Hawai‘i COVID-19 News Update – October 8, 2021
Aloha,
Here are the latest COVID-19 news and issues facing Hawai‘i that you need to know this week.
State and city officials agree to loosen COVID-19 restrictions on O‘ahu as case counts drop.
- In a joint press conference this afternoon, Governor Ige and Honolulu Mayor Blangiardi announce that O‘ahu will loosen COVID-19 restrictions on outdoor and indoor events, outdoor interactive events (like weddings), golf, road races and triathlons and alcohol sales.
- Under the new rules, which only apply to Oʻahu:
- Outdoor seated entertainment events – like University of Hawaiʻi football games – can be held starting Wednesday with up to 1,000 attendees (but no more than 50% of a venue’s capacity).
- Indoor seated entertainment events can be held starting October 20 with up to 500 attendees.
- And outdoor “interactive events” can also be held starting October 20 with up to 150 people.
- All three types of events will require attendees to be vaccinated and masked.
- Governor Ige warned, “The pandemic is far from finished. This is not an all clear signal.” He is also working on signing COVID-19 orders for Maui and Kaua‘i counties, and is in discussions with Hawai‘i Island Mayor Mitch Roth.
- Review the images below on the new rules and when they will be effective.
Researchers say the Safe Access O‘ahu program helped to bring down the island’s case count.
- New research from the University of Hawai‘i indicates that infection rates on O‘ahu and Maui are trending in the right direction. Researchers said the results of the Safer Outside program in Maui County were not as significant as O‘ahu because Maui had fewer cases.
- One of the researchers, Monique Chyba, a math professor at UH Manoa, says there would’ve been a 5% increase in cases without Safe Access O‘ahu. She adds, “Over a two weeks period, it's like two hundred cases. It’s significant and it's working.”
- According to state health data, the daily case average dipped down to 199 with an average test positivity rate of 3% and a vaccination rate of 69.3% statewide. Additionally, around 90% of those who tested posted for COVID-19 in the last month were unvaccinated.
- Meanwhile, the contracts for the first wave of FEMA-funded travel nurses are set to expire soon, and health leaders say they’re asking nurses to extend their trip to support Hawai‘i’s healthcare industry.
Tourism leaders urge Governor Ige to welcome back visitors to the state.
- According to reporting from the Hawai‘i Tribune Herald, Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, said Hawai‘i’s visitor industry is “in jeopardy if we don’t get a positive statement soon from the governor that we’re ready to open up again.”
- Following the governor’s remarks in late August dissuading visitors from coming to Hawai‘i and encouraging residents to avoid nonessential travel, the state saw occupancy rates drop from 80 to 90% in the summer to just 50%, according to Hannemann.
- Jeff Wagoner, president and CEO of Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, said, “I think that tourists are safe travelers. We want to welcome them back, and we really want them back soon. That message coming out this week or in the next few days would be spectacular for our state for the rest of this year.”
- The governor is expected to make an announcement on this front next week.
- Meanwhile, Hawaiʻi News Now reports that the Honolulu City Council voted to advance a measure increasing the transient accommodations tax on O‘ahu to help cover some of the city’s operating expenses, maintain its parks and beaches and help pay for the rail.
Mahalo nui loa,
Your BG Team