VIDEO: OCCC Guard Describes how COVID Positive Criminal was released
COVID Count: 248 new cases out of 2,640 tests
Which Lobbyists are Driving COVID Policy? Hawaii Gov. David Ige declines to address open-records request
AP: … Hawaii Gov. David Ige’s office declined to provide copies of communications about the coronavirus that his staff exchanged with the state Department of Health, the tourism industry and other organizations.
The Associated Press asked for the documents in May under Hawaii’s open records law, the Uniform Information Practices Act. Ige’s office said it would not comply, however, citing an emergency order he signed suspending deadlines for such information due to the pandemic.
“When the suspension is lifted and government employees are able to work in their offices and normal government operations have resumed, your request will be addressed,” the governor’s office said….
The AP filed similar open-records requests to governors’ offices across the U.S. during a critical period when they were considering reopening plans after coronavirus shutdowns.
Thousands of pages of emails provided to the AP show that governors were inundated with reopening advice from a wide range of industries, and sometimes allowed businesses to help write the rules for their own operations….
read … Hawaii Gov. David Ige declines to address open-records request
Green repeats call for stronger mandates as Hawaii sees another day with 200-plus cases
HNN: … Green repeated a call for stronger restrictions to dramatically bring down community spread of the virus and protect the state’s hospital system.
“It’s going too difficult, very difficult to stop the spread without a total lockdown for four weeks,” said Green.
A little more than two weeks ago, the city closed down beaches, parks and hiking trails on Oahu in hopes of preventing people from gathering — and spreading COVID-19.
And then last week, the city announced another round of restrictions, preventing people from gathering in their own homes and keeping groups to no more than five people at most businesses.
Green said the rules simply aren’t enough.
He believes more employees should be working at home and that people in groups of five at a restaurant should be wearing masks….
read … Green repeats call for stronger mandates as Hawaii sees another day with 200-plus cases
Health officials reveal Oahu hospitals are becoming full
KHON: … On Aug. 23, 248 cases were reported, with 12 on Maui and eight on Hawaii island, the rest were on Oahu. There are now 4,410 active cases statewide.
As of Sunday, there were 253 COVID-19 patients in the hospital and healthcare workers and doctors are warning hospitals on Oahu could be at maximum capacity by the end of the week….
The Hawaii Healthcare Association said there are roughly 3,000 licensed beds in the state, and normally about 2,000 are staffed.
“We have about 2,000 patients in our hospitals, so essentially our hospitals are 100% full in terms of staff capacity,” Raethel said.
Although there are more beds available, he said many staff have retired, resigned, have been exposed or are under investigation due to COVID-19.
“What we are critically short of right now is nursing staff,” he said. “And because we now have all these patients in our hospitals across the state we are looking now at having to bring in additional staffing from the mainland because we are running out of especially nursing staff here in Hawaii.”
Raethel said they’re asking for about 50 to 100 nurses to come and assist ….
read … Health officials reveal Oahu hospitals are becoming full
Beaches, Parks, Trails Closed? Honolulu Mayor’s COVID-19 Rules Defy Science, Experts Say
CB: … Epidemiologists say keeping beaches, parks and hiking trails shut down without justification could backfire, driving people indoors and increasing distrust in government at a critical time….
ILind: Civil Beat: Covid-19 order “flips health experts’ advice on its head”
read … Beaches, Parks, Trails Closed? Honolulu Mayor’s COVID-19 Rules Defy Science, Experts Say
Waiting Four Months for Unemployment Check
SA: … Like many in Hawaii, the coronavirus and the ensuing collapse of the Hawaii tourism industry has dealt a devastating blow to me financially. Despite being difficult, this blow is justified when compared with the human cost of inaction.
What is not acceptable, however, is the complete abrogation of the state Department of Labor’s responsibility to process unemployment claims in a timely manner. I have been waiting four months for my claim to be processed and I have received no contact from the department. There are thousands of others like me….
HNN: Acting director of DLIR discusses ongoing backlog with more than 10K unprocessed claims
read … Unemployment office derelict in its duties
Hawaii quarantine kapu breakers bust count at 45
KHON: …Facebook group Hawai'i Quarantine Kapu Breakers has helped bust more than 45 locals and visitors by working with investigators in the Attorney General's office.
read … Hawaii quarantine breakers take advantage of loopholes to evade arrest
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