Schatz: Nearly $95 Million Headed To Hawai‘i For COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution, Testing And Tracing

HONOLULU — U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Hawai‘i will receive nearly $95 million in a new round of federal funding to support the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, testing, and contact tracing programs. The new funding from the latest COVID-19 relief package, which was signed into law last month, will be used to support COVID-19 vaccination, testing, contact tracing, surveillance, containment, and other mitigation activities.

“This money will go directly into making sure the vaccine gets into arms of Hawai‘i health care workers, seniors, and everyone else as soon as possible, while also helping us stop the spread of the virus,” said Senator Schatz, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We will continue working to make sure our state has the resources it needs to vaccinate everybody and keep our communities safe.”

The state is expected to receive $12,793,611 for vaccination and $81,495,303 for testing and contact tracing from this round of funding. More federal funds under the new COVID relief law to support these critical public health activities are expected in the near future.

Last month, Hawai‘i also received $558,492 for COVID-19 vaccine distribution from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and $1,121,000 for testing and contact tracing from the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.

###