Vaccination Rate Among Salaried HIDOE Employees Hits 89%

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) reports 89% of its salaried employees are fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19.

Employees at the Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area had the highest vaccination among the two other complex areas in the county reporting 92% or 865 of 941 employees.

HIDOE reports 978 of 1,161, or 84%, of salaried employees within the Honoka‘a-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area as fully or partially vaccinated.

The Ka‘ū-Kea‘au-Pāhoa Complex area reports 644 of 770 employees inoculated, also an 84% vaccination rate.

The vaccination rate is as of Aug. 31. The HIDOE imposed a requirement beginning Aug. 30 that all employees be tested once a week for COVID-19 to comply with Gov. David Ige’s Aug. 5 emergency proclamation.

If an employee certifies and provides proof of vaccination, the employee is not subject to the weekly testing requirement.

“Keeping our schools safe and open for in-person learning takes effort from all of us,” Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “Increasing vaccination rates within our communities continues to be one of the best ways we can protect ourselves and those around us from COVID-19. I’m proud that our employees are doing their part to contribute to the health and safety of our students and school communities.”

Districtwide, the vaccination rate represents 19,559 out of 21,980 active salaried employees at schools and offices throughout the state. HIDOE state offices have a combined vaccination rate of 95%.