Hawaii announced its plan to join the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) approximately 24 hours after its inception, the Washington State Governor’s Office announced Thursday.
The WCHA is now comprised of Washington, California, Oregon, and its newest member, Hawaii. The alliance was officially announced on Wednesday as a provider for vaccine recommendations for residents solely based on science.
“We are proud to announce the state of Hawaii is joining the West Coast Health Alliance to uphold the scientific integrity of public health recommendations. We look forward to collaborating as allied states on the best practices for our constituents. Together, we’re taking a stand to ensure the safety of our residents is protected and guided by evidence-based findings and not political whims,” Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said in a joint statement.
Hawaii joins the West Coast Health Alliance
WCHA will be a shared commitment to safeguard public health by providing evidence-based immunization guidance that ensures residents have credible information free from political interference, according to the release.
“Hawaii is proud to stand with our West Coast partners to ensure public health decisions are grounded in science, not politics,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green, a former emergency room physician, said. “As an island state, we understand how critical it is to protect our communities from preventable disease. By joining the West Coast Health Alliance, we’re giving Hawaii’s people the same consistent, evidence-based guidance they can trust to keep their families and neighbors safe.”
