to Administrator Janice, and all her staff for taking care of us, the people on Molokai, with the vaccinations.

Longie and Lorna Dudoit…

Rats, Structural Concerns Close Maunaloa Post Office Temporarily

Saturday, March 6th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Several weeks after a week-long closure of the Ho’olehua Post Office due to structural concerns, the Maunaloa Post Office is now closed because of “vector control concerns,” according to the U.S. Postal Service — in this case, rats — and poor building condition.

Duke Gonzales, a Honolulu spokesperson for the USPS, said the closure last Wednesday, Feb. 24, was “prompted by customer and employee concerns about the state of the facility.”

“…We are attempting to resolve our concerns with the facility landlord and will reopen as soon as those concerns are addressed,” he said.

There is currently no timeline for reopening.…

CPR Certification Marks Launch of Aka’ula Red Cross Club

Saturday, March 6th, 2021

CPR Certification Marks Launch of Aka’ula Red Cross Club

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

A handful of Molokai residents, students and Red Cross volunteers got certified or recertified to practice adult and child CPR and first aid during two classes held last Thursday. The classes were taught on Molokai by Gordon Gillis of Maui, owner of Safety Services Hawaii, a company that provides community and workplace health training and consulting. Among those that attended were five Aka’ula School students, representing the county’s first school Red Cross club.

Participants of the classes became certified in the most recent Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques as well as how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and basic emergency first aid.…