Community Colleges Responses to COVID 19 in Hawaii

Most of the healthcare workers are graduates of the Hawaii Community College System in Hawaii, now it is these institutions that are helping protect them. Community Colleges Responses to COVID 19 in Hawaii have proven again how essential these institutions are to society. They have stepped up in many ways to serve their students, their alumni, the local community, and supporting health care systems throughout Hawaii.

Here are Community Colleges Responses to COVID 19 in Hawaii!

1. The University of Hawaii Community College

Each campus of The University of Hawaii Community College has stepped up and helped fight the COVID 19 pandemic in whatever way they were able to. The Department of Dental Hygiene gathered and donated needed PPE to The Queen’s Medical Center. They donated gloves, isolation gowns, disposable gowns, and more. Theater students have pitched in to help make PPE with the help of a biochemist to ensure they are as effective as possible in keeping COVID 19 from spreading. Once the prototypes were approved by medical professionals, students have been sewing masks to donate to help alleviate the PPE shortage.

2. Leeward Community College

As students have transitioned to remote online courses for the remainder of spring and summer terms Leeward Community College has provided various services to aid students through this difficult time. Students needing access to reliable internet can consult the map online of the campus to find free WiFi hot spots around campus that will allow them to access high-speed internet. Grab and go meals for students that are parents are available as well as options for childcare. The Leeward Food Pantry is also open and available to students needing food.

3. Kapiolani Community College

While many hospitals and medical facilities are short on ventilators to treat patients of COVID 19 across the country, Hawaii is no exception. Kapiolani Community College has loaned 11 ventilators to local healthcare organizations.

These are usually used in the respiratory care and practitioner program.

As more people fall ill with COVID 19, the donations of PPE and ventilators have helped tremendously in keeping healthcare workers safe and providing life-saving ventilators for those that need it most. These institutions have been critical in educating and training residents of Hawaii and now they are critical in the fight of the current pandemic. Community Colleges Responses to COVID 19 in Hawaii have been critical to their ability to fight this virus.