Tag Archive for: COVID-19 daily update

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Hawaii Democrats push back primary, switch to all-mail ballots (KITV, April 4, 2020)

Hawaii’s Democratic Presidential Primary was supposed to be held today, but has been changed to mail-in ballots due to COVID-19. Democratic party members will receive mail in ballots for the Democratic Primary Election that must be returned by May 22. Results will be announced on May 23.

Need a fabric mask? Some tips on how to get one (KHON, April 4, 2020)

With the CDC recommending everyone wear at least a cloth mask while out in public, KHON provides a link to some places to get or buy cloth masks. You can learn to make your own mask using video tutorials here.

CORONAVIRUS HASN’T STOPPED JARED KUSHNER’S REAL ESTATE EMPIRE FROM HOUNDING TENANTS WITH DEBT COLLECTION, EVICTION LAWSUITS (The Intercept, April 4, 2020)

Trump’s son-in-law’s family real estate companies continue to evict, collect debt, and file lawsuits in the midst of the COVID crisis fallout.

Daily drive-thru testing continues (KITV, April 4, 2020)

Hawaii Pacific Health hospitals are now offering drive-thru testing seven days a week.

All four hospitals in the Hawaii Pacific Health system are continuing to host daily drive-thru testing. It runs from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. The hospitals are Straub, Pali Momi, Wilcox Medical Centers and Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. You must have a doctor’s note to get tested.

Security company seeks up to 300 new employees (Pacific Business News, April 3, 2020)

Securitas is looking for more security guards. Go to securitasjobs.com for more info.

The coronavirus shutdown is revealing America’s troubling obsession with work (Business Insider, March 31, 2020)

Based on data from OECD countries, even if the US stayed shutdown for two months, the average US worker would work about the same number of hours as the average German worker. That is about ten and a half 40-hour workweeks more than a German worker per year. A typical American worker also worked about six weeks more per year than the average French or UK worker.

See how your community is moving around differently due to COVID-19 (Google.com)

Here’s a fun and interesting way Google is using your physical GPS data to show how human movement has changed in COVID crisis.  You can view different geographies and see how traffic has changed to place categories like “work”, “grocery”, “parks”, etc.

COVID Cases Today

World: Cases: Cases: 1.2M (+100k).  Deaths: 65k (+6k).  Recovered: 246K (+20k)

USA: Cases: 311k (+33k).  Deaths: 8.4k (+1.3k).  Recovered: 14.7k (+5k)

Hawaii: Cases:  351 (+32).  Deaths:  4 (+1).  Hospitalized: 19 (+1). Recovered: 82 (+4)

NEW RESOURCES PAGE

We created a new page on our website with resources, such as food and grocery assistance, rent and mortgage assistance, and more. Please visit this page often as we will be updating it regularly as more resources become available, including information from our Hotel Industry Credit Union and Local 5’s Hardship Fund.

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Coronacare Hawai‘i (Corona Care Hawaii)

Corona Care Hawaii is a community organization set up to connect volunteers with people who need help due to the COVID crisis. You can volunteer to help your community or ask for help through the website.

More drive-thru COVID-19 testing to be offered in Waipahu and Kakaako this weekend (Star Advertiser, Apri 2, 2020)

On Saturday 4/4/20, drive-through testing will be held at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex on Waipio Point Access Road from 8am to 12pm.

On Sunday 4/5/20, drive through testing will be at Kakaako Waterfront Park at Ilalo and Cooke streets from 8am to 12pm.

Only people showing symptoms are asked to show up for screening and testing. For more information on testing, please call Premier Medical Group Hawaii at (808) 304-8816 or (808) 367-6020.

To prevent spread of virus, mayor asks all Oahu residents to wear a cloth mask in public (HawaiiNewsNow, April 2, 2020)

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is asking all Oahu residents to wear a cloth mask when they go into the community, including when they exercise or grocery shop. The mayor stressed that cloth masks are appropriate for residents, not the more specialized N95 masks that should be reserved for health care workers. The mayor encourages people to have 3 or 4 masks ready and washed daily and hung to dry. People can spread the virus for up to three days without showing symptoms. Make your own mask video tutorials are available here.

State reports second coronavirus-related death in Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow, April 2, 2020) 

The second death in Hawaii is a woman in her 50s on Oahu.

A coronavirus recession will mean more robots and fewer jobs (Vox, March 31, 2020)

This article says studies have shown that major recessions always lead to increased technology in the workplace, even though it sounds counter-intuitive because of up-front costs of tech implementation, recessions change the calculus so that tech implementation makes financial sense. After this major recession is over, we should expect major shifts in AI software and technology.

COVID Cases Today

World: Cases: 1.0M (+65k).  Deaths: 53k (+7k),  Recovered: 211k (+21k)

USA: Cases: 245k (+31k).  Deaths: 5,983 (+1.1k).  Recovered: 9k (+0.2k)

Hawaii: Cases: 285 (+27).  Deaths:  2 (+1).  Hospitalized: 15 (0). Recovered: 72 (+2)

HELPFUL REMINDERS RE: FILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

Visit our website to read some helpful reminders regarding filing for unemployment.

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Hawaii’s first coronavirus-related death was older Oahu man with multiple health issues (Hawaii News Now, March 31, 2020)

The man’s identity and official cause of death have not yet been released. We send our condolences to this man’s family and loved ones. May he rest in peace.

It’s easier for airlines to apply for $29 billion in bailouts from the US government than it is for people to apply for unemployment benefits (Business Insider, March 31, 2020)

The $29 billion offered to airlines for payroll support until September 30 has an absurdly simple five-page application form you can view here. Meanwhile, we have thousands of workers in Hawaii who are still struggling to file for unemployment.

Local 5 represents airline catering workers who work for United Airlines and Gate Gourmet. Like most hospitality workers, they are also experiencing temporary lay-offs and cut hours.

Honolulu’s mayor calls on president to stop all non-essential travel to Hawaii (Hawaii News Now, March 31, 2020)

According to the Mayor, only the President can stop all non-essential travel to Hawaii. Caldwell reports that some travelers are still coming to Hawaii, including 121 on Monday. This included a family of four who arrived with no hotel reservations.

Governor expands state’s mandatory quarantine to include inter-island travelers, too (HawaiiNewsNow, March 30, 2020)

The 14-day mandatory self-quarantine for air travelers in Hawaii has been expanded to include inter-island travel. It will go into effect Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 12:01am and extend through April 30, 2020.

Police statewide are starting to crack down on mandate (KHON March 31, 2020)

Police are starting to crack down, especially on beachgoers. You can go the beach to do individual exercise like surfing, swimming or paddling, but you cannot stay still on the beach.

The Honolulu Police Chief reported 1,500 warnings, 180 citations, and 9 arrests associated with stay at home order violations. The HTA is calling the 800 tourists on quarantine twice a day; if nobody answers, they will notify the HI Emergency Management Agency. Click for a list of do’s and don’ts for the islands: Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Big Island.

DOE adds new schools to list of ‘grab and go’ meal locations (KHON, March 31, 2020)

The following schools are being added on a staggered basis:

• Starting March 30, Central Oahu: Kaala Elementary School, Kipapa Elementary School; Maui District: Lokelani Intermediate School
• Starting April 1:
  • Leeward Oahu: August Ahrens Elementary School, Barbers Point Elementary School, Ewa Beach Elementary School, Honowai Elementary School
  • Windward Oahu:  Hauula Elementary School
• Starting April 6: Hawaii Island: Hilo Union Elementary School

You can view the full list of grab and go meal locations and details here.

Experts say Hawaii unemployment rate may hit 25% (Star Advertiser, March 30, 2020)

University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) predicts unemployment will bottom out around 25% in Hawaii. UHERO notes there is vast uncertainty in the projections because “there is no comparison for this.” UHERO predicts the unemployment rate will begin to drop back down later in the year after peaking in the second quarter.

Hawaii to get $1.2B in direct cash payments to residents as part of stimulus package (Hawaii New Now, March 30, 2020)

Here’s a breakdown on the funding slated for Hawaii:

• $1.25 billion for state and county response efforts
• $1.14 billion (estimated) in unemployment assistance
• $1.24 billion (estimated) in direct cash payments to Hawaii residents
• $130 million (estimated) for food stamps
• $53 million to support local schools and colleges
• $11 million for community health centers in Hawaii
• $8 million in community development block grants

In Saturday’s daily update, we included an article by Politico which states that the stimulus package gives people who are unemployed an extra $600 per week for up to four months, on top of the state unemployment benefits. A group of GOP senators threatened to block a vote on this, but were luckily unsuccessful.

Individual Tax Relief (Senator Schatz, March 30, 2020)

A summary of benefit and links for individual tax relief measures, including:

• Tax filing and payment delayed to July 15
• Penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts
• Loans from retirement plans
• Temporary waiver of required distribution rules for retirement plans and accounts
• Expansion of charitable tax deduction
• Student loan payments by employers

COVID Cases Today

World: Cases:  858k (+73k). Deaths:  42k(+4.7k). Recovered: 178k(+13k)

USA: Cases: 189k (+25).  Deaths 3.9k (+860) . Recovered: 178k.

Hawaii: Cases: 224 (+20).  Deaths:  1 (+1).  Hospitalized: 13 (+1). Recovered: 58 (+3)