Since starting in mid-December, Hawaii’s COVID-19 vaccinations have gone to top- priority vulnerable folks: hospital health-care workers and long-term care residents and staff (the 1A tier), then seniors age 75-plus, along with front-line essential workers such as corrections officers, educators and critical transportation and utilities workers (phase 1B).

Now, with about 16.1% of Hawaii’s population given at least one shot, it’s time to reach into the next vulnerable age population. Come Monday, kupuna age 70-plus are added to the mix, a welcome expansion for seniors who’ve been waiting anxiously for their anti-COVID shot.

After a delay in vaccine arrivals due to mainland weather problems, let’s hope Hawaii is back on track. As of Friday, 391,116 vaccines have been administered of the 496,050 received by the state, a rate of nearly 79%.

Boosting the pace — and optimism — is the fact that Hawaii’s weekly allotments are increasing: more than 67,000 doses this week from just 40,000 a month ago. That needed acceleration is aided by Johnson & Johnson’s just-approved one-shot vaccine, added to the Pfizer and Moderna ones.

Already, many kupuna age 65-plus are clamoring for their turn; hotel workers, too, are pressing for their step-up in priority into the front-line essential worker group. Hawaii residents’ demand to get vaccinated has been running ahead of supply — and in many respects, that’s a good thing: It will take a high percentage of eventual “herd immunity” to keep our collective community safe from severe COVID illness.

For those eager for the vaccine, patience is urged; for health officials, keep distribution pipelines optimized. The dissemination of doses is a complex process with many moving parts — from ultra-cold storage of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, to managing thousands of appointments daily.

Meanwhile, as the majority await their turns, reflect on the continued good news for Hawaii’s COVID counts: 54 new cases in Friday’s report — 29 on Oahu, followed by 18 on Maui — making for a 1% positivity rate.

The state’s ongoing low case rate is buoyed by increasing vaccinations, but also certainly by maintaining the good habits of mask-wearing, hand-washing and 6-foot distancing.

A few days ago, Texas loudly and proudly became the largest state to ditch its mandatory mask policy, and declared a “100%” reopening of businesses and activity. Such moves are reckless and premature. Although we in Hawaii might also be feeling pandemic fatigue, it is not yet time to scrap mask mandates or to be cavalier about the important habits that so far have kept us safe.