An HMSA employee who works at the HMSA Center at Honolulu on Keeaumoku Street has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case for a public-facing HMSA employee. The individual works weekdays at the neighborhood center and was last onsite Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The Hawaii Department of Health has been notified and public health officials have begun the contact tracing process to notify those who may have had contact with the positive individual.

Though this was the first public-facing employee, HMSA had 35 employees test positive over the last week. Because of this and the current community surge, HMSA had proactively decided on Aug. 13 to close both the HMSA Center at Honolulu and HMSA Center at Pearl City, as well as have all Oahu employees work from home, except minimum necessary staff, for the next 28 days.

“For the safety of our community, our members, and our employees, and to help control the spread of COVID-19, we are closing our Oahu HMSA Center locations,” said HMSA President and Chief Executive Officer Mark M. Mugiishi, M.D., F.A.C.S. “We are asking our employees to work from home and stay at home as much as possible.”

HMSA has completed thorough cleaning of all worksites where positive employees were located and will complete a thorough cleaning of the Honolulu neighborhood center. Upon reopening, HMSA will continue to follow its practice of adhering to CDC guidelines for a safe workplace and business to protect its members and employees.

Anyone concerned about possible exposure should contact their primary care provider or call a COVID-19 hotline. Numbers are listed on HMSA’s website: hmsa.com/help-center/telehealth-resources-hotlines/

For the latest information for HMSA members, businesses, and providers, please visit hmsa.com. For updates on COVID-19, please refer to the CDC website at cdc.gov.

About HMSA

Caring for the people of Hawaii is our promise and our privilege. Working together with employers, partners, and physicians and other health care providers, we promote well-being; develop reliable, affordable health plans; and support members with clear, thoughtful guidance.

HMSA is the most experienced health plan in the state, covering more than half of Hawaii’s population. As a recognized leader, we embrace our responsibility to strengthen the health and well-being of our community.

Headquartered on Oahu with centers and offices statewide to serve our members, HMSA is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

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