Just watched Governor’s press conference

[DRussell83]

Unlike most states, Hawaii has tried to do contact tracing. We actually do know where many cases are coming from and it's definitely not tourists. This link will take you to the Hawaii Dept. of Health webpage that shows how many cases are from non-resident tourists. They make up 1%-2% of all cases. 93% of all August cases are attributed to community spread.

https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/current-situation-in-hawaii/#travel
The latest cluster reports also show that travel, lodging, and tourism related businesses are not seeing very many clusters/cases - 6 clusters with 28 total cases last week. https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavir...eekly_Cluster_Report_19-August-2021_FINAL.pdf

Covid is raging in the areas that are of little to no interest to tourists - Waianae, Waipahu, Ewa Beach, Makaha. The number of covid cases for the past 14 days in Waikiki, Kailua, and Haleiwa COMBINED is less than Waianae alone. You can find the covid maps here: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/current-situation-in-hawaii/

I just can't see how tourists can be blamed for the surge when the numbers don't support it.





The state can change entry requirements, but they cannot tell a US citizen they are not allowed in Hawaii. Pre-travel testing for all (including vaccinated people) may make a comeback, but the gov. stated that any travel changes will be announced 14 days prior to being implemented. I have heard of people testing positive for covid and getting their deposits back, but I'm not sure about points.

I can't imagine Aulani shutting down either. The first time Hawaii was shut down, there was no end to the pandemic in sight so it made sense for Aulani to close. (Lodging was considered essential and not required to shut down.) If Hawaii were to shut down again, it would be for a couple weeks, maybe a month, and I imagine it would be easier for Aulani to limp along rather than shut down/reopen. You're probably better off making the decision on your own rather than waiting for the state/Aulani to make it for you. I have a staycation reserved for that same time period and plan to keep it. The experience may be diminished if there are more restrictions but it will still be a lot of fun. I was at Aulani right after they reopened in Nov. 2020 and while masks were required on the pool deck and only Ulu Cafe, Off the Hook, and Olelo Room were serving food, my family still had a GREAT time!

I really feel for all of you who have to make the difficult decision on whether to come or not. Vacations really shouldn't be this stressful and the Gov.'s request to stay away doesn't provide you with any real leverage to get your money/points back. He needs to make a hard decision one way or the other because this fence sitting is doing more harm than good.

Second this - thank you for the great and informative response!

 

[knhellesky]

Unlike most states, Hawaii has tried to do contact tracing. We actually do know where many cases are coming from and it's definitely not tourists. This link will take you to the Hawaii Dept. of Health webpage that shows how many cases are from non-resident tourists. They make up 1%-2% of all cases. 93% of all August cases are attributed to community spread.

https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/current-situation-in-hawaii/#travel
The latest cluster reports also show that travel, lodging, and tourism related businesses are not seeing very many clusters/cases - 6 clusters with 28 total cases last week. https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavir...eekly_Cluster_Report_19-August-2021_FINAL.pdf

Covid is raging in the areas that are of little to no interest to tourists - Waianae, Waipahu, Ewa Beach, Makaha. The number of covid cases for the past 14 days in Waikiki, Kailua, and Haleiwa COMBINED is less than Waianae alone. You can find the covid maps here: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/current-situation-in-hawaii/

I just can't see how tourists can be blamed for the surge when the numbers don't support it.





The state can change entry requirements, but they cannot tell a US citizen they are not allowed in Hawaii. Pre-travel testing for all (including vaccinated people) may make a comeback, but the gov. stated that any travel changes will be announced 14 days prior to being implemented. I have heard of people testing positive for covid and getting their deposits back, but I'm not sure about points.

I can't imagine Aulani shutting down either. The first time Hawaii was shut down, there was no end to the pandemic in sight so it made sense for Aulani to close. (Lodging was considered essential and not required to shut down.) If Hawaii were to shut down again, it would be for a couple weeks, maybe a month, and I imagine it would be easier for Aulani to limp along rather than shut down/reopen. You're probably better off making the decision on your own rather than waiting for the state/Aulani to make it for you. I have a staycation reserved for that same time period and plan to keep it. The experience may be diminished if there are more restrictions but it will still be a lot of fun. I was at Aulani right after they reopened in Nov. 2020 and while masks were required on the pool deck and only Ulu Cafe, Off the Hook, and Olelo Room were serving food, my family still had a GREAT time!

I really feel for all of you who have to make the difficult decision on whether to come or not. Vacations really shouldn't be this stressful and the Gov.'s request to stay away doesn't provide you with any real leverage to get your money/points back. He needs to make a hard decision one way or the other because this fence sitting is doing more harm than good.

With all that data....how can you be so absolute? Which is my point, even the links and document you cited are not absolute, but your interpretation seem to round your percentages to the nearest 100.

 

[cgattis]

We actually do know where many cases are coming from and it's definitely not tourists.

your interpretation seem to round your percentages to the nearest 100.

So if she’d said “mostly” not tourists, would that have been better? The point seems pretty clear—the MAJORITY of the cases haven’t been traced to tourists.

 

[808blessing]

There are residents traveling and bringing back COVID. My uncle and Aunty, for example. Need to slow that down.

Because of full hospitals, there is added local risk with travelers doing “high risk” activities that weigh down the health care. My cousin visited & needed an appt for wana stuck in her hand. Many have been airlifted, rescued and tended to just by hiking and swimming in an unfamiliar space.

Kids have been back to school and it’s spreading among contact with unvaccinated children and families in addition to others. The health care is maxed out completely. In fact I just saw an ad on the board for nurses to move to Hawaii. It’s scary for so many because of the rate it is exploding.

 

[badiggio]

So if she’d said “mostly” not tourists, would that have been better? The point seems pretty clear—the MAJORITY of the cases haven’t been traced to tourists.

No,have to disagree. The only point is ,it's there,and it's spreading.To blame only the locals is ridiculous.

 

[Kmk2]

It’s a virus. It will be around for the rest of our lives, so all of us are going to encounter it - so I hope we don’t blame anyone.

I’m just super confused why they don’t reinstate the testing requirement? If you look at the increase in cases, it does so almost in tandem with the end of that requirement. It may just have been a fluke coincidence with Delta, but it seemed to work well.

I’m also sure the fact that supplemental unemployment is going to end soon is complicating the political choices.

 

[DRussell83]

It’s a virus. It will be around for the rest of our lives, so all of us are going to encounter it - so I hope we don’t blame anyone.

I’m just super confused why they don’t reinstate the testing requirement? If you look at the increase in cases, it does so almost in tandem with the end of that requirement. It may just have been a fluke coincidence with Delta, but it seemed to work well.

I’m also sure the fact that supplemental unemployment is going to end soon is complicating the political choices.

I think one of the big reasons they can’t and what I’ve been reading from Green is that the CDC says if you are vaccinated then you do not need to test for domestic travel that is now the standard and Hawaii is following it. My husband and I would test if required too as we did it in November but would be pretty bummed about it as I remember how much anxiety and cost it was as we had to test several times to make sure we had one that was in the 72 hour window - I’m sure it’s changed now but I had a headache for three days straight.

 

[DRussell83]

What I don’t understand is why they are not implementing showing a vaccine card for restaurants gyms and bars I don’t want this post to go off the rails here but it seems there are other things that they could implement to try to curb this than what they are currently doing.

 

[Kmk2]

I think one of the big reasons they can’t and what I’ve been reading from Green is that the CDC says if you are vaccinated then you do not need to test for domestic travel that is now the standard and Hawaii is following it. My husband and I would test if required too as we did it in November but would be pretty bummed about it as I remember how much anxiety and cost it was as we had to test several times to make sure we had one that was in the 72 hour window - I’m sure it’s changed now but I had a headache for three days straight.

Ahhh, that makes sense. I knew there had to be a reason.

I totally hear you!! We traveled the last day before the changeover and the testing process was so stressful and our family spent $1600 that we would not have had to spend a day later.

 

[DRussell83]

Ahhh, that makes sense. I knew there had to be a reason.

I totally hear you!! We traveled the last day before the changeover and the testing process was so stressful and our family spent $1600 that we would not have had to spend a day later.

Ok you win. I can’t even imagine that. Missing it by one day!

 

[cgattis]

No,have to disagree. The only point is ,it's there,and it's spreading.To blame only the locals is ridiculous.

I don’t think the point was to “blame” anyone. I think the point was that hopefully they don’t shut down (or try to severely curtail) incoming travel again. That vaccination and (maybe) pre-travel testing is keeping much of the incoming visitors clean and that’s not what’s causing the strain on the health system. I THINK the point is that hopefully they CAN start/keep bringing in some tourism dollars without (substantially) further impacting their health system.

 

[knhellesky]

So if she’d said “mostly” not tourists, would that have been better? The point seems pretty clear—the MAJORITY of the cases haven’t been traced to tourists.

Again, I’m not arguing the point about the community spread, I’m just saying that MAJORITY does NOT equal ALL.

 

[cgattis]

Again, I’m not arguing the point about the community spread, I’m just saying that MAJORITY does NOT equal ALL.

And I don’t think @corgimonster ever said “ALL.” She said she didn’t see how tourists could be blamed for the surge.

 

[jkips]

What I don’t understand is why they are not implementing showing a vaccine card for restaurants gyms and bars I don’t want this post to go off the rails here but it seems there are other things that they could implement to try to curb this than what they are currently doing.

NYC and SFO are already requiring it so why not put it in place here if the outbreak is getting really bad? HI is already one of the most vaccinated states as a percent of the population so it wouldn't severely inconvenience most of the locals.

 

[DRussell83]

NYC and SFO are already requiring it so why not put it in place here if the outbreak is getting really bad? HI is already one of the most vaccinated states as a percent of the population so it wouldn't severely inconvenience most of the locals.

100% agree with this - I also think LA county too but maybe I heard wrong - I’m in Orange County CA and it’s business as usual here….

 

[knhellesky]

And I don’t think @corgimonster ever said “ALL.” She said she didn’t see how tourists could be blamed for the surge.

lol…what was stated, like you quoted her on your previous response was “DEFINITELY NOT TOURISTS”, which by definition means without a doubt.

 

[DRussell83]

lol…what was stated, like you quoted her on your previous response was “DEFINITELY NOT TOURISTS”, which by definition means without a doubt.

I’m not trying to be snarky and I have read each of your posts several times but I’m honestly having trouble understanding what point you are trying to make here.

 

[Drewski77]

Hawaii isn’t another country, it’s a state, so it can’t forbid travel from other states.

It could return to pre-testing for all, but as others have pointed out this goes against CDC guidance.

For us, we are vaccinated and plan to go in mid-September and have a great time even if everything isn’t open.

If the last 18 months has taught me anything, it is to be careful what you continually put off doing… as there are absolutely no guarantees in life that you can do it later.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think the concern about travel is not that tourism is driving cases, but caseloads are straining availability of workers. Tourists expect staffing to clean up trash, serve food, work the rental car counter... and those workers live in the areas with high spread.

 

[knhellesky]

I’m not trying to be snarky and I have read each of your posts several times but I’m honestly having trouble understanding what point you are trying to make here.

First, don’t just read my response, read the comment/quote that I’m responding to. This will give you some context. There's only a few, so it shouldn’t take you that long to go through them.

If you’re still not understanding my point…here’s the bottom line:

Just because majority of new cases and rise of COVID transmission can be attributed to community spread, this doesn't mean that non-resident tourists can't unknowingly bring the virus with them.

When folks here make statements like "...it’s not tourists' fault that the virus is raging out of control" and "We actually do know where many cases are coming from and it's definitely not tourists". it's simply not an accurate statement.

Hope that helps.