Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – April 16, 2021
Aloha,
Here's the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai'i that you need to know this week.
Hawaiian Airlines and other local businesses expect tourism to increase, especially as summer approaches.
- From airline passengers to hotel guests to rental car customers, Hawai‘i businesses are starting to see a boost in demand from the visitor industry, with more interest and reservations expected in the coming months.
- Lahaina on Maui is one of the state’s hot spots in the tourism rebound. Front Street is business bustling and looking like pre-pandemic days – tourists crowding sidewalks, shops and restaurants.
- Not everyone is happy with the rising influx of tourists, with a grassroots group on Maui organizing a “Take Back the Beach” rally last weekend.
- The state expanded the pre-travel testing program for international travelers, adding a program for visitors from Taiwan.
- Meanwhile, the Safe Travels program has screened more than 2.5 million travelers this week, marking nearly six months since tourism reopened.
State officials are developing a vaccination passport program to allow fully vaccinated travelers to bypass a quarantine and pre-travel test.
- Gov. Ige’s latest proclamation included a quarantine exemption for vaccinated travelers, and this plan is pending approval by the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency.
- The program will start in mid-May for interisland travellers and mid- to late-June for transpacific flights.
- The “Safe Travels Exception” program will ask travelers to upload a picture of their vaccination record online or bring the physical card for inspection upon arrival, according to KITV4.
- Hawaiʻi Island is launching a pilot program that allows fully vaccinated travelers to bypass the county’s second COVID-19 testing requirement. The county plans to entirely phase out the second-test program on May 1.
Hawai‘i marks an important milestone in the COVID-19 response, having administered more than 1 million vaccine doses as of yesterday.
- Oʻahu will begin offering the vaccine to those 16 and older starting next Monday in an effort to keep pace with President Biden’s vaccination timeline. The shot is already open to residents 16 and up in Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i counties.
- Maui health offices are looking to open up weekend clinics to gather interest for unfilled appointment slots, Maui News reports
- Vaccine appointments on Maui are going unfilled, with supply currently outweighing demand. The county health office is thinking about opening weekend vaccine clinics to generate more interest.
- The University of Hawaiʻi is considering mandating vaccinations for students and staff except for those unable to receive the vaccine due to health issues.
- A Honolulu Civil Beat commentary piece highlights community stories from those who have received the vaccine – showcasing positive stories that “reflect an efficient, warm, uniquely Hawaii style of getting shots in arms.”
Labor officials report Hawai‘i’s unemployment rate is slowly dropping, reaching 9% in March.
- However, Hawai‘i’s unemployment rate is still higher than the national average of 6% in March, according to Pacific Business News.
- Roughly 3,300 jobs in leisure and hospitality were added and 1,200 professional and business services positions.
- Hawai‘i lawmakers voted this week to delay pay raises for themselves, the governor, cabinet officials and judges pointing to lingering economic struggles and concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Gov. Ige said this in a statement, “As public servants, it is our duty to do our part to help the state rebuild the economy, while keeping the health and safety of our community our top priority.”
Mahalo,
Your Bennet Group Team