Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – February 26, 2021
Aloha,
Here’s the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai‘i that you need to know this week.
O‘ahu enters Tier 3 of the city’s reopening plan, easing restrictions on gatherings and businesses.
- After four months in Tier 2, O‘ahu’s case counts have stayed between 20-49 cases and the positivity rate remained under 2.49% enabling the city to advance to the next tier.
- Mayor Blangiardi said, “This is a really great accomplishment by our community. This is something to be embraced and celebrated.”
- Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that Tier 3 allows for larger social gatherings (up to 10), and increased capacity in gyms and restaurants. However, Tier 3 does not allow bars to reopen or youth sports to resume.
- Several business owners expressed optimism on the relaxed guidelines in interviews with Pacific Business News. Tina Yamaki, President of the Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i said retailers are excited but “We also realize it’s not going to be like two Christmases ago, Black Friday, where people are standing shoulder to shoulder in their stores.”
- You can review the Tier 3 guidelines and restrictions here.
Lt. Gov. Green says the end of the pandemic is in sight as the state’s vaccination roll-out program continues.
- Green, who also serves as a medical doctor and Hawai‘i’s coronavirus preparedness coordinator, says he expects the pandemic could be over in less than three months, and that life may likely start getting back to normal for many residents by summer.
- Civil Beat’s Editorial Board criticized Gov. Ige and Lt. Gov. Green for sharing conflicting information about the pandemic. The board acknowledges that the officials are sincere about engaging with the public, but argue their contradictory statements “erode public confidence in our government as well as efforts to get our economy back on track.”
- Hawai‘i Department of Health Director Dr. Libby Char told lawmakers that March is the earliest kūpuna ages 70 and older will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine. There have been calls to lower the age to 65 and innoculate young residents with pre-existing health conditions, but DOH isn’t ready to handle that influx of vaccine appointments.
DOE says a return to in-person learning before summer is unlikely but gives the green light to hold graduation ceremonies.
- Under the new CDC guidance, most of the state would fall in low or moderate transmission categories and should allow full, in-person instruction. However, Superintendent Christina Kishimoto told Hawai‘i News Now Hawaii public schools are unlikely to return to full in-person learning before the fall as she and Gov. Ige work to set a reopening date for schools.
- Hawai‘i News Now also reported educators, families applauded DOE’s decision to hold limited, in-person commencement exercises after a trying school year for many students.
- Meanwhile, private schools report high vaccination rates among staff and plan to offer free coronavirus testing to students to support a return to in-person learning.
Mahalo,
Your Bennet Group Team