Hawaii could face civil unrest, rioting if coronavirus reopening doesn't happen quicker, top official says

[WVBaker]

Hawaii’s top emergency response official said Monday he fears there will be civil unrest and rioting if the state doesn’t speed up its process of reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“If we let the economy go the way it’s going, there will be, I feel, significant unrest that could lead to civil disobedience. In worst case, civil disturbance and rioting,” Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, the state director of emergency management, told lawmakers Monday.

“At some point we need to accept risk,” Hara said. “We have to accept that people will get infected and we have to push it to the threshold of what our health-care system can handle.”

Hawaii could face civil unrest, rioting if coronavirus reopening doesn't happen quicker, top official says

Hawaii’s top emergency response official said he fears there will be civil unrest and rioting if the state doesn’t speed up its process of reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Monykalyn]

At some point we need to accept risk,” Hara said.

Kinda sums up the whole world reopening huh? There will always be some who want no risk - and refuse to acknowledge there was any risk in day to day life pre CV19.

 

[buzglyd]

Kinda sums up the whole world reopening huh? There will always be some who want no risk - and refuse to acknowledge there was any risk in day to day life pre CV19.

You got that right.

 

[Brett]

Kinda sums up the whole world reopening huh? There will always be some who want no risk - and refuse to acknowledge there was any risk in day to day life pre CV19.

I say open up the pineapple fields !

 

[turkel]

They have had so few cases I can see why the people might protest. With visitors that might change though. I can’t say I would be anxious to host New Yorkers but there are an awful lot of areas that have had few cases.

 

[cman]

Every state needs to understand that you accept the risks and people are going to get infected.

I can't think of a single state that doesn't understand that they have to, "accept risks and people are going to get infected". Not a single one. If you can point us to one, please cite a source. Please.
This narrative that state's are trying to reduce their risk to zero, is a fallacy, that's not based on any factual information. Not sure what state you're talking about, but I know of none that have a "zero risk" policy. If you do, please share.

Most states have reopening plans. They're basically, risk mitigation plans. They essentially are attempts identify and manage the risks of opening up. I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but if you know of a state, that's attempting a, "zero risk" strategy, then please share it with the group. We'll wait...

 

[Polly Metallic]

They have had so few cases I can see why the people might protest. With visitors that might change though. I can’t say I would be anxious to host New Yorkers but there are an awful lot of areas that have had few cases.

And for a little additional perspective on the matter, we live in New York and our county has had only three deaths. Once we start traveling again, I’ll hesitate to tell anyone we’re from NY.

 

[WVBaker]

I can't think of a single state that doesn't understand that they have to, "accept risks and people are going to get infected". Not a single one. If you can point us to one, please cite a source. Please.
This narrative that state's are trying to reduce their risk to zero, is a fallacy, that's not based on any factual information. Not sure what state you're talking about, but I know of none that have a "zero risk" policy. If you do, please share.

Most states have reopening plans. They're basically, risk mitigation plans. They essentially are attempts identify and manage the risks of opening up. I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but if you know of a state, that's attempting a, "zero risk" strategy, then please share it with the group. We'll wait...

"cman", welcome. A tad confrontational for what I believe is our first exchange of thoughts, but nonetheless.

I would certainly hope every Governor of every state, as well as, every county executive or political leader of every jurisdiction within every state understands the risks however, I'm not in contact with each one so, I can't be sure. Nor can you. We can only speculate as we both know and I don't believe either one of us can prove a negative, so to speak.

Please help me. Did I miss the wording, "state's are trying to reduce their risk to zero"? I certainly didn't say that in this post and if that was mentioned within the article, which I couldn't find but, may have overlooked, point it out to me if you would. Keep in mind however, that should it be within the article perhaps you need to direct that ire at Maj. Gen. Hara or the publication.

Call them whatever you choose, "reopening plans", "risk mitigation plans", pick your terminology, it all means the same in the end.

"We'll wait..."? I'm surprised you yourself speak for "the group".

 

[rickandcindy23]

I hope the governor of Hawaii opens things up soon. The job losses in an expensive place like Hawaii is detrimental to even the native Hawaiians. The kids are my greatest concern.

 

[buzglyd]

And for a little additional perspective on the matter, we live in New York and our county has had only three deaths. Once we start traveling again, I’ll hesitate to tell anyone we’re from NY.

I think many people equate NY with NYC. People forget there is a big state outside the city.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Same for California. There are counties in the northeast portion of the state that have no cases of Covid, have little travel demand so have been allowed by the governor to open up.

 

[turkel]

I think many people equate NY with NYC. People forget there is a big state outside the city.

Totally agree. Just as most of the California cases have occurred in LA. But the very large numbers in NYC would I think make New Yorkers less welcome in most tourist towns.

I know a handful of the Orange County positive cases came from a family who had recently attended a family event in NY In March

Travel is the reason this spread in the first place. Some places will seem less risky than others.

 

[Rjbeach2003]

Hawaii is unique in the US as the only state that can control it's border. I think the biggest thing for them isn't the opening of businesses for residents, it's just throwing the doors open to the rest of the world. That is what the concern is. Since a great portion of their economy is derived from tourism, they are going to face financial hardship for some time.

No one is happy about not being able to go about our usual activities, whether be going out to dinner or traveling to Hawaii or elsewhere. Some want all restrictions lifted, example the Republican party in Wisconsin, and others Hawaii, and other states want to keep some restrictions in place.

The reality is that we probably won't be able to go back to something similar to normal for months or years.

Just one other thought, where is the outrage about continuing to having to remove our shoes to go through security at an airport. Or take off our belt, or empty our water bottles. The shoes were because of one guy called the shoe bomber, and everything else is just based on the idea that it could be a weapon or contain a weapon. We could have had 420 airplane crashes in the past three months, with 200/plane, to equal the number of Covid19 deaths in the same time period.

 

[rickandcindy23]

No one is happy about not being able to go about our usual activities, whether be going out to dinner or traveling to Hawaii or elsewhere. Some want all restrictions lifted, example the Republican party in Wisconsin, and others Hawaii, and other states want to keep some restrictions in place.

I don't think it's a political issue and nothing to do with whether we are republican/ democrat. It's people. People want to see the country opened, and some people do not. More to do with jobs, paying mortgages/rent, and food on the table. It's about a robust economy that was slowed due to a virus. Such a strange happenstance.

I want the country well, but the curve has flattened. We need to get going again. Live Long and Prosper! Love Leonard Nimoy as Spock.

 

[Monykalyn]

Just one other thought, where is the outrage about continuing to having to remove our shoes to go through security at an airport. Or take off our belt, or empty our water bottles. The shoes were because of one guy called the shoe bomber, and everything else is just based on the idea that it could be a weapon or contain a weapon

There is a shortcut called TSA precheck -no need to strip, plus shorter lines.

I don't think it's Dem vs republican either-I think that is how the MEDIA wants to portray it because conflict/clickbait/outrage=$$$$$$

 

[mav]

Polly, wouldn't either if I was you

 

[pedro47]

I did not know TSA Pre check was still available. That’s great news., but we are not flying in 202.

 

[Laurie]

I want the country well, but the curve has flattened. We need to get going again.

Actually when you remove NY (where the curve has reversed and is headed down) from the graph, that line is still going *up* in the US. It's especially rising most dramatically in many of the states most active in reopening. Thus the problem.

 

[geekette]

....More to do with jobs, paying mortgages/rent, and food on the table.

Depends on the person. I'll take a financial hit to not get this nasty virus. The more we know, the creepier it gets. An ICU stay could easily be $35k. There is no job open to me that I could do between now and getting the darned thing to make that kind of money. I'm a bit over the hill to be an expensive call girl, and that would speed time to virus....

There are jobs available if folks want to do them. Stay At Home does not apply to essential workers, so, go be an essential worker if waiting this out won't work.

 

[TravelTime]

I'm a bit over the hill to be an expensive call girl, and that would speed time to virus....

As usual, I love your sense of humor!

 

[Monykalyn]

Actually when you remove NY (where the curve has reversed and is headed down) from the graph, that line is still going *up* in the US. It's especially rising most dramatically in many of the states most active in reopening. Thus the problem.

And what states are those? Confirmed cases with more testing? In nearly every case the testing has ramped up exponentially, yet the percentage of negative cases to positive are also going up-even though "new" (and I use that loosely) may seem to be "increasing". TX may 13, had 47,904 negative tests(huge testing number) 1355 positive (2.7% positive). May 11 had 23921 negative, 1000 positive (4% positive). May 13 had more "new cases" but decreasing overall in rate of positive. Is that the news headline though? NOPE-it's "second highest day in rise in cases" . Straight numbers don't tell the whole story.
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/13/coronavirus-updates-texas/ Case in point. Does say that it was a high testing day, failed to explain that the percentage of new cases was very low in overall testing.

 

[DannyTS]

the virus is still in Wuhan, all 11 million residents will be tested. Of course, the tests are not accurate so they only have to miss sick person and they are back to square one. The restrictions started in Wuhan 5 months ago

Wuhan to Test All 11 Million Residents After Handful of New Infections

An official said local districts had been given 10 days to carry out the tests

time.com

 

[krj9999]

Certainly the positivity rate has come down as testing has ramped up. And certainly there were many, many positive cases that were never diagnosed (not enough testing, and didn't meet requirements for) especially during the winter.

Nationally we appear to be running in the 5-7% positive rate in recent days (nice trend graphic here: https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2020/05/may-14-update-us-covid-19-test-results.html). But some states have better testing availability than others. Maryland is struggling to get above 4 to 5 thousand tests per day, and the county with the largest number (Prince Georges) reportedly has been running about 30% positive recently (with entire state often about 20% daily).

The question for me with Hawaii is not how do you open up the state for locals, but how do you open it up for external visitors in a safe way.

And what states are those? Confirmed cases with more testing? In nearly every case the testing has ramped up exponentially, yet the percentage of negative cases to positive are also going up-even though "new" (and I use that loosely) may seem to be "increasing". TX may 13, had 47,904 negative tests(huge testing number) 1355 positive (2.7% positive). May 11 had 23921 negative, 1000 positive (4% positive). May 13 had more "new cases" but decreasing overall in rate of positive. Is that the news headline though? NOPE-it's "second highest day in rise in cases" . Straight numbers don't tell the whole story.
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/13/coronavirus-updates-texas/ Case in point. Does say that it was a high testing day, failed to explain that the percentage of new cases was very low in overall testing.

 

[Laurie]

And what states are those? Confirmed cases with more testing? In nearly every case the testing has ramped up exponentially, yet the percentage of negative cases to positive are also going up-even though "new" (and I use that loosely) may seem to be "increasing". TX may 13, had 47,904 negative tests(huge testing number) 1355 positive (2.7% positive). May 11 had 23921 negative, 1000 positive (4% positive). May 13 had more "new cases" but decreasing overall in rate of positive. Is that the news headline though? NOPE-it's "second highest day in rise in cases" . Straight numbers don't tell the whole story.
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/13/coronavirus-updates-texas/ Case in point. Does say that it was a high testing day, failed to explain that the percentage of new cases was very low in overall testing.

Here's an article with a graph showing the US minus NY as a whole isn't plateauing or decreasing:

With New Hot Spots Emerging, No Sign of a Respite (Published 2020)

While cities like New York have seen a hopeful drop in cases, upticks in other major cities and smaller communities have offset those decreases.

www.nytimes.com

Yes of course percentages can decrease with more testing -- because in the past, only people with symptoms, and in many cases symptoms severe enough to send them to the ER, could even get a test. I'm not sure why the % of negatives matters, because there is still an increase in infections documented, and especially in people not showing symptoms yet but who are spreading the virus to others.

There are numerous graphs online showing uptick in new cases, in states and localities hurrying to open and/or having never shut anything down. I can come back with examples if anyone needs.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I was barely sick early March, and I have the immunity to the virus. It was good news, but if I can carry it to others, not so good.. So I am always careful, wear my mask, do what I need to do. Our kids are doing the same, so we can see our grandkids and have been. I have been watching our five-year-old granddaughter Raelynn a couple of times this week, while Daddy and Grandpa are painting their house's exterior. It's been such a blessing to have her around. The baby is not going to get that time with Grandma because Mommy is at home with him.