Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – June 4, 2021
Aloha,
Here’s the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai'i that you need to know this week.
A new survey finds Hawai‘i residents feel “optimistic” about the pandemic, with the majority of respondents saying they think the government’s management of the crisis is headed in the right direction.
- Conducted by SMS Research & Marketing Service Inc., the survey found only 18% of Hawai‘i residents are worried about getting the virus or about a family member getting sick, compared to 44% nine months ago.
- Lt. Gov. Green said he agreed with those who believe things are getting better.
“We’re closer than people think to getting back to normal. We’re really near the end of the pandemic.”
- Survey results broken down by ethnicity show Native Hawaiians (50%) are the least positive about the state government’s actions regarding the virus. In comparison, 76% of Filipino and 79% of Japanese respondents reported more positive responses.
As mainland vacation destinations drop all restrictions and reopen their tourism economies, some wonder what’s holding Hawai‘i back from fully reopening.
- Hawaii News Now reports Governor Ige continues to keep travel and business restrictions in place with capacity and gathering limits still in place, but he may be planning to loosen restrictions when the vaccination rate for the state hits 60%.
- Honolulu Mayor Blangiardi will meet with Governor Ige today to discuss loosening restrictions on businesses and activities.
- Sherry Menor-McNamara, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii CEO, said, “There’s a lot of states that are (lower), and they’re fully reopened. Actually, Hawaii is the only state that has no reopening date or plans set yet.”
- Meanwhile, one bill awaiting Gov. Ige’s decision to sign, veto or let pass without his signature will have significant impacts on Hawai‘i’s most important industry – tourism – by changing the use of the state’s hotel room tax from going to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) to allowing the counties to impose their own hotel taxes.
- Civil Beat writes that two issues complicate the situation: “first, public sentiment appears to be continuing to turn against tourism, despite the pandemic and the need for jobs; and second, the HTA is beginning an effort to respond to the souring sentiment by crafting plans to manage tourism and its negative side effects.”
While Hawai‘i continues to record the lowest fatality rate for COVID-19 in the nation, the state passed a grim milestone this week of 500 lives lost to the virus.
- The Honolulu Star Advertiser reports Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 fatality rate is the lowest in the nation, with 35 deaths per 100,000. Other states with low fatality rates include Vermont, with 41 deaths per 100,000 people, Alaska (48), Maine (61) and Oregon (64).
- Since the pandemic began, there have been more than 36,400 infections in the state, and the average daily new case count stands at 48, with a test positivity rate of 1%.
- The State Department of Health is tracking several COVID-19 clusters at Hawai‘i restaurants, where officials say the risk of virus transmission is high because people often work in hot, cramped spaces with poor ventilation.
- In an intriguing editorial, Pacific Business News editor Kam Napier examines the changing tides around how the media covers the origin of the COVID-19 virus. He notes that “it’s suddenly OK to wonder if the coronavirus escaped from a biolab in Wuhan, China; or if it was manmade; and even if it had been released on purpose, or allowed out of China deliberately.”
As demand for the COVID-19 vaccine continues to drop in the islands, the state is launching a major campaign today, offering Hawai‘i residents numerous incentives for getting the shot.
- The public-private partnership between the State Department of Health, local businesses and healthcare organizations will reveal more details today on what the incentives will include, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser.
- DOH spokesman Brooks Baehr said, “It’s community-driven. This will be a campaign designed to acknowledge not just those vaccinated during the campaign but everyone who has been vaccinated to this point.”
- The incentives campaign begins as health officials are turning away more and more federal supply of vaccines, according to Hawaii News Now. As a result, neighbor island hospitals won’t get any new doses this week because they’re having trouble distributing what they already have.
- Meanwhile, 12% of Hawai‘i respondents in a new survey said they don’t plan to get a COVID-19 vaccination. They cite reasons including that they don’t trust the vaccines in general, are concerned about the abbreviated time it took to develop them, religious or political objections, or concerns about an allergic reaction.
- The State Department of Health launched new maps tracking the vaccination rate by neighborhood.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team