Health and COVID-19

Health Care

Emergency medical professionals are asking that you call 911 only if you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms. If you think you have COVID-19 but your symptoms are mild to moderate, please contact your doctor or the Queen’s Medical Helpline at (808) 691-2619.

If you suspect you have contracted COVID-19, some healthcare facilities are testing. However, unless you have specific symptoms (fever, cough), most facilities will not currently perform the test.

The virus and its transmission are still not fully understood. But it’s thought to spread primarily through close contact with infected individuals and through respiratory droplets (more info here). For this reason, the ubiquitous recommendation is ‘social distancing’. 

There are immunocompromised folks in our community who are much more at risk of severe/life-threatening conditions if infected. Please help prevent spreading the infection by practicing ‘social distancing’ when practical and appropriate. If you are feeling lonely/isolated/anxious due to these conditions, please see below for more resources.



Student health services:

Mānoa: https://www.hawaii.edu/shs/
Hilo: https://hilo.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/health/
Planned Parenthood online reproductive and sexual healthcare

Health Insurance

HMSA (Blue Cross Blue Shield) has an FAQ with specific information related to COVID-19. Test and screening fees are waived; they recommend talking to your primary care provider to discuss any concerns.

Phone: 808-948-6079

Kaiser Permanente has some information regarding COVID-19. Tests are only being performed on individuals meeting specific criteria. If you meet these criteria, testing and screening are free. Kaiser also offers ‘telehealth’ (email, phone, video) visits to address your health concerns without in-person meetings.

Phone numbers:

  • Oahu: 808-432-2000

  • Maui/Molokai/Lanai: 808-243-6000

  • Hawaii Island: 808-334-4400

  • Kauai: 808-246-5600

Mental Health Care

Mānoa: Counselling and Student Development Center: http://www.manoa.hawaii.edu/counseling/
Phone: (808) 956-7927
Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Services, Room 312
Schedule an appointment: http://healthservices.hawaii.edu
The Counseling and Student Development Center  is currently open and operating in its usual capacity with scheduled appointment times and office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Students can call the CSDC to schedule an appointment with a counselor or to hear more about counseling resources on campus.

Hilo: https://hilo.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/counseling/
Phone: (808) 932-7465
Student Services Center (SSC), Room E-203
Request an appointment: https://hilo.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/counseling/MakingAppointments.php

*Please be advised that while mental health professionals at UH do their best to provide services to our community, there is a system-wide resources and personnel deficit that can create long wait times for appointments. If you are having trouble getting a timely appointment please contact your healthcare provider to find out how to access professional mental healthcare in the community.

Other Resources

Employee Assistance Program: https://www.hawaii.edu/ohr/benefits-leave/benefit/employee-assistance-program-eap/
Oahu central office: 808-543-8445
Neighbor Islands: 1-800-994-3571 toll-free
All regular, temporary and exempt UH employees, casual hires and 89-day hires are eligible for EAP services. EAP provides counseling as well as financial and legal consultation and other services.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)
Crisis Text Line: text "HELLO" or "ALOHA" to 741-741
YWCA Sexual Assault Support Services Hotline:  808-935-0677
Crisis Line of Hawaiʻi: 1-800-753-6879
Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-2855