Hepatitis B immunization clinics are being offered to youth 12 through 18 years of age on all islands throughout the winter break. Those young people who have not received a full series of hepatitis B shots and who wish to be protected from this dangerous disease can take advantage of these island-wide clinics. The clinics are one step towards reducing the rate of hepatitis B in Hawai'i. Hawai'i has an incidence of chronic hepatitis B that is six times the national average. Close contact is common in certain sports or games, and minor cuts and scrapes often happen.
Teens sometimes share earrings, razors or toothbrushes.
Some teens are starting to become sexually active. Each of these activities has the potential of transmitting the hepatitis B virus from an infected person to a healthy teen. Hepatitis B, a highly infectious, often deadly disease, is a serious problem in Hawai'i, with chronic carrier rates exceeding that of all other states. The three shot series provides lifetime protection from the disease which can cause liver cancer and other serious illnesses later in life. Doctors are offering the hepatitis B shots for free or at a reduced cost.