Hawaii Vaccine Emergency Cuts Doctors and Parents Out of the Process

Federal health agencies say COVID shots for kids should involve shared decision-making — so why did Hawaii just remove it? Hawaii Governor Josh Green’s emergency proclamation allows pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children as young as 3 — without a physician’s prescription. Critics say the move bypasses shared decision-making, a standard long emphasized by federal health agencies for pediatric COVID-19 vaccination. By removing the requirement for a doctor’s involvement, the order shifts medical decision-making away from individualized patient-provider discussions and raises concerns about parental consent, medical oversight, and long-term precedent.

In this video, we examine:

• What shared decision-making means in pediatric care

• How the emergency order changes that process

• Why lawmakers and parents are raising alarms

• What this could mean beyond Hawaii

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References: AAP Vaccine Recommendations Under Scrutiny Over Industry Ties—YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LybvT8AqJ3w&feature=youtu.be Aloha State Daily | Green defies FDA vaccine rules. (n.d.). Aloha State Daily. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://alohastatedaily.com/2025/09/23/green-defies-fda-vaccine-rules/ Felicia Cowden. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Council/Councilmembers-2024-2026/Felicia-Cowden Hawaii HB1118 | 2025 | Regular Session. (n.d.). LegiScan. Retrieved January 21, 2026, from https://legiscan.com/HI/bill/HB1118/2025 The Healthcare Watchdog. (2025, October 26). Blue States Break from CDC — Freedom to Choose or State Control? [Video recording]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKzgfEPUmFc Watch: Hawaii Governor Declares ‘Disaster Emergency’ Over New COVID Vaccine Guidance for Kids. (n.d.). Children’s Health Defense. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/hawaii-governor-disaster-emergency-kids-new-covid-vaccine-guidance-cdc/

Chapters:

00:00 Hawaii Emergency Order

00:21 Governor’s Justification

00:42 Timeline

01:00 Legislature Bills Depriving Exemptions

01:18 West Coast Health Alliance Alternate

01:37 Emergency Order vs CDC Guidance

01:53 Criticism

02:14 Takeaways