LEGISLATOR CALLS FOR UNIVERSAL COVID-19 TESTING

News Release from Rep Gene Ward, April 3, 2020

Honolulu, HI—Rep. Gene Ward (R-17 Hawaiʻi Kai, Kalama Valley) called on Governor Ige and the the Hawaiʻi Department of Health to “go full-scale testing” so we can begin kickstarting our economy and putting people back to work.

“Until we get widespread -if not universal testing of everyone who wants to be tested—people will not be able to know if it’s safe to go back to work with others they trust but who may have not been tested.

“We have been real laggards compared to other countries’ testing, and now with studies indicating upwards to 25% of the disease carriers exhibit no symptoms, it is imperative that testing on a massive scale begin immediately.

“With the advent of the newly FDA approved 5 or 10 minute tests to detect the virus, combined with the $2.2 trillion CARES Act with another $6 trillion if we need it, we can assure people in Hawaii and the nation that they are healthy and we can save lives.

“The question that has to be answered if we’re ever to open up our economy again is, ‘when is it safe to go back to work?’  

“I can envision people on O’ahu going to Longs or and getting an “O-Triple-C-Card” (Coronavirus Clearance Card) before workers are cleared free of the virus and can report back to their offices or workstations.

“Therefore, testing and testing more testing combined with social distancing and masks are the holy grail to put Hawai’i back to work again and kickstart our $92 billion economy that has been put to sleep for the past few months.”

###

SA: Testing is the key to everything.

Reuters: Anyone near Trump or Pence will be given rapid coronavirus test: White House