 |
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation regularly
updates is projection of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Hawaiʻi,
along with the need for medical facilities and equipment
to fight the disease. See the Hawaiʻi projections here. |
THE FIRST DEATH IN HAWAIʻI OF A PERSON WHO TESTED POSITIVE
WITH COVID-19 OCCURRED ON OʻAHU. During a press conference on Oʻahu Tuesday,
state Department of Health chief Bruce Anderson said the man suffered
underlying health problems and was elderly. It is unclear as to whether
COVID-19 contributed to the death, but he tested positive.
In reviewing the inter-island travel
restrictions that begin on April 1, the governor said the ban is needed to
keep Hawaiʻi safe. He said he understands the importance of traveling for
essential work, and for surgery and other necessary health. Both will be
exempt.
Kenneth Hara, the Adjunct General in
charge of Hawaiʻi's war on COVID-19, explained that those traveling interisland
will be traced through filling out a form. The information required: name,
residential address, contact telephone number, and destination information, declaring
work or health need and where the person will stay.
Those traveling
interisland to perform essential functions are subject to self-quarantine
while traveling, except when performing essential functions. Self-quarantine
means travelers must remain in their hotel rooms, order food delivery, and not
receive visitors. When they return to their island residence, they are not
subject to quarantine, but are required to wear appropriate protective gear –
primarily masks – and follow all social distancing requirements.
Those traveling
for medical or health care are not subject to self-quarantine, as long as they
wear appropriate protective gear and follow social distancing requirements.
Violations of
this order could result in a misdemeanor with fines of up to $5,000 and/or up
to one year in prison, or both.
Lt. Gov Josh Green emphasized that
3,000 people have died in U.S. ,
more than during 9/11, and pressed for people to follow the rules of staying at
home and practicing social distancing.
During the press conference, government
officials presented maps that show the number of cases around the state. None
are shown for Kaʻū but South Kona has some.
See more from the state Department of
Health here.
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DAILY COVID-19 UPDATE: The state Department of Health
reports 15 active cases of COVID-19 confirmed on Hawaiʻi Island as of March 31.
One, a resident, is new since yesterday.
Throughout the state, there are 224
cases, with 22 reported today – 21 on Oʻahu. There has been one death,
today, from COVID-19 in the state – see article above. There are several
possible community spread cases of COVID-19 in Hawaiʻi.
According to Johns Hopkins University U.S. has
recorded 189,624 cases. The death toll in the U.S. is
more than 3,800. The recovery number is 7,136.
Worldwide, 860,181 people have
become victims of COVID-19. The death toll is 42,345. The recovery total is 178,359.
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BIG ISLAND GIVING TREE will be at St. Jude's tomorrow, Wednesday, with fresh produce and avocados at 3 p.m. Drive-thru only. Free to whomever needs, first come first served.
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BIG ISLAND GIVING TREE will be at St. Jude's tomorrow, Wednesday, with fresh produce and avocados at 3 p.m. Drive-thru only. Free to whomever needs, first come first served.
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 |
The state Department of Health maps of COVID-19 cases shows
no cases in Kaʻū, but health care professionals
and public officials ask residents to make sure they follow
the stay-at-home and distancing practices.
|
HAWAIʻI WILL REACH ITS PEAK IN COVID-19 cases around April
30, according to projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and
Evaluation. See them here.
The projected number of cases tops 2,000. IHME bases its estimates, in part, on
state-mandated social distancing. In Hawaiʻi on March 19, educational
facilities closed; on March 25, the stay-at-home order was enacted and
non-essential services closed. The projection, however, doesn't consider travel
that is severely limited, now that tourism is mostly non-existent, the 4-day
quarantine for travel from outside the state is in place, and the interisland
flight restrictions go into place on Wednesday. IHME updates its projections
regularly. The Kaʻū Calendar contacted IHME and asked for
clarification this morning.
The IHME projections predict that Hawaiʻi will need 1,110 hospital beds, short 154, with 956 currently available. It projects that 165 ICU beds will be needed, short 123, with 45 currently available. It predicts that 134 ventilators will be needed.
The model also predicts 374 COVD-19
deaths in Hawaiʻi, beginning in early April and ending in late June. See the
projections for the country and for each state at covid19.heathdata.org. IHME
predicts almost 84,000 deaths in the U.S.
by Aug. 14, with the peak number of cases and deaths per day in April.
The IHME Director is Christopher Murray,
Chair of the Department of Health Metrics Services at University
of Washington
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HAWAIʻI RANKS THIRD IN AGGRESSIVE MEASURES TO PREVENT AND
CONTAIN COVID-19, according to a study released Tuesday by WalletHub. California
and Rhode Island rank first and
second. However, Hawaiʻi ranks 49th in Economic Impact, which relates to
its extreme dependence on tourism. In a ranking called Risk Factors &
Infrastructure, which considers the health care delivery
system, poverty, and other factors, Hawaiʻi ranks 45th.
Other rankings showing Hawaiʻi's
preparedness include third place for the population being covered by health
insurance, with only 
health insured are Oklahoma ,
Alaska , and Texas .
Hawaiʻi ranks fourth highest in public
health care spending per capita, following District of Columbia, Alaska, and
New Mexico.
Hawaiʻi ranks third in lowest share
of at-risk population of the chronically ill, after Minnesota
and Colorado . The states with the
most-at-risk populations are Kentucky ,
Alabama , and West
Virginia .
The worst metric for Hawaiʻi in the face
of the COVID-19 pandemic relates to financial health and reliance on tourism.
Hawaiʻi ranks 49th in Highest Accommodation & Food Services; Arts,
Entertainment, & Recreation; and Public Transportation Output, as Share of
Total State GDP. Hawaiʻi ties with Nevada
and Alaska . The states with the
least tourism dependency in terms of GDP are Delaware ,
Connecticut , and Massachusetts .
Hawaiʻi also has the second Highest
Share of Workforce in Accommodations & Food Services, Arts, Entertainment
& Recreation; Bus Service & Urban Transit; Air Transportation; and Taxi
Service. Only Nevada has more,
and Florida is right behind Hawaiʻi.
States with the least share of workforce related to travel are Iowa ,
Nebraska , and Arkansas .
While Hawaiʻi is one of the most
aggressive states in fighting COVID, it ranks as second highest overall in
influenza and pneumonia death rate per capita, with only Mississippi
suffering more. The reason, says the state Department of
Health's Influenza Surveillance Program, is that the seasonal flu "is
a common illness occurring every year primarily between the months of November
and May," and that due to Hawaiʻi's "high volume tourism and
tropical climates, we experience flu year round."
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CORONAVIRUS-RELATED SCAMS TARGETING SENIORS are the target
of Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and colleagues.
They recently called upon Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons
to boost consumer protection for seniors and take more measures to better
inform them about these scams.
The
Senators cite reports that, during this time of heightened public fears,
scammers are targeting seniors with fake coronavirus tests and vaccines. The
letter notes that more needs to be done to protect seniors, who lose an
estimated $3 billion annually from financial scams.
"While the FTC has added
information to its website to inform consumers about COVID-19 scams, we believe
additional measures must be taken to educate seniors and provide consumers with
information about how to seek recourse if they are targeted. Given the
seriousness of this issue and the growing public health emergency, we urge the
FTC to take action to better inform seniors about COVID-19-related fraud and
assist victims in understanding their recourse options," the Senators
wrote. Read the entire letter here.
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latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
THE STATE HEALTH PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT AGENCY has a new
leader. Gov. David Ige announced the appointment this week. Serafin "Jun"
Colmenares Jr. is the new administrator of SHPDA. He steps up from serving as
acting administrator and SHPDA Comprehensive Health Planning Coordinator,
providing staffing for health planning councils.
As administrator, Colmenares oversees the state's Certificate of Need program, which regulates the construction, expansion, initiation, or modification of a health care facility or services in Hawaiʻi. He also oversees the state Health Services and Facilities Plan, which addresses health care needs for |
| Serafin "Jun" Colmenares, Jr. |
inpatient care, healthcare facilities, and special needs.
"The plan reflects the most economical and efficient system of care
commensurate with adequate qualify of care, and includes standards for
utilization of health care facilities and major medical equipment," says a
statement from the governor.
Bruce
Anderson, health director, said, "Jun's expertise and wealth of experience
in public health planning is a welcome addition to the Department of Health. His
experience in capacity building and community collaboration will be highly
beneficial for enhancing the health care needs of our island community."
Under
his direction, SHPDA is also responsible for collecting health care utilization
data from providers across the state, which is produced into an annual
Utilization Report. The report is used as a tool to assess health care services
utilization, trends, needs, and costs by Certificate of Need applicants,
providers, health market analysts, economists, researchers, etc.
Colmenares
holds a master's degree in public health from the University
of Hawaiʻi University
of Delhi India .
He also earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a graduate
certificate in governmental management from Mindanao
State University Philippines .
Prior
to joining SHPDA, Colmenares established and served as executive director of
the Office of Language Access between 2007 and 2015. During that time, he
earned the 2013 William J. Harris Equal Opportunity Award from the
National Association of State Workforce Agencies, for achieving a national
standard of excellence in the development and implementation of an effective
equal opportunity program in Hawaiʻi.
Colmenares
has also held positions at the Executive Office on Aging, Hawaiʻi Community
Foundation, Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association, and East West Center
Population Institute.
The state
Health Planning and Development Agency promotes accessibility for all the
people of Hawaiʻi to quality health care services at reasonable cost. SHPDA
supports the most economical and efficient use of the health care system and
resources through coordinated community planning of new health care services
and construction. For more information, visit health.hawaii.gov/shpda.
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latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
RESTORE OPEN GOVERNMENT is the message
from Common Cause Hawaiʻi, which sent sent a letter today
to Gov. David Ige and the state's four county mayors, signed by more than
40 groups and individuals. Hawaiʻi's open meetings and open records laws
were suspended in mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which
also prompted the governor to declare a statewide stay-at-home order."We commend our Hawaiʻi elected leaders for recognizing the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and taking action to protect the health, safety, and well-being of the people of Hawaiʻi," states the letter drafted by Common Cause. "[But] in times of emergency, the Constitution is not suspended. In fact, it is needed even more."
In an email to the governor and mayors, Common Cause Executive Director Sandy Ma described the letter as "from a broad range of groups and individuals regarding the need for transparency and democracy by government during times of crisis. We respectfully ask that government abide by these principles for the betterment of our republic."
Signers include ACLU Hawaiʻi, the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest, the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action, the Health Committee of the Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party of Hawaiʻi, the Media Council Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Hawaiʻi's Thousand Friends, the National Association of Social Workers-Hawaiʻi, the West Maui Taxpayers Association, and the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi. See the four-page letter here.
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 |
| UH Ag Extension agent Andrea Kawabata urges Kaʻū Coffee growers: "Don't let your guard down;" by staying on top of CBB pests on the farms. Photo by Julia Neal |
A MESSAGE TO FARMERS AND GROWERS came from University
of Hawaiʻi Agricultural Extension Agent Andrea Kawabata
"I hope you are all doing well,
staying healthy, and exercising due diligence by staying home and being
courteous to others. YOU, Hawaiʻi's farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and gardeners
are so important in keeping us fed, and I thank you from the bottom of my
heart. This is, however, an unfortunate time, and many, if not all of us, are
being affected by the shut-down. We at CTAHR will continue to serve and support
you to the best of our abilities.
"If you have questions about your
farm, trees, etc., please email me at andreak@hawaii.edu and provide
me with a contact number if you'd rather discuss things over the phone. If you
are noticing a problem or something unusual on your farm or plants, please send
clear photos to my email, as I do not have a work cell phone. If you prefer, I
do also have Zoom and Facetime. In trying to keep everyone safe and healthy,
and to minimize contact/travel under the current orders from the governor, we
can try doing a Zoom or Facetime farm visit too. Let's see how we can work with
the current situation for the best outcomes."
Kawabata also sent out a message to
coffee farmers: "Don't let your guard down. Stay on top of your spraying
to kill and manage CBB infestation levels. If you must, do a pre-harvest
picking to remove mature green berries in which CBB has entered the seed and is
in the C/D position. Spraying will not kill CBB in this position, and CBB will
continue to develop and then infest surrounding berries."
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THE FOOD ACCESS COORDINATOR FOR COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI has
released an updated collection of resources for farmers, to increase food
access, and to bring awareness to existing community efforts. Those with
additional resources can call Sarah Friedman at 808-961-8582. Financial
assistance sponsors for farmers include:
The USDA's Agricultural Marketing
Service plans to provide $27 million for Farmers
Markets And Local Food Projects to include direct-to-consumer
projects.
The
Healy Foundation COVID-19 Response Grants will go to nonprofits in Oregon
and Hawaiʻi. Maximum award is $25,000 and grants are 100 percent unrestricted.
Applicants will provide their organization's budget and answer three brief
questions. Click the link to learn more.
Hawaiʻi
Community Foundation COVID-19 Response Grants will be given to
move resources quickly, forgoing a formal application process for the
Fund. Email grants@hcf-hawaii.org.
See more on farmer resources in
future Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs and here. |
See Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.
Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
|
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
All Kaʻū High School and other public school sporting events are canceled through the end of April.
MOST UPCOMING EVENTS are cancelled for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
ONGOING
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary weekdays through at least the end of April. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
The Food Basket Food Pantries:
The Ocean View location is St. Jude's Episcopal Church at 92-8606 Paradise Circle Mauka, where The Food Basket provides 14 days of food per family, distributed the last Tuesday of the month from 11 a.m to 1 p.m.
The Nāʻālehu location is Sacred Hearts Church at 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy where the The Food Basket provides the Loaves and Fishes program to distribute 14 days of food per family on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call 928-8208.
The Pāhala location is Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street where The Food Basket provides the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pantry to give 14 days of food per family on the last Thursday of the Month at 11:30 a.m. Call 933-6030.
The Volcano location is Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road where The Food Basket provides 14 days of food per family to distribute on the last Thursday of the month at 3:30 p.m. Call Kehau at 443-4130.
A Free Dinner for Those in Need is served at Volcano Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road every Thursday, by Friends Feeding Friends, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students is Monday, April 13. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.
Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.
Distribution in the Nāʻālehu area is at Nāʻālehu Elementary, Waiʻōhinu, and Discovery Harbour Community Center Kahuku Park Ocean View Community Center
At Nāʻālehu Elementary, campus pick-up will be from 9 a.m - 9:20 a.m. for A-H; 9:20 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. for I-P, and 9:40 a.m. - 10 a.m. for Q-Z.
The Waiʻōhinu pick-up: 8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. for A-H, 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
The Discovery Harbour Community Center 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.
Morning distribution at Kahuku Park 8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. for A-H, 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
Evening distribution at Kahuku Park 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.
Times for distribution in front of Malama Market are: Kaʻū Art Gallery is looking for local artists. Call 808-937-1840.
Register for Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash by Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. See webscorer.com to register.
Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10. All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo ; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.
Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m. Other distances follow shortly after. Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on VSAS grounds, with the option of one or two laps – about 300 meters or 600 meters. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village
See ohialehuahalf.com.
See ohialehuahalf.com.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
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