Lawsuit Alleges Another Pedophile Ring at Kamehameha
Legislator Calls for Universal COVID-19 testing
HGEA More Scary than COVID? Ige afraid to Reassign Useless do-nothing HGEA Members to Help With Unemployment Backlog
SA: … A critical need in Hawaii is growing for overwhelmed state agencies to perform emergency tasks, but Gov. David Ige isn’t prepared to suspend collective bargaining rules to shift idle workers on the payroll between departments.
(This is the HGEA contribution to our ‘emergency’. Are you proud, HGEA members?)
Linda Chu Takayama, Ige’s chief of staff, told a special state Senate panel Friday that the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General is researching whether it’s possible to immediately redeploy state workers who have been told to stay home with pay and not work.
Takayama told the Special Senate Committee on COVID-19 that the Ige administration is working as fast as possible to cover critical state needs that include four departments asking for emergency staff help.
DLIR has one of the most urgent needs because it has insufficient staff to timely process a flood of unemployment claims even after shifting workers from other parts of the agency.
Since the beginning of March, 160,396 new claims, excluding duplicates, have been filed. Unemployment checks typically are delivered three weeks after a claim is filed, but the timetable now can’t be reasonably projected by DLIR.
Two other state agencies, the Department of Land & Natural Resources and the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism also have expressed needs for help, according to committee members.
Wada, who spoke at the committee meeting Friday, told senators that his department should have a list ready Tuesday showing how many idle state workers there are in every department.
That would allow overwhelmed departments to match their needs with idle workers possessing compatible skills.
However, it’s still unclear when any redeployments could take place.
(Idea: Wear mask to protect yourself from HGEA infection.)
Wada said his agency is in regular contact with public worker unions, and that Ige has yet to decide whether to “effectuate” suspension of collective bargaining rules that he can carry out under an emergency proclamation he issued March 4….
CB: Confusion within the Ige administration over Hawaii’s collective bargaining law is slowing aid to departments
VIDEO: Hawaii Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 discusses coronavirus plan
Meanwhile: HGEA Demands 25% Raise -- ‘Hazard Pay’ for its so-called Workers who are being paid to sit at home and do nothing
read … Gov. David Ige not ready to reassign idled Hawaii government workers on payroll
Testing is the key to everything.
SA: … Testing is the key to everything. Widespread, freely available testing would end the need for the draconian blanket quarantine strategy that is destroying the economy and warping our lives.
Through testing we can identify people with the coronavirus who have no symptoms, and we can do a precision quarantine of them and their associates.
Instead, because we don’t know who the positives are, we quarantine everybody in an attempt to prevent contact with the positives, who remain unknown because of the rationing of testing….
read … Testing is the key to everything
District Health Officer Reports Very Different COVID Numbers
HTH: … According to the state, two new cases were reported on the Big Island, bringing Hawaii County’s total to 20, with six of those released from isolation.
There have been no hospitalizations or deaths from the disease on the Big Island.
However, numbers released Friday morning by the county Civil Defense agency said 24 people have tested positive, 15 of whom have recovered, with the remaining nine quarantined at home and monitored by the DOH.
The state’s COVID-19 Joint Information Center did not know why there was a discrepancy between the state’s numbers and those being reported by Civil Defense.
However, Janet Snyder, spokeswoman for Mayor Harry Kim, said numbers vary because of timing, and that the county receives its tally directly from the island’s district health officer.
Snyder said Kim or Civil Defense “is actually talking to the district health officer for this island every day.”
There have now been 12,283 individuals tested by clinical and state laboratories, according to the state….
CB: The Imprecise Science Of Predicting The Spread Of COVID-19
read … Hawaii National Guard to assist during outbreak
Lockdown Could Last Months
HNN: …Everywhere you go, there has been almost no aspect of life untouched by the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Some will argue government leaders aren’t being leaders and are failing to protect residents.
Others take to the Facebook and Instagram comments to accuse the media for causing mass panic. But the reality is, more than 300 people have come down with the virus in Hawaii so far.
And sadly — at least three people have died.
But what’s concerning to most: Health officials are saying we’re far from being out of the woods.
Based on data and current projections, state Health Director Bruce Anderson said it could be a month before Hawaii hits its peak, and even longer before we’re in the clear.
“If the projections are accurate, we’re looking at several months before we’re going to start seeing that curve begin to drop and where we can start thinking about relaxing some of the mitigation measures that have been imposed,” Anderson said.
read … How long will it take for life to return to normal? No one knows for sure
International survey of physicians touts Hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatment—(But Green, DoH still say ‘no’)
KITV: … Over 6,200 physicians were surveyed, and they reported anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine as the most effective treatment for the coronavirus.
Daniel Dae Kim called it the "secret weapon" in his recovery from COVID-19….
Hydroxychloroquine was developed to treat malaria, but is now also used for arthritis. Dr. Green tells KITV4 he knows of people who cannot access the drug for arthritis right now because there is a shortage. …
(That’s Green saying ‘No’)
"I would advise someone who is ill to see their physician and not use something that isn’t proven to be effective," said Dr. Bruce Anderson, Director of Hawaii's Department of Health….
(That’s DoH saying ‘No’)
Background: MD: Chloroquine Widely Prescribed against COVID-19
read … International survey of physicians touts Hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatment
Japan to offer anti-flu drug Avigan to nations fighting Corona Virus?
KN: … The Japanese government is considering offering the anti-influenza drug Avigan for free to countries looking to use it to treat new coronavirus patients, its top government spokesman said Friday.
"Some 30 countries have made requests through diplomatic channels to Japan for the procurement of Avigan," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference. The drug developed by a group firm of Fujifilm Holdings Corp. is seen as effective in treating the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus.
"We intend to expand clinical research on Avigan with countries wishing to cooperate," Suga said….
On Thursday, the German health ministry said it will seek to purchase Avigan tablets as a treatment drug for the new coronavirus. Local media said the ministry will buy several million tablets to treat patients with severe symptoms.
A study by researchers at Wuhan University and other institutions in China has shown cases in which Avigan was effective against the coronavirus, especially for the treatment of those with mild symptoms.
Avigan has been manufactured and stocked in Japan as an anti-influenza drug….
read … Japan mulls offering anti-flu drug Avigan to nations fighting virus
Ige Activates Guard: New Homeless Arrivals will be Deported
KHON: … Governor David Ige says he has activated four units of the Hawaii National Guard as more medical supplies arrive in the state. As the pandemic continues, troops might also be used for other duties such as law enforcement.
“Effective immediately, there will be more than 250 men and women on state active duty. They will provide assistance to the Hawaii Emergency Management Operations Center, the State of Hawaii’s Joint Information Center, and support the receiving and distribution of medical supplies and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) from the national strategic stockpile,” said the governor….
“We believe we may be needed to assist in providing support to law enforcement for security and also law enforcement of the supplemental proclamation and executive orders,” said Brigadier General Moses Kaoiwi of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
Kaoiwi says the National Guard is already being used at security checkpoints on Kauai. And starting Monday, soldiers will be at the airports helping with screening. He adds that troops may also be needed to help clean and disinfect important government sites if needed, down the line.
The governor also announced more measures aimed at visitors. Even though travel has been drastically reduced, there are still those who come to Hawaii with no place to stay.
“Yesterday, I instructed Director Hara that if anyone arrives at our airports without a place to stay, they will be immediately sent back,” said Gov. Ige.
HIEMA Director Kenneth Hara says if the visitor doesn’t want to go back, they will be arrested….
read … Gov. activates Hawaii National Guard to help with pandemic
Ige asks Trump for use of federal detention center for inmates
SA: … Gov. David Ige today sent a letter to President Trump asking if the Federal Detention Center near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport can be used to temporarily house state inmates to ease the overcrowding situation in state corrections facilities in the face of the new coronavirus outbreak.
“The inmates we seek to transfer are primarily jail inmates charged with, or convicted of, crimes against persons, domestic violence crimes or violations of Temporary Restraining Orders and Protective Orders,” Ige wrote. “The transfers would of course be temporary and on a space-available basis.”
The state already has a standing contract to temporarily house inmates at the FDC. Ige, however, said “we were informed that the FDC is not accepting inmate transfers at the present time” despite not being at capacity….
read … Avoid Mass Release
Hana Vigilante Patrols Completely Useless Against Virus
MN: … State Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English, who reported the Hana case via Facebook, called the news alarming, especially since state and county officials had closed Hana Highway from Haiku to Hana and Piilani Highway on the backside to nonresidents March 18.
English, who represents the area and is a resident of Hana, said the closure was meant to safeguard the rural community.
The state has jurisdiction over Hana Highway and the county oversees Piilani Highway, the two access routes to East Maui. Road signs have been posted at entry points, and East Maui residents, along with local law enforcement, have monitored the areas.
The Hana resident with coronavirus is in quarantine, but officials did not disclose where or elaborate on her travel history. The state DOH is investigating the case and alerting anyone who may have been in contact with her.
The news troubled Hana native and resident Harolen Kaiwi, who said that it’s difficult for a tight-knit community to be in the dark with few details about the case.
“We don’t even know where they’re from, if they were a traveler, so we have no answers,” she said in a phone interview Friday evening. “We are still in the dark.”
Kaiwi said the small town has been rallying together to stay safe. “We’re keeping ourselves protected as best we can,” she said.
On Friday, Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino doubled-down on warnings to protect Hana and other rural communities.
“I do not believe the Hana community can afford an epidemic; an outbreak would be very devastating to that community,” he said during a news conference. “Please, I ask again, all of you out there who are listening to this, please, Hana should remain shut down. We should not allow any traffic, except for our residents.”
He urged people against driving the back side of Kaupo via Piilani Highway. He also advised people not to venture to Lanai and Molokai and that only essential services and travel are allowed.
There is a 14-day quarantine for nonessential interisland travelers, including between the islands of Maui County, declared by Gov. David Ige this week.
Kaiwi said there has been a lot less traffic, with the exception of a few people from “the other side of the island, who think they can cruise around the island.”
She said tourists rarely are seen. Perhaps the only ones are visitors who were here before quarantine measures took effect and decided to “sit it out.”
She said Hana has vocal residents, called “the protectors,” who are always “looking out” and observing who’s coming through and what’s happening.
“The young gung-hos are always out on the road, making sure nonresidents don’t come through,” she said. “They are taking it a little more calmly now. Nobody really understood what this is all about at first. They just heard we had to protect Hana….
Related: COVID Reaches Hana: Tourists Blockaded, but Local Resident is Source
read … Useless Gung Hos
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