Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – July 30, 2021
Aloha,
Here’s the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai‘i that you need to know this week.
Health officials report 622 COVID-19 cases – the highest case count recorded in the state – while new vaccinations continue to drop.
- Hawaiʻi News Now reports the high case count is partially due to lab reporting delays earlier this week, but the daily average over the last three days is over 300 cases. State Health Director Dr. Libby Char added that roughly 25% of Friday’s cases are children.
- At a press conference, Governor Ige said, “That’s the highest number we’ve ever seen. That is an alarming number of cases. The pandemic is not over. If you haven’t been vaccinated, please do so.”
- Daily vaccination rates have slowed to about 2,000 shots per day, but the state hit a new milestone this week with 60% of the state’s population fully vaccinated.
- Gov. David Ige plans to keep the Safe Travels program, described as the nation’s strictest traveler entry program, in place until at least 70% of Hawaiʻi’s entire population is vaccinated against COVID-19. Experts now believe that the program will stay in place through the end of 2021.
- Dr. Tim Brown, an infectious disease modeler and senior fellow at the East-West Center, says the 70% benchmark is “now not likely high enough to prevent spread of the highly transmissible delta variant. The problem is the more infectious the virus is, the higher the level of protection needed to reach so-called herd immunity.”
Hawaiʻi continues to struggle with vaccination hesitancy among residents, but Governor Ige isn’t ready to issue a vaccination mandate for state workers just yet.
- Legally, the state can require state employees to get vaccinated. Gov. Ige stated that he would rather wait until the FDA gives the vaccine full approval before imposing a mandate. There is no definitive timeline for full FDA approval.
- State workers are currently not required to get any vaccines, but the state is examining high-risk congregate work settings like jails. Meanwhile, there have been some union rumblings that workers will quit if forced to get the shot.
- Gov. Ige said, “We are concerned about the employee reaction. How many would change their job status or choose to walk away if we mandate it is something we consider, but I think it’s a secondary consideration.”
- Most private companies in Hawaiʻi are currently in a ‘wait-and-see’ mode regarding vaccination mandates, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser. Some businesses have implemented mandates, but there are still unanswered questions about how to go about it and potential liabilities.
- Michele Kauinui, director of human resources services for Altres, told the paper, “Providing a safe workplace, while also considering employee morale issues and potential claims of liability, is a delicate balancing act that many are finding themselves in...Businesses can help to educate employees by providing reliable and accurate information, along with access to getting the vaccine for those that are interested.”
While visitor arrival counts remain steady, a new study shows that visitors are not spending nearly as much as they were pre-pandemic.
- The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority released new data suggesting that Hawaiʻi visitors are spending less compared to pre-pandemic levels from the past two years. Total spending for visitors arriving in June 2021 was $1.44 billion, just shy of $1.63 billion spent in June 2019.
- According to the average daily count of visitors arriving daily, there were 255,936 visitors in Hawaii on any given day in June 2021. Conversely, there were 15,223 visitors per day in 2020 and 277,930 visitors per day in 2019.
- Total visitor arrivals are down 16.5% due to the continued drop off in international visitors. In June, only 1,859 visitors came from Japan which was down nearly 99% from 2019. Consequently, spending also fell to $7.4 million, down 96% from 2019.
- Hawaiian Airlines reported a loss of $6.2 million in non-adjusted net income. Total revenue dropped by 42% to $410.8 million compared to the second quarter of 2019.
- The airline reported that mainland traffic is strong, but Neighbor Island demand is growing toward pre-pandemic levels at a slower pace. According to President and CEO Peter Ingram, “The robustness of the U.S. leisure demand reopening continues to inspire our confidence in a vibrant international leisure recovery.”
Hawaiʻi public schools return to in-person instruction next week, and health officials are urging all students and staff to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
- On Aug. 3, Hawaiʻi’s public schools will return to in-person instruction, welcoming back 160,000 students across the state. To prepare for this, the Hawaii Department of Health issued a new set of guidelines for students, teachers and school administrators to implement.
- Updated guidelines also relaxed requirements to wear face masks outdoors for students and staff but continued to mandate them indoors except when eating and drinking. Physical distancing protocols are still in place, and the DOH also said that schools should follow and implement them “to the extent possible.”
- According to acting state epidemiologist Sarah Kemble, promoting the COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible children and adults is the top strategy for safe in-person learning. “The goal is to move back to the in-person model.”
- Meanwhile, a group called Parents for Public Schools Hawaiʻi is urging the state to offer high-quality distance learning options for students, claiming that some parents are hesitant about sending their children back to the classroom with the Delta variant.
- As schools move to in-person learning, the DOH urges schools to implement screening testing for those who are not fully vaccinated to participate in sports and other activities, along with testing teachers and staff who are not fully vaccinated.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team