Let’s take a look at the latest data concerning Hawaii virus charges and what consultants are saying concerning tourism reopening.
Declining Hawaii COVID-19 Instances
After Hawaii’s August surge in COVID-19 instances, which prompted a response by the U.S. Surgeon Basic and a second stay-at-home order, the virus load is trending downwards. The positivity price can also be trending beneath 5%. Extra importantly, the state’s healthcare system, which was being stretched partly on account of a staffing shortage, is in a greater place with fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations.
By means of September 8, 2020, Hawaii has tallied 10,025 instances, which represents 0.7% of the state’s inhabitants. Solely roughly 31% of these instances are thought-about to be recovered.
Oahu has skilled that overwhelming majority of instances. The island’s mayor extended stay-at-home orders for an additional two weeks by means of September 23, 2020.
Will the state open tourism with the pre-travel testing program October 1st?
Maybe Hawaii’s most vocal particular person all through this pandemic is Lt. Gov. Josh Inexperienced. In an editorial column for the Honolulu Star Advertiser, he outlines his ideas for defeating COVID-19 and the economic impact. He signifies that Hawaii can reopen tourism October 1st with the pre-travel testing program. In one other article on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, he signifies that the pre-arrivals testing plan is able to go as soon as Gov. Ige approves it. To this point, only a few particulars of the pre-travel testing program have been launched.
In an article today from The Maui News, Gov. Ige signifies the pre-travel testing program remains to be on the desk, although no timeline was indicated. Right here’s that excerpt from The Maui Information.
Ige stated Tuesday that his administration remains to be shifting towards the launch of its trans-Pacific pretravel testing program. He stated they’ve been engaged on contracts with personal companions comparable to CVS and different pharmacies who may conduct the checks out of state inside three days of vacationers’ departure. They’ve additionally been working to replace the digital platform for the pretravel testing program.
“The entire actions that we have to have in place to allow pretravel testing are shifting forward full steam, as a result of we do know that bringing again our guests from across the Pacific is essentially essential to restarting and inspiring our financial system.”
Although there seems to be some attainable optimism from the governor and lieutenant governor that the pre-travel testing program can start October 1st, Hawaii accommodations introduced extra pending layoffs and furlough notices final week. That seems to be lost faith in the reopening plans. Sadly, there’s a long list of employers, principally hospitality-related, who’ve introduced Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARN).
Even when the state does open tourism, the variety of guests is anticipated to be a fraction of what it was once. Previous to the pandemic 30,000 to 35,000 folks arrived within the state every day. Per the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Affiliation, says he’d be comfortable in the event that they hit 5,000 a day at the beginning of reopening. Lt. Gov. Inexperienced thinks arrivals could possibly be within the 6,000 to eight,000 per day vary.
Officers say that accommodations want 4 to six-weeks discover to reopen. We’re nearly three weeks away from October 1st and the pre-arrivals testing plan seems to be in limbo. If the whole lot that’s been said by trade consultants holds true, a October 1st begin appears unlikely.
