Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – July 2, 2021
Aloha,
Here’s the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai‘i that you need to know this week.
Gov. Ige defends Hawai‘i’s COVID restrictions – the strictest in the nation – as the Delta variant continues to spread.
- Hawai‘i is the only state in the nation that hasn’t fully reopened, with Gov. Ige keeping restrictions on travel and gatherings in place until 70% of the state’s population is vaccinated.
- Gov. Ige told reporters, “I do know that I am the only state that has not fully reopened. We do believe that it’s prudent at this time to maintain the restrictions, especially the mandatory quarantine for incoming travelers. We do know that that has helped us maintain the lowest infection rate in the country and restart our visitor industry in a safe way.”
- As noted last week, Hawai‘i will move to Tier 5 on July 8, enabling vaccinated U.S. travelers to skip quarantine and pre-travel testing, increasing capacity in restaurants to 75% and loosening restrictions on social gatherings.
- However, restaurants and retailers say more capacity isn’t helpful unless social distancing requirements are lifted.
- “You hear a lot of frustration of people not getting reservations at many restaurants because there are only so many tables they can do with the 6 feet distancing,” said Victor Lim, owner of several McDonald’s franchise restaurants and former chair of the Hawaii Restaurant Association.
State health officials continue to urge residents to get vaccinated, as more than 98% of recent Hawaiʻi COVID-19 cases are among those who are unvaccinated.
- Around 58% of the state’s population is vaccinated, and nearly 1.7 million doses have been administered, according to state health data.
- The state extends its #HIGotVaccinated program through July and introduces new incentives, including a $5,000 cash prize, to encourage more people to get the shot.
- Before the campaign began, the number of people getting vaccinated was declining steadily. But now, Healthcare Association of Hawaii president Hilton Raethel says, “The campaign and the promotions contributed to an increase of about 30% more people initiating vaccination over what was predicted resulting in about 21,500 additional vaccinations to date.”
- Meanwhile, some healthcare professionals are worried about the July 4 holidays creating a super spread event, as some 33 people were admitted to healthcare facilities in June.
- DOH is also investigating COVID-19 clusters in home-based child care settings and places of worship. In their report, health officials said, “Vaccination of parents, guardians, and caregivers can help protect young children who are not eligible for vaccination and can’t wear masks.
Gov. Ige calls the surge in visitor arrivals “a perfect storm,” amid calls for better tourism management and as businesses strive to meet the demand.
- On Tuesday, roughly 32,000 travelers arrived in the islands, which is at pre-pandemic levels. In May, 629,700 visitors flew into the state, which is the highest number since the pandemic began.
- In a plea to airline companies, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino asks airline executives to limit the number of flights to Hawaiʻi. He added that Maui welcomes visitors, “but we ask them to temper their enthusiasm for our island with respect, courtesy and aloha.”
- Meanwhile, visitors can expect an increase in entrance fees at Hanauma Bay – a popular O‘ahu attraction – since the city doubled its fee for non-residents from $12 to $25. Leaders are discussing imposing or raising fees at popular attractions across the state as a potential solution to help manage visitors and maintain the sites.
- “We saw how dramatically Hanauma Bay healed during the pandemic when access to the public was closed. We want to preserve the healing by minimizing human impacts, while at the same time ensuring that there are sufficient resources to maintain the bay and its facilities,” said Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters.
- As the state continues to face a rental car shortage, TheCab says demand is outpacing the number of drivers available, with dispatch receiving nearly 2,500 calls a day. To meet the growing demand, TheCab is hoping to hire more drivers and increase its current 350 cab fleet.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team