Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – November 12, 2021
Aloha,
Here are the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai‘i that you need to know this week.
Starting today, the state has lifted some COVID restrictions for dining activities, but social distancing rules remain in place indoors (depending on the county you’re in).
- Starting today, gyms, bars, and restaurants can remove capacity limits and distancing requirements can be eliminated for outdoor dining. The condition of proof of vaccination or recent testing will continue.
- Last weekend, 6,000 University of Hawai‘i football fans were excited to return to some sense of normalcy and be back in the stands without any capacity restrictions. The return of UH sports has also brought a welcome boost to local businesses in the neighborhood.
As the pandemic drags on, there is a growing chorus of opposition to restrictions and a push to curb the governor’s emergency powers.
- Amid low average daily COVID cases and Hawai‘i’s high vaccination rate, lawmakers are concerned the emergency proclamation – set to expire on November 30 – will be extended again.
- According to Hawai‘i News Now, legislative leaders in both parties say Hawai‘i’s chief executive shouldn’t have the sole discretion to declare an emergency and they’re backing plans to put new limits on that power.
- House Speaker Scott Saiki believes Governor Ige is moving too slowly to lift restrictions now that cases are low and vaccinations high. He said, “I don’t think anyone agrees that a proclamation should continue forever. I’ll be working on a bill that will allow the Legislature to basically disapprove the governor’s emergency proclamation whether it’s the entire proclamation or just a portion of the proclamation.”
- Ray Vara, the president and chief executive of Hawaii Pacific Health, agreed it’s no longer necessary to have what he said is one of the nation’s most conservative policies regarding Covid restrictions.
Hawai‘i awaits the return of international visitors and welcome economic rebound.
- Jerry Agrusa, University of Hawaii-Manoa School of Travel Industry Management professor said, “I think it’s gonna come and when it comes, it’s gonna be a wave. One of the things that’s happening right now is the airlines are all gearing up. They’re getting the flights out. There’s more demand than there is supply at this time.”
- Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram anticipates that signs of the market recovery include the restart of flights to Sydney in December, with the all-important Japanese market guiding through the first two quarters of 2022 to approach pre-pandemic levels by summer.
- Beyond the tourism industry, the return of international visitors is expected to provide a boost to Hawai‘i’s luxury real estate sales in an already unprecedented market.
- While efforts to better manage hospitality’s impact on the islands continue, a new survey from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority reports most visitors rated their trip as excellent.
Hawai‘i’s keiki ages five to 11 have begun to get vaccinated.
- Following FDA and CDC authorization for kids between the ages of five to 11 to receive Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, several locations across Hawaii are offering the shots to the new age bracket.
- The first drive-thru vaccination clinic for keiki ages five to 11 will be held at Aloha Stadium tomorrow.
- In a national study, about 27% of parents surveyed said they are eager to get their kids a vaccine as soon as it is authorized. In comparison, 33% said they would wait to see how the vaccine is working.
- Keiki Heroes has created a comic strip to teach keiki how the COVID-19 vaccine works and helps protect those who care for them.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team