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Advocates say providing free menstrual products in public schools is a health issue that needs to be addressed.

The department has asked the Legislature for millions of dollars to ramp up staff and keep essential services running smoothly while the pandemic takes center stage.

Hawaii health officials are urging everyone to get vaccinated, and urging people who are vaccinated to get booster shots to avoid overwhelming hospitals.

The need to attract more nurses is a longstanding problem in Hawaii, but the pandemic has intensified the problem.

The Health Department reported a record 4,789 cases on Thursday, saying the high number was in part the result of New Year’s celebrations.

The city is also increasing availability of vaccines and booster shots to prevent severe illness.

Some Covid-19 watchers say that hospitalization numbers are more important than daily case counts given omicron’s transmissibility.

A disease that has an outsized impact in Hawaii is getting top-level attention in Washington.

A top state health care official warned that the worst-case scenario, which includes some 800 Covid hospitalizations by the new year, would be “catastrophic.”

An epidemiologist answers six questions.