Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Maunaloa Watershed Snapshot, a project of the Conservation Alliance, which will hold its Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference virtually in early September, with scholarships for students. See more below.

SUPPORTING THE ECONOMY WITH ACCURATE TESTING of anyone coming into the state was the subject of much discussion at this afternoon's COVID-19 telephone town hall meeting with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, and Hilton Raethel, President of the Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, joined the talk story with those who called in.
     The lieutenant governor advised that an enormous increase in testing and contact tracing is key to controlling the spread of the disease and to welcoming people back to the islands. He talked about it working in other countries and said Hawaiʻi is gearing up to do it. Green said he would like to see 10,000 tests a day.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Lt. Gov. Josh Green held at telephone town hall on COVID-19 today. Photo from 2018 Unity Breakfast

     Concerning the tracking incoming travelers, he said Google is setting up a system so that anyone coming into the state will be able to sign on, making it easy to contact them, confirm COVID test-results, and deal with any quarantine. Green also pointed to new fast COVID-19 tests that are likely to be available soon. They include one developed locally that takes a swab from the inside of a person's cheek. Green emphasized that rapid result testing and contact tracing tools are working elsewhere and should be ramped up here quickly.
     He said reducing the COVID count and bringing back tourism to bolster the economy could be accomplished in tandem. However, he couldn't be sure that it will happen by Sept. 1, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. He said he feels like Gov David Ige is "pulling back" from the Sept. 1 reopening of trans-Pacific travel to Hawaiʻi. He said Ige is "risk averse. It is starting to be harder" to see Sept. 1 as the reopening. He said, however, "We should begin getting our system working" before the date comes to open up for more visitors.
     Congresswoman Gabbard said much effort should be placed on "getting our state back on track so we as a state are in a better situation... If we continue to have high cases, there are not a lot of people who are going to want to come here."
     A man who called into the town hall meeting who said he is close to the visitor industry would like to see testing for all returning residents, essential workers, and visitors. Speaking of the economy, he said, "We are dying here," and need tests to bring back visitors. He said he has also heard of new, fast tests including a breathalyzer.

Hilton Raethel

     Green said said arrangements are being made for prospective incoming travelers from the mainland for testing through CVS, Walgreens, Kaiser, and others. When the testing becomes available, Hawaiʻi should invite these people in, said Green. He said travelers with their negative results, could pose a lower risk than those living in areas of Oʻahu with community spread.
     The head of the Health Care Association of Hawaiʻi, which represents hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care entities, praised Hawaiʻi for doing a remarkable job in the past few months in keeping COVID-19 numbers down. Hilton Raethel warned, however, that if the recent spike continues out of control on Oʻahu, "we could be on the cusp of a potential disaster." He said the challenge is still manageable but a with a continuing surge, "We could be in serious trouble at the hospitals." He explained that the low case count in Hawaiʻi at the beginning of the pandemic meant that those with COVID received lots of attention and death rates were low. The steep rise in cases could stretch health care resources too thin and more people would die. He called this time of trying to bring down the case count "a pivotal moment in Hawaiʻi's history."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

COVID-19 IS ENDEMIC IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. Endemic is the term used by state Director of Health Bruce Anderson to explain that COVID-19 transmission is taking place from one person to another in the spread of the disease through the community.
     While there are no active cases in Kaʻū, 144 new cases were reported today statewide, with 139 on Oʻahu and the other five on Hawaiʻi Island. The state total since the pandemic began, passed 2,500.         The Health Director pointed to a lack of social distancing, failure to wear face masks, and people attending gatherings with family and friends at churches, parks, and crowded beaches, leading to the endemic spread of the disease. Clusters under investigation include six linked to a hot yoga class, 71 linked to a series of funeral events, and 12 associated with a birthday party.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. White is zero cases. Yellow is one to five cases. Light orange (not pictured) is six to ten cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is  11 to 20 cases. Red (not pictured) is 21 to 50 cases. Hawaiʻi Department of Health map

     A 27th COVID-19 death was reported today on Oʻahu. The Honoluluman was between 40 and 59 with underlying medical conditions. An investigation into his death continues. Andersonsaid, "We all extend our condolences to the family and friends of this man. Every death reminds us how very serious this disease is. Coronavirus can strike down anyone of any age. We can all protect each other and prevent more hospitalizations and deaths."

     Hawaiʻi Island has recorded 122 cases since the pandemic began. Seven cases are active; none of these victims are hospitalized.
     One case was reported in Volcano, zip code 96785, in the last 28 days. It has been more than 28 days since a case was recorded for a Kaʻū zip code. Since the pandemic began, no one died on this island.

     Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 2,221 cases, Maui County 178, and Kauaʻi 47. Twenty-three victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Twenty-seven people in the state died from COVID-19.

     In the daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno said three cases on-island are travel related, "which emphasizes again the importance of exercising caution of traveling trans-Pacific as well as inter-island. Do understand that many states continue to experience increased numbers of Coronavirus cases, including the State of Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi Countycontinues to do very well, but as you can see, the threat is still out there. Know the importance of continuing to follow the preventive measures of face coverings, cleanliness, keeping yourself healthy, of staying at home when sick, and special care of gatherings and distancing. We must all do our part; your help is so needed to keep Hawaiʻi safe. Thank you for making the effort to keep our neighbors, friends, family, and community safe. As a reminder, the wearing of face masks is mandatory on the Island of Hawaiʻi. Thank you for listening and have a safe day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."

     In the United States, more than 4,751,853 cases have been confirmed. The death toll is over 156,301. The worldwide COVID-19 case count is more than 18.38 million. The death toll is more than 696,389.

Sen. Brian Schatz in D.C. last week. Photo from Facebook

FREE CLOTH MASKS for anyone who wants one would be offered through a new bill, introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz. The Mask Work Act of 2020 would use $25 million to provide cloth masks at no charge to the public, and use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to educate the public on how to use cloth face coverings and how they help prevent COVID-19 spread. Schatz said, "The research is clear: masks work. We all need to do our part to comply with this simple and temporary public health recommendation to prevent the unnecessary spread of this virus and save lives."

DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR EARLY COLLEGE CLASSES at Kaʻū High School is tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 5 at noon. Apply at https://forms.gle/EQSZZdJNvNa8p6W56.

     After applying, applicants must attend a mandatory information and orientation meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Meeting link is https://meet.google.com/eji-nrxk-mok. To join by phone, call 1-262-806-3667, PIN: 845 821 050#.
     The course offered is Interdisciplinary Studies 101: Building Bridges to Self, College, and Community. This is an "intro to college" course meant to help the student "better prepare for success in college and life, both personally and professionally." Those complete the course receive three college credits and one high school elective credit.

     Kumu ʻĀina Akamu, Career and Technical Education teacher at Kaʻū High is the instructor. He is also a professor in the Social Sciences and Hawaiian Studies program at Hawaiʻi Community College. Course work is completed at each students' pace, with work due by set deadlines. Face-to-face time will be held online only, each week, via Google Meets. Classes run from Aug. 24 through Dec. 10.

     See https://khpes.org/news, or emailAkamu at aina.akamu@kauh.k12.hi.us or Principal Sharon Beck at Sharon_beck@notes.k12.hi.us, for more.