News & Updates
How Vulnerable is Hawaii in the Face of a Coronavirus Pandemic?
While Hawaii has done well by sheltering in place, other socio-economic factors could place us in a precarious position if we were forced to respond to a full-blown pandemic, disproportionately affecting certain segments of the population–even those who are our closest neighbors. Some have suggested that our decision makers are being overly cautious when considering when and how to reopen the state to business and life in general. They insist that we have turned the corner. And we have. But, as the Surgo Foundation’s index shows, we still have much to be careful about during a pandemic that has yet to show us its teeth and full bite in Hawaii.
Community Vulnerability Index Provides Insights on Pandemic Preparedness
If you’ve done even limited reading about COVID-19 in recent weeks, you’ve likely encountered a short, consistent list of risk factors for individuals developing serious illness from the disease: those ages 65 and older, and anyone with underlying medical conditions. But what do we know about community-level risk for COVID-19? How might we identify which communities are more or less resilient to the current pandemic?
A good place to begin exploring answers to these questions can be found through the COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index (CCVI).