HONOLULU — Hawai‘i COVID Collaborative (HCC), a new subcommittee of nonprofit and business leaders across the state working together, introduced a new data and storytelling based website Tuesday.
The project, called “COVID Pau,” will provide public health information for Hawai’i communities to use while they manage the spread of COVID-19.
HCC said the project, funded using $1 million in cash and in-kind contributions by a hui of private businesses and nonprofits, provides a reliable, actionable data dashboard, expert analysis of data trends, first-person stories to depict the concrete impacts of the disease, and resources for residents navigating the health, social and economic challenges of the pandemic.
“We convened the House Select Committee on COVID-19 to address the unprecedented challenges we face as a community, looking ahead to economic recovery and resilience for our state. Instead, we’ve witnessed a disturbing deficit in the state’s response to the immediate public health need,” said state House of Representatives Speaker Scott Saiki. “COVID Pau is vital because the people of Hawai‘i deserve information and reliable leadership.”
According to the subcommittee, the website will bring real-time data to turn it into real-time information and share it through personal storytelling to help make Hawai‘i communities aware of their behaviors and hopefully inform daily decisions.
“Through data analysis, storytelling, and resources all in one hub, and partnerships with other private sectors and nonprofits, we can bring the communities the best and most timely data in real-time,” Hawai‘i Medical Service Association CEO Mark Mugiishi said. “We will continue to bring stories forward as COVID corrects, and keeps correcting, and bring you a resource directory (to help) those affected by COVID-19 with rental assistance, assistance for food, etc.”
The project is lead by Director Na‘alehu Anthony, of Hawai‘i COVID Collaborative and according to Anthony, the website is powered by data-gathering operational support, health, policy, and economic analysts, storytellers and communications strategist to ensure accurate, timely, and actionable information Hawai’i residents rely on.
COVID Pau offers:
• A curated data dashboard showing six metrics to provide a picture for how the pandemic has impacted public health, infrastructure and economic recovery.
• Expert analysis of the data trends, translating numbers into contextualized information.
• Personal stories of COVID-19 experiences, making the realities of the disease relatable to everyday residents.
• A resource directory, designed for ease of use by people who need to make hard choices because of COVID-19.
“To beat COVID, we need to create transparency, hold our leaders accountable, and recognize that our individual actions dictate the health of our entire community,” said Anthony. “COVID Pau is about changing behavior. We need everyone’s participation, so our content is designed to be shared. By sharing valuable information throughout our communities, we turn data into knowledge and knowledge into action so we can get the virus under control.”
Saiki said the project started just two weeks in a half ago and the subcommittee created for this project includes Ray Vara, president and CEO of Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Na‘alehu Anthony, director of Hawai‘i COVID Collaborative, Carl Bonham, economic expert of UHERO, Dr. Jill Hoggard Green from the Queen’s Health System, Peter Ho, chairman, president and CEO of Bank of Hawai’i, Micah Kane, CEO of Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Elliot Mills, vice president of Disneyland Resort Hotels, and Aulani, Dr. Mark Mugiishi, CEO of HMSA, and Dr. Nick Redding of HCC.
“When you see what is available with the DOH dashboard, it is mostly a quick measure of the number of people coming into the islands which makes sense,” Carl Bonham, an economic expert at the University of Hawai’i’s UHERO said. “Our website is…an economic perspective, and tracks data as quickly as possible.”
“When we transform data into information and make that information useful for people, we empower our communities to make informed choices that will control the spread of COVID-19,” said Ray Vara, House Select Subcommittee on Communications and Strategy chair and CEO of Hawai‘i Pacific Health. “Where the data doesn’t exist or is insufficient, we should be honest about that. We need accountability from our leaders, and we need transparency in order to spur action.”
For more info: www.covidpau.org
I think is a good idea, also what about informing the community of home remedies and ways to bust their immune system?
Like high dosages of Vitamin C, Vitamin D , Zinc , elderberry, oregano oil, etc
Yay, yet another data dashboard with limited actual data!