HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii is inching closer to the next stage in loosened restrictions. About 54% of the state is now vaccinated.
More incentives are rolling out and more opportunities to get vaccinated are popping up to get that number higher.
[Hawaii’s Breaking News–Download the FREE KHON2 app for iOS or Android]
The COVID-19 vaccine is coming straight to residents. It is Hawaii’s latest effort to reach Gov. Ige’s vaccination goal of 70%.
People can now get their shots at places where they eat, shop and play like at the International Market Place. The shopping center is offering vaccines on Friday, June 11, to those 12 and up.
Officials say residents will start to notice more pop-up vaccinations sites in June.
“We’re finding that the challenges are based on geography,” said Lt. Gov. Josh Green. “A lot of people in rural areas don’ have pods and haven’t been vaccinated. We’re doing a lot more mobile vaccinations.”
Upcoming mobile vaccinations sites include at the Kapiolani Community Farmer’s Market and Wet ‘N’ Wild Hawaii on Saturday, June 12.
“By getting vaccinated on those days, they can actually get a discount on our top tier season pass just by showing their card at our ticket box office,” said Eddie Galdones of Wet ‘N’ Wild Hawaii. “So they can save anywhere from $15 to $20 off the top tier of our season pass.”
The incentives continue to get bigger.
The University of Hawaii Maui is offering a chance at free tuition in the fall and Kaiser Permanente is offering a chance to win a family trip to Disneyland or a National Park prize pack those vaccinated at one of its sites.
Queen’s on Hawaii Island is also offering prizes of its own.
“We are offering a $500 drawing prize for those who get vaccinated and that includes people who have already been vaccinated, including at some of our pop-up sites and other sites that are not here at the hospital,” said Dr. Crystal Hammer of Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital.
Time is ticking down until the first drawing of the HiGotVaccinated campaign. The deadline to enter to win the first round of prizes is midnight on Thursday, June 10.
“The names will be drawn on Friday for 100,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles and for two round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines,” said Brooks Baehr, the State Health Department spokesperson. “The names will be drawn, then the people who run the HiGotVaccinated website will verify that those people were in fact vaccinated.”
More than 140,000 people have already entered. The Health Department says it will take several more days to see just how effective the campaign is, but they are hopeful the incentives will work.
HiGotVaccinated drawings will happen every Friday in June. The first winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 16.
