[Closed - new thread started] Will Hawaii Open by [OCTOBER???] [Please use this thread for all Hawaii Coronavirus discussions]

[Kapolei]

We are at a very scary point on the curve. We will have to see what the next few days brings.

 

[dsmrp]

The percentages of in use ICU beds and # of ventilators reported in the paper didn't look too high. But the raw total numbers of beds and equipment are still much lower than many other states. I could see beds and ventilators rapidly being depleted.

I read they don't have the (ICU) nursing staff and maybe physicians to support max capacity. And would need to bring in staff from the mainland.

 

[DannyTS]

the lt. gov. said they can have additional capacity fast if needed (both civilian and military) so this should not be a concern

 

[csodjd]

the lt. gov. said they can have additional capacity fast if needed (both civilian and military) so this should not be a concern

The Governor and Lt. Governor don’t always seem to be on the same page though.

However, the pragmatic reality is that, unless around the US one can RELIABLY get a test result back in 1-2 days, it really doesn’t matter what the Governor of Hawaii does with the “open” date. As I understand it, you’ll (everyone in your travel party really) need a negative result within 72 hours of arrival. Realistically, you need your results the day before you’d be leaving to allow time to cancel. (And you need to have reservations somehwhere that allows you to cancel up to a day before arrival).

As long as there remain surges and backlogs on testing, or restrictions on getting tested, how can anyone PLAN to travel to Hawaii based on a negative test EVEN IF Hawaii were to allow it?

 

[PearlCity]

I've not posted in years- but im not sure if anyone posted here about our contact tracing fiasco in Hawaii. The public was told we had 100 contact tracers. Turns out for Oahu we had around 9. The public was going about their merry way thinking if thry were exposed that a contact tracer would call them. They never did because they were severely understaffed. Opening up was based on adequate contact tracing. No idea what is in the future for us now.

Here are a few news articles:

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard calls contact tracing numbers ‘a lie’ | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who called for the resignations or firings of state Health Director Bruce Anderson and state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park in April and again this week, said on Friday that there are fewer than 10 so-called contact tracers on Oahu and fewer than 20 across the entire...

www.staradvertiser.com

During unannounced visit, senators find a health department overwhelmed by COVID-19 surge

Fed up with a perceived lack of information on the state’s use of contact tracers, the Hawaii Senate Committee on the coronavirus pandemic walked right up to the Department of Health Friday morning to seek answers

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

Whistleblower describes a Health Department ‘struggling to keep up’

As coronavirus clusters spread, she says her efforts to sound the alarm fell on deaf ears.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

Beaches and hiking trails on oahu are shutdown and gatherings of more than 10 have been banned. Bars, fitness classes, arcades, bowling alleys and mini golf (dont ask mw why bowling alleys and mini golf) all shut right now. There is talk of further shutdowns next week.

[Political - deleted]


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[linsj]

I finally conceded defeat for a two-week trip in early November and rebooked elsewhere. This is the first year since 2002 I haven't gone to Hawaii at least once a year, the past few years 2-3 times. <Sigh>

 

[DannyTS]

The way it is going a good winter travel season is starting to look very unlikely. Hawaii may impose another lockdown now but doesn't that almost guarantee another surge close to the end of the year?

Tourism officials can’t market Hawaii as ‘the safest place on earth’ anymore | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

It was just a few months ago when some Hawaii tourism and government officials thought Hawaii had a shot at marketing the state to tourists as “the safest place on earth.”

www.staradvertiser.com

 

[PearlCity]

The thing is no one knows. Lockdown may be for oahu only. There is talk of resort bubbles on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. But details have not yet been worked out.

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[fernow]

... but doesn't that almost guarantee another surge close to the end of the year?

Tourism officials can’t market Hawaii as ‘the safest place on earth’ anymore | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

It was just a few months ago when some Hawaii tourism and government officials thought Hawaii had a shot at marketing the state to tourists as “the safest place on earth.”

www.staradvertiser.com

Yes. Absolutely.

Covid is a political issue, not a medical one. Shouldn't be, but is. As such, any discussion evokes an immediate emotional response, [deleted: political/socially contentious], which only serves to hurt a considered response to the disease that considers the risk of the infection vs the risks of the response.

Covid is serious for a few and minor for most yet most view it as the other way around. Fear is a terrible thing.

Flu is seasonal. Where does it "go" during the off season. Surfaces? Asymptomatic carriers? In any case, it is seasonal so we can vaccinate seasonally. Still, people get it and die from it. But we traveled and went to baseball games and restaurants. Risk/benefit ratio.

Covid is proving to be not seasonal. Most current GUESSES are that any vaccine that comes available (IF any does) will NOT give life long immunity and will need to be repeated. How often? It will not be 100% effective. Some vaccinated people will still get sick.

Unless A) Herd immunity is reached (we are currently taking all available steps to make sure it isn't) or B) the virus burns out, we will be getting Covid infections forever. So. Stop traveling forever? Travel and take the risks? Only two options unless A or B.

Except it is not about what makes sense. It is about what each persons particular political party believes. Doomed.

 

[travelhacker]

The Governor and Lt. Governor don’t always seem to be on the same page though.

However, the pragmatic reality is that, unless around the US one can RELIABLY get a test result back in 1-2 days, it really doesn’t matter what the Governor of Hawaii does with the “open” date. As I understand it, you’ll (everyone in your travel party really) need a negative result within 72 hours of arrival. Realistically, you need your results the day before you’d be leaving to allow time to cancel. (And you need to have reservations somehwhere that allows you to cancel up to a day before arrival).

As long as there remain surges and backlogs on testing, or restrictions on getting tested, how can anyone PLAN to travel to Hawaii based on a negative test EVEN IF Hawaii were to allow it?

What you are saying is true, but there are A LOT of areas of the US and (I would guess) Asia that have no issues getting results back in 24 hours.

We're in Colorado and know many people that have gotten tests back in less than 24 hours. As Arizona has improved dramatically from their peaks, the turnaround time is again well within that threshold (those are the only two states where I know people that have gotten test results recently).

My gut says for exactly the reasons that you outline, the travel to Hawaii would still be limited, but it would be nice to be able to go without the quarantine if you were capable of meeting the requirements as outlined to reopen on August 1st (pushed back to September 1st, and likely to be pushed back again).

 

[lynne]

What you are saying is true, but there are A LOT of areas of the US and (I would guess) Asia that have no issues getting results back in 24 hours.

We're in Colorado and know many people that have gotten tests back in less than 24 hours. As Arizona has improved dramatically from their peaks, the turnaround time is again well within that threshold (those are the only two states where I know people that have gotten test results recently).

My gut says for exactly the reasons that you outline, the travel to Hawaii would still be limited, but it would be nice to be able to go without the quarantine if you were capable of meeting the requirements as outlined to reopen on August 1st (pushed back to September 1st, and likely to be pushed back again).

I think the main issue is being able to identify both visitors and returning residents who have to quarantine for 14 days as opposed to those that followed the protocol and provided negative test results. Once you open to both cases, you lose control of ever being able to trace.

 

[controller1]

Covid is a political issue, not a medical one.

We have a friend who in May stated on Facebook that "Covid would be gone after the election". Two weeks ago she was discharged after spending nearly a month in the ICU. She says she can't believe she ever uttered those initial words.

 

[chickenfoot]

is there a formal testing policy/procedure in place? It initially seemed that the test needed to be performed by one vendor to ascertain validity and prevent fraudulent test results. I spoke to Ko Olina Reservations tonight and the expect Gov Ige will push back the opening till October. I have a trip scheduled first week of September but it all seems in limbo

 

[fernow]

We have a friend who in May stated on Facebook that "Covid would be gone after the election". Two weeks ago she was discharged after spending nearly a month in the ICU. She says she can't believe she ever uttered those initial words.

The disease is real. The RESPONSE to the disease is political. As I said, discussions become emotional. I even had a portion of my previous post deleted because I said discussion often results in emotional responses that people don't want to hear so they censor them. That comment was censored. Ironic but that is how this pandemic is being dealt with. Fear is a terrible thing.

Real disease. Serious for a few. Minor for most. The discussion of how it is best dealt with is needed but...

As tragic as it is for anyone to get sick, the association of healthy skepticism with eventual contraction of the disease proves nothing. Yet it is a popular narrative, eagerly reported, whenever it occurs as if to say that if the person had only believed, they would not have gotten sick. People very afraid of the disease have gotten it too.

Masks and distancing can flatten. They do not eliminate the virus. See my previous post.

I know this make some of you angry to read. I am sorry for that. Not my intent. Discussions can't be one sided. I hear and do not censor those who say hide until the virus goes away or there is a vaccine. But for how long? At what cost? What if those things never occur? What is plan B?

 

[rickandcindy23]

The disease is real. The RESPONSE to the disease is political. As I said, discussions become emotional. I even had a portion of my previous post deleted because I said discussion often results in emotional responses that people don't want to hear so they censor them. That comment was censored. Ironic but that is how this pandemic is being dealt with. Fear is a terrible thing.

Real disease. Serious for a few. Minor for most. The discussion of how it is best dealt with is needed but...

As tragic as it is for anyone to get sick, the association of healthy skepticism with eventual contraction of the disease proves nothing. Yet it is a popular narrative, eagerly reported, whenever it occurs as if to say that if the person had only believed, they would not have gotten sick. People very afraid of the disease have gotten it too.

Masks and distancing can flatten. They do not eliminate the virus. See my previous post.

I know this make some of you angry to read. I am sorry for that. Not my intent. Discussions can't be one sided. I hear and do not censor those who say hide until the virus goes away or there is a vaccine. But for how long? At what cost? What if those things never occur? What is plan B?

Agree with this. If this virus becomes something more like a cold, if there is no cure or vaccination (believe it or nor, there is no cure for a common cold and sometimes becomes pneumonia), are we going to stay home and allow hotels and timeshares to shut down. So the country stops moving completely, over a virus? It's insanity.

People at risk, people who are obese or elderly, they can stay home. By all means. But healthy people should make their own choices. If my sister wants to hang out in her backyard with a mask on, more power to her. I am not going to do that. I wear a mask in CO at the grocery store (the only place I get to go) because it's mandated in our state.

 

[geist1223]

People at risk, people who are obese or elderly, they can stay home. By all means.

So you will cut off all contact with these people so that you do not pass on the disease. Just in case you are one of the 30% to 60% that have the disease but no symptoms. But wait a minute what about all those people in their 20's and 30's that have come down with the disease.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Agree with this. If this virus becomes something more like a cold, if there is no cure or vaccination (believe it or nor, there is no cure for a common cold and sometimes becomes pneumonia), are we going to stay home and allow hotels and timeshares to shut down. So the country stops moving completely, over a virus? It's insanity.

People at risk, people who are obese or elderly, they can stay home. By all means. But healthy people should make their own choices. If my sister wants to hang out in her backyard with a mask on, more power to her. I am not going to do that. I wear a mask in CO at the grocery store (the only place I get to go) because it's mandated in our state.

I don't hang out with my mask on in my backyard. However, if you came over to my backyard you would have to wear a mask and I would also. You wear the mask to protect others if you have the virus as well as protecting yourself. If you have the virus, you may not know it since it could not have come yet come out or you could be asymptomatic, but you still are contaigeous. I am glad that you respect your Sister and wear a mask when you go over there.

 

[csodjd]

Agree with this. If this virus becomes something more like a cold, if there is no cure or vaccination (believe it or nor, there is no cure for a common cold and sometimes becomes pneumonia), are we going to stay home and allow hotels and timeshares to shut down. So the country stops moving completely, over a virus? It's insanity.

People at risk, people who are obese or elderly, they can stay home. By all means. But healthy people should make their own choices. If my sister wants to hang out in her backyard with a mask on, more power to her. I am not going to do that. I wear a mask in CO at the grocery store (the only place I get to go) because it's mandated in our state.

Just wondering... if you had the flu, would you go to, say, a dinner party with 10-12 of your closest friends without any concern that you’d get a bunch of them sick?

And, as a corollary question, if one or two were in the midst of chemo and immunocompromised, would you go anyway and tell them they shouldn’t go because you’re sick?

 

[DannyTS]

good news, only 134 cases today

Hawaii reports 41st coronavirus-related death and 134 new cases as statewide tally climbs to 5,349 | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

UPDATE: 4:45 p.m.

www.staradvertiser.com

 

[Pathways]

Just wondering... if you had the flu, would you go to, say, a dinner party with 10-12 of your closest friends without any concern that you’d get a bunch of them sick?

Even worse - Ask anyone in a school or office. Not only are people there with flu symptoms, but colds and any other issue. Happens daily. They go or they face consequences. How about the church attendees wiping their runny noses and then wanting to shake hands? - ugh

 

[PearlCity]

Governor having a press conference at 2:30 pm HST. Hopefully we have more info and its not another wear your mask or else press conference

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[slip]

Governor having a press conference at 2:30 pm HST. Hopefully we have more info and its not another wear your mask or else press conference

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Sounds like it will be. The Lt. Governor did say that 3,000 active cases is where they would impose further restrictions. I believe we are at about 3,300 cases.

 

[PearlCity]

Well hopefully. The LT Governor says a lot of things but Gov Ige moves at his own pace.. so we'll see..

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[PearlCity]

Pretravel testing delayed from Sept 1st to AT LEAST Oct 1st per Governor Ige.

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[slip]

No social gatherings of more than 5 on Oahu. Same for at a table in a restaurant.