Civil Beat Staff

Eleni Avendaño

Eleni Avendaño is a public health reporter who covers health disparities and the COVID-19 pandemic in the islands.

Her coverage is funded in part by a grant from Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.

Previously, she covered health, tourism, nonprofits and the University of Hawaii for Pacific Business News in Honolulu.

Her work has been recognized several times by the the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter, which awarded her for excellence in news and feature writing.

A graduate of American University and the U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Eleni has written articles and captured photos for publications including the Associated Press and Honolulu Magazine.

Eleni, who is also a published video journalist and documentarian, was born and raised in Honolulu and graduated from Roosevelt High School.

She welcomes story ideas and anonymous tips at egill@civilbeat.org. You can follow her on Twitter @lorineleni.

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Hawaii To Get A Much Smaller Supply Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Hawaii To Get A Much Smaller Supply Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

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Despite the setback, state health officials say appointments are still widely available at retail pharmacies.

Oahu Residents 50 And Older Invited To Make Vaccine Appointments Monday Brittany Lyte/Civil Beat

Oahu Residents 50 And Older Invited To Make Vaccine Appointments Monday

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Honolulu continues to widen COVID-19 vaccine eligibility.

What The Pandemic Taught Hawaii Hospitals About Their Capacity To Handle Calamity

What The Pandemic Taught Hawaii Hospitals About Their Capacity To Handle Calamity

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Hospitals made do with existing space and invested in some new equipment, but the pandemic exposed a heavy reliance on out-of-state traveling nurses.

Hawaii Expects To Meet Biden’s New Goal Of Offering Vaccines To All Adults By April 19 Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Hawaii Expects To Meet Biden’s New Goal Of Offering Vaccines To All Adults By April 19

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Honolulu is the only county in Hawaii that has yet to widen its COVID-19 vaccine eligibility pool to everyone 16 and older.

Official In Charge Of Hawaii’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing Resigns Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Official In Charge Of Hawaii’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing Resigns

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The circumstances of her resignation are still unclear.

Vaccines Open To 16 And Up On Kauai And Big Island Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Vaccines Open To 16 And Up On Kauai And Big Island

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More vaccines are on their way, but so are visitors.

How A Slug In A Salad Led One Patient On A Confusing Quest For Rat Lungworm Treatment Courtesy Alyx Barnett

How A Slug In A Salad Led One Patient On A Confusing Quest For Rat Lungworm Treatment

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Patients of the disease called angiostrongyliasis must confront conflicting clinical guidance and a medication price tag, in Alyx Barnett’s case, of $8,599.99

State Warns People To Avoid Maui Church That Failed To Rein In COVID-19 Cluster kingscathedral.com

State Warns People To Avoid Maui Church That Failed To Rein In COVID-19 Cluster

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UPDATE: King’s Cathedral in Kahului still plans to hold in-person events this weekend, despite state health officials urging it not to.

How Hawaii Clinics Found New Ways To Reach Patients During The Pandemic Cory Lum/Civil Beat

How Hawaii Clinics Found New Ways To Reach Patients During The Pandemic

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Relaxed rules and increased funding have led to new initiatives such as mobile clinics. Will it last?