Mon. 7/20/20: COVID-19 update

THU. 7/23/20: FACEBOOK LIVE – HONOLULU PROSECUTOR CANDIDATE FORUM

We are hosting a Honolulu Prosecutor Candidate Forum this Thursday, July 23 at 7pm live on our Facebook Page. Watch it live and write any questions or comments in the comments section: http://facebook.com/uniteherehawaii/live

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Kaiser Permanente donates 1,000 boxes of produce to local hospitality workers (KITV, July 20, 2020)

“1,000 boxes of fresh produce were given out at Kaiser Permanente’s Waipio medical office. It’s part of the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program facilitated by Ham Produce to benefit UNITE HERE Local 5 workers struggling due to the closure of Hawaii’s visitor industry.”

Growing Body Of Evidence Suggests Masks Protect Those Wearing Them, Too (July 20, 2020)

Viral loads and the amount of virus a person gets will affect the severity of their illness, according to this interview of a UCSF doctor: “The less virus that you get in, the less sick you’re likely to be.” It references a study showing that in a population with 100% mask wearing compliance, 95% of positive cases in the population were asymptomatic because the viral loads were so low.

Workers protest racial inequality on day of national strike (Associated Press, July 20, 2020)

“Organizers said at least 20,000 workers in 160 cities walked off the job, inspired by the racial reckoning that followed the deaths of several Black men and women at the hands of police. The Strike for Black Lives was organized or supported by more than 60 labor unions and social and racial justice organizations, which held a range of events in more than two dozen cities. Support swelled well beyond expectations, organizers said, although a precise participation tally was not available.”

Vegas casino union reports 22 deaths of workers, relatives (News 3 Las Vegas, July 20, 2020)

UNITE HERE Local 226 in Las Vegas has lost 22 members and/or family members of union members to COVID.

Election ballots going out earlier than expected (Star Advertiser, July 17 2020)

Explains some of the timing and reasons for early ballot mailings in Hawaii.

Hawaii Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Drops (KITV, July 17, 2020)

The numbers released today showed the state unemployment rate going from 23.5% in May to just 13.9% in June, a difference of about 40%.

Excerpt: Interim DLIR Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio admitted today the numbers could be off, saying “You know those unemployment rates are determined through a survey done by the Census bureau, so we’re not sure if we’re 100% confident with that number.

COVID Cases (numbers since July 17)

World: Cases:  14.6M . Deaths: 609k (+8k).

USA: Cases: 3.82M (+180k).  Deaths: 141k (+1.9k).

Hawaii: Cases:  1,393 (+59).  Deaths: 24 (+1).  Hospitalized: 150 (+11). Recovered: 1,057 (+63)