Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – October 29, 2021
Aloha,
Here are the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai‘i that you need to know this week. First, the FDA approved emergency use of Pfizer’s vaccine for keiki ages 5 to 11.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi eases outdoor and indoor events restrictions, allowing them to operate at full capacity. Here’s a breakdown of the new rules from Hawaiʻi News Now:
- Starting November 3, outdoor seated events ― including large University of Hawai‘i sporting events ― will be able to move to 100% capacity. That will mean UH will be able to fill the 9,200 seats at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex for its next home football game.
- Starting November 3, large indoor seated events will be able to move to 100% capacity. The state did not agree with easing capacity restrictions on indoor seated events.
- At both indoor and outdoor seated events, all attendees will have to be fully vaccinated. They will also be required to wear masks, and there will be no food or beverages served.
- Meanwhile, indoor “interactive” events (such as weddings and funerals) will be allowed to have up to 150 people starting November 3 and up to 300 people starting November 24. Outdoor “interactive” events will need to remain at 50% capacity but can have up to 500 people.
Governor Ige says he’s not comfortable with the city’s plans to allow indoor events but doesn’t plan to stop it.
- The city moved forward with allowing indoor gatherings at full venue capacity without the state’s blessing.
- Mayor Blangiardi said this about the decision, “We are going in a separate direction. The state understands that and we have accepted full responsibility at the City and County. It’s a new acceptable norm. Our public health is top of mind, but the time has come for us to move forward.”
- Governor Ige says indoor “interactive” events like weddings pose the highest risk and that the state will continue to work with the city to “discuss the risks and the city’s responsibilities in responding to a surge in COVID-19 cases if one occurs.”
- Colin Moore, Director of UH’s Center for Public Policy, told Hawaiʻi News Now that it appears the mayors are “no longer willing to toe the line” when it comes to the governor’s approach to COVID.
- Meanwhile, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino also ignored the governor’s wishes when he allowed families to watch their children’s sports games that aren’t a part of the DOE program.
Hawai‘i records a 31% drop in visitor arrivals compared to pre-pandemic levels, though the domestic market from the Western U.S. rose 10.7%.
- Here are the arrival figures for the past three years, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser:
- September 2021 – 505,861
- September 2020 – 18,409
- September 2019 – 736,155
- Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries said this about the data, “The late-summer surge of the delta variant continued to depress visitor spending and visitor arrivals in September, which had a negative impact on our state’s economy and more importantly, the health of our residents.”
- This week, hundreds of hospitality workers – including UNITE HERE Local 5 union members – from O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island and Maui took to the streets in a day of action to “Come Back Stronger” and fight for their jobs. Workers passed out flyers urging hotel guests to ask hotel management for daily housekeeping, food and beverage services, and valet services.
- Hawaiian Airlines says it expects revenue to be down 32% to 37% during the last three months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.
- Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airline’s president and chief executive, said, “While our third quarter results were affected by the resurgence of COVID-19 cases associated with the Delta variant, momentum had moved in a positive direction by the end of the quarter, and we remain absolutely confident in our long-term prospects as leisure travel recovers globally,”
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team