Activists Endorse Keli’i Akina, Luana Alapa for OHA Trustee
UHERO Hawaii renters already leaving for Mainland
COVID: Hawaii DoH Gets Funding to Prepare for Mass Vaccination
COVID Count 52 new cases out of 916 tests
‘Misdirection and Fearmongering’ -- Hawaii’s arrival testing debate continues, decision expected this week
KHON: … The senators state how important it is to re-start the local economy but it “must be balanced with prudent and cautious prevention and mitigation protocols. The current plan will cause a surge of infected residents and visitors by Thanksgiving, which forces us to return to economically and morally bankrupt lockdowns.”
“Our request is to shore up our State’s plan for reopening by keeping a shorter six-day quarantine and releasing the traveler after a second negative test is performed on day six. As an alternative, we ask that the administration work with the Airlines to create a process for separating voluntary pre-tested travelers and non-pre-tested travelers either into separate cabins or onto separate flights. Repeat testing of travelers, or increased separation, will go a long way in ensuring that we minimize the unintentional spread of the virus, and allow us to reopen local businesses on Oahu, reopen our schools gradually, and prevent depletion of our already stretched medical and PPE resources.”
Honolulu Council member Tommy Waters, whose district includes Waikiki, drafted a similar resolution last week.
Lieutenant Governor Dr. Josh Green disagrees and said that the pre-testing program will vet out the majority of sick passengers. He said that he’s even suggested a plan to test 10% of passengers to see how the program works.
“All this energy on a second test is a misdirection and fearmongering,” Lt. Gov. Green said. “Now, I would love to see extra tests get done, and they can be optional. Of course, the more tests the better, but only if we have them.”
read … Hawaii’s arrival testing debate continues, decision expected this week
Continuation of flight assistance program for quarantine breakers up in the air
KHON: … To-date, about 280 visitors statewide were sent back. The common theme? Rich says many of them did not plan to follow the law.
“And we also had in that number–people who did blatantly go out to the beach and enjoy a Hawaiian vacation, posting on Facebook that they were not in quarantine,” she said.
Rich told KHON2 that some have criticized the financial use of the program, but explains that a lot of the people that they assisted paid their own way back home. Some of the flights were even donated. Rich says that the program is important because it helps protect residents….
read … Continuation of flight assistance program for quarantine breakers up in the air
2 deaths, dozens of new cases reported as COVID-19 clusters emerge on Hawaii Island
KHON: … Over at the Hilo Medical Center, one death related to the virus was reported on Oct. 4. This brings the death toll at the facility to three. Officials said that there are 12 patients hospitalized with COVID-19: two are in the ICU, nine are in the COVID unit and one is in the hospital’s extended care facility.
Among the clusters that emerged on the island is the Life Care Center of Hilo….
In their latest COVID-19 update, the nursing home reported that one of their residents died on Oct. 3.
Life Care Center also reported two new COVID infections: one resident and one associate. The resident is receiving care in the nursing home’s COVID-19 unit and the associate is recovering at home.
This brings the resident COVID case total to 23 and the death toll to two at the nursing home.
Life Care Center said that there are 16 active cases at the facility. Four other residents are receiving proactive treatment at Hilo Medical Center and one resident is receiving care at another facility.
As for associates, a total of seven people tested positive. But since the beginning of the outbreak at the nursing home, four have recovered and only three active cases remain….
In the Kailua-Kona area, the University of the Nations confirmed that 26 people tested positive for the virus on their campus. This is according to their website post on Oct. 3.
The university reported that four of the cases are travel-related and that the other 22 are due to community spread….
Over in the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, Avalon Health Care provided some good news. There were no new cases or deaths reported on Oct. 4. Officials added that all of their employees and 42 residents recovered from the virus.
Avalon Health Care reported a total of 27 COVID-related deaths and 106 positive cases (71 residents and 35 employees) since the outbreak at the facility began….
read … 2 deaths, dozens of new cases reported as COVID-19 clusters emerge on Hawaii Island
Daughter speaks out about father’s death at Hilo veterans home
HTH: … Zerfuss, 87, is believed to be the first of 27 residents of Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home who died from a recent COVID-19 outbreak in the facility.
According to O’Toole, Zerfuss had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a result of his time in the service, as well as other health issues.
He moved to Yukio Okutsu for rehabilitation in April after breaking his hip.
O’Toole said her father, who had been living in a West Hawaii assisted living facility, wasn’t going to stay at the Hilo veterans home permanently, but never recovered enough from subsequent health issues to return to assisted living.
He was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus on Aug. 25, two days after O’Toole said the family was notified that two employees there had tested positive for the disease.
When Zerfuss was transported to Hilo Medical Center on Aug. 25, O’Toole said her father’s oxygen levels were a dangerously low 37%.
For Zerfuss, a 93% oxygen level was considered “good” because of his COPD.
A doctor told O’Toole her father had severe multilobar pneumonia, she said.
“It (COVID-19) was everywhere. It was so severe, he probably had it for days before. I don’t know how nobody noticed.”
Zerfuss died Aug. 29….
“It was really disheartening to see that three weeks after my father contracted the virus, people were still having new cases,” she said. “… From those reports, things were still highly contagious there. I’m just heartbroken for the people who had to die after my father. It shouldn’t have continued in such a widespread outbreak.”…
HNN: Second family files suit against Avalon Health Care for deadly COVID outbreak
read … Daughter speaks out about father’s death at Hilo veterans home
Hawaii Restaurant Association wants delay on plastics ban
KITV: … restrictions caused by COVID-19 have also caused places to increase their take out business, causing them to spend more money on containers and utensils….
read … Hawaii Restaurant Association wants delay on plastics ban
Navatek CEO Warned Workers Of ‘Draconian Consequences’ If They Slacked Off During Pandemic
CB: … Kao wrote, he himself had a blood type that made him immune to COVID-19 — a claim that has since been debunked by scientists.
“I am a man of few words when it comes to matters like COVID-19 and our Country’s response in directly dealing with the virus and its collateral effect,” Kao wrote in his email, which was obtained by Civil Beat after his arrest. “I am a man of even fewer words when it comes to your personal fears, feelings or afflictions with regard to the virus during these times. In fact, I really only have three words: I … Don’t … Care….
read … About the Kind of Companies Your Congressional Delegation Helps
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