Mon. 5/4/20: COVID-19 Daily Update
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Leaders expect ‘unified plan’ to restart Hawaii economy by end of this week (Pacific Business News, May 4, 2020)
The plan developed by Ige’s economic coordinator and the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic Impact & Preparedness will be announced later this week. UHERO reportedly believes the “local” economy will return to 75% by end of the year. With the tourism economy to start reopening in July, it believes the industry will regain 28% of lost activity by the end of the third quarter and 50% by the end of the year. But a worst-case scenario would say 12-18 months until a vaccine is developed (if one ever is developed).
DLIR makes headway on unemployment claims, predicts drop in filings (Pacific Business News, May 4, 2020)
From the beginning of March through Sunday there have been 234,001 unemployment claims filed in the state, not including 95,353 duplicates, according to data from DLIR. Of those claims 125,511, or 56.6%, have been processed and 96,190, 43.3%, are in process. About 36,693 claims were rejected.
The DLIR is currently setting up a separate portal for employers to report the return of workers to help with the Paycheck Protection Plan program.
Visitor arrivals tick up again amid growing concerns about quarantine’s enforcement (Hawaii News Now, May 4 ,2020)
The 14-day mandatory quarantine is still in effect for arrivals. Visitor arrivals to the islands nudged up again Sunday — to 228. That’s up from 188 the day before, and 166 on Thursday.
Reshaping Hawaii’s Economy For A Post-Pandemic World (Civil Beat, May 4, 2020)
Alan Oshima, the coordinator for Hawaii’s economic recovery, optimistically invites people to reshape Hawaii’s economy in a post-pandemic world. The article discuses a new organization to collect the story of lower income people to insert qualified data into public policy, a renewable energy business incubator, a social/environmental justice business incubator and rethinking agriculture in Hawaii. What do YOU think can be done to reshape a better sustainable Hawaii?
United Airlines COO says employees should ‘seriously consider’ voluntary separation from the airline (KITV, May 4, 2020)
Don’t forget that in the past 10 years United has spent $8.8B of its $11.5B of free cash flow in buying back its own stock, now the company is asking workers to voluntary resign from their good paying jobs as the company “right sizes”. Six major airlines spent 96% of their free cash flow on stock buyback over the last ten years.
Working at home had a positive effect on productivity during the pandemic, survey says (USA Today, May 4, 2020)
COVID created a huge workforce experiment when workers worked at home extensively for the first time. As employers and employees assess the cost and benefits for their specific situations, there could be a major shift in how white collar work is expected to be done.
World: Cases: 3.58M (+80k). Deaths: 251(+5k)
USA: Cases: 1.18M (+30k). Deaths: 68.9 (+1.3k). Total Tested: 7.2M (+200k)
Hawaii: Cases: 621 (+1). Deaths: 17 (+0). Hospitalized: 73 (+0). Recovered: 548(+4)
