Details on latest 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, even with negative test results.
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366 thoughts on “Breaking News: Kauai To Shut Down Effective December 2.”
Details on latest 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, even with negative test results.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
One death?!?
One death?!?!?!?
When did we start pretending like no one has ever died before?
I am happy to see Kauai shut down. The Garden Island has been degraded by the onslaught of tourism for decades. The shutdown of the sugar industry was replaced by massive tourism. Let Kauai recover. Mahalo
Well said braddah man! Keep the haoles ocean distance away is a prime choice
I am grateful to hear that Mayor Derek Kawakami has taken a proactive approach to protect Kauai Residences!
I am a former residence of Kauai and currently live on Oahu! I have witness that some people does not take the COVID-19 Pandemic Seriously and does not follow the Emergency Orders.
The question is what is most important? Saving people lives? or the Economy?
To me People’s lives are the most important then they can rebuild the economy!
We must learn from past mistakes “
“The measles deaths of Hawaii’s monarchs were tragic—and foretold another tragedy. When measles finally hit the Hawaiian islands in 1848, it began a long sequence of epidemics that tore the kingdom apart. Until their contact with Europeans, Hawaiians had lived in an isolation that helped their culture and population flourish”
“That isolation ended up contributing to their downfall. During the 19th and early 20th century, epidemics of measles, smallpox and other diseases threatened to wipe out the entire Native Hawaiian population, and disrupted the culture and lives of the island’s residents.”
Reference: FEB 5, 2019
How Measles Helped Destroy the Hawaiian Monarchy. The death of King Kamehameha II and Queen Kamamalu was a harbinger of disaster.
BY ERIN BLAKEMORE. History.com:
Hawaii people are innovative, creative, spiritual strong with wisdom and knowledge: Let’s focus on
What is my responsibility towards humanity to serve, protect, and provide a safe haven for people to flourish within the community!
I am grateful for the Governor, Mayors and Essential workers to who place people lives at the forefront as their top priority!
With Deep Respect
Imilani A
Let Hawaii be sovereign again. Stop the cash flow of federal funds.
We love Kauai and come here for two weeks twice a year and have been for 20 years. We own 4 weeks of timeshare in Princeville and never trade because this is the only place we want to come. We feel like it is our second home. With no hospitalizations and no icu beds being used due to COVID, this policy is hard to understand. I don’t know why the governor allowed this but not the second testing option. The mayor is killing his economy by this just when it was starting to come back. I hope common sense prevails and this order is lifted soon. The death rate from COVID does not merit these draconian measures which will kill the economy and hurt all the residents. And if it lasts very long it will just spiral as many who own timeshare and can’t come will simply quit paying their fees and stop coming and further depress the whole economy. I hope all this nonsense is over by next March when we hope to return.
Covid will be with for awhile and is Not going away. No one is going to get rid of it, not with masks, lockdowns, or vaccines. It will affect all of us for years. Dealing with this is reality and we need realistic leaders with long term plans. Locking down an entire island for the last nine has Not worked. Investing anywhere in the islands and especially on Kauai is total waste of funds. The airlines should stop all flights to Kauai for 6 months to a year to cover all impending rule changes. The mayor should not expect to live off unemployment & welfare from the state or federal govt. and neither should the residents. This is reality Not la la land.
What is wrong with people…the facist dictators have instilled so much fear that people are becoming mindless idiots…the rulers are laughing saying how easy it is to rule.. keep baaing along like sheep and when you wake up and discover all your rights and freedoms are gone…it will be too late
Please see my response kindly. Read Martin Niemoller’s “First they came” writings from post world war. I hope you will understand that what you are going to receive is what you are allowing. That k you.
The kauai mayor and Hawaiian government are so quick to destroy our economy, yet they have no sensible way to restart it. In Florida the people have charged its government with treason for destroying the people’s way of life and other states are doing the same. Your children are growing up stupid because no school are open. And people here on kauai are beginning to steal from everyone. No work, mass poverty yet shiping got a 50% increase and that drove food prices sky high. It’s painfully ovious the islands are being used as a closed test site to see what the wealthy who control our US government can do to the people like destory life styles, homes and family’s jobs, school and keep people in food lines and poverty. And the propaganda the kauai mayor is putting out to the people is a total lie, Covid19 is not a disease its a simple virus. Yet the kauai mayor is creating hysteria by using Kong radio and calling covid19 a disease what f**king liars they have become for all the federal money they get, not the people affected by their scams. Kauai has become a large petre dish for exspearaments with forced vaccinations and forced lock downs. Without any realistic way to bring back the lives it has and well continue to destroy. Welcome to reality.
Thank you, for your provided information. But what is an outrage to me is no one is being completely transparent- they did not give the pre test a real chance because they allowed people the option to just quarantine for 14days which many residents chose as they were not paying for a vacation. So you have those who paid and arranged for the pre flight test sitting in company with those who chose to opt out and just stay in quarantine for 15days. This is the real issue. A preflight negative test requirements and a 72 hour test on arrival would quell all of this, keep people safe and boost tourism that almost all deeply depend on. I know this as I have dear family and friends as residents of Kauai and they were forced to cone care for aged parent and transport back. They desperately wanted to stay safe and preflight test and almost didnt get to as they were short for miles around the airport, but were terrified as an unencumbered amount of passengers were opting to quarantine. This is the real problem. Please dont act as though this preflight requirement failed as it was never really a real requirement but 1 of 2 options…
No one was being pre-flight tested prior to October 15. Tens of thousands flew to HI and quarantined. This was touted as a huge success. Nothing about people being Terrified of flying, or at least nothing I heard about. More like people being depressed about being quarantined.
If you are Terrified, don’t fly period. Geez.
We need to learn how to live with this. We can’t continue to let businesses die, yet we also can’t risk the lives of so many more people. I have plans on Maui in March, they were supposed to be last March. My wife and I plan on doing take out only, and touring the island from our car and room. I don’t want to catch COVID as much as I don’t want to spread it, but there has to be a way to allow us to come.
Wild. We were scheduled to fly Dec 5 on American. We have the COVID test ready to go from American Airlines – letsgetchecked.com and have been in quarantine.
Now we had to move our flight to Dec 1 – the last remaining direct flight via Delta before the rule is in effect. Delta is not on the list of preferred partners, but the original test we have is. It’s been a nightmare this morning to get in touch with Hawaii Tourism, airlines and testing vendor.
It’ll all be worth it to get to the beach right? Only the highly motivated and prepared will make it.
Test must be taken no earlier than 72 hours before your flight. That would be Today.
Otherwise, No Beach for You!
The world is watching Hawaii and their fearful Democratic leadership. Sad times for Hawaii.
Is this all you were ever taught, red or blue states? How about a “mind of your own”, after you fully “educate yourself”!
This virus “does not care if you are red or yellow, black or white, or purple”.
COVID/Corona-virus does not care if you make billions of dollars, $500,000. $100,000. $75,000.
COVID/Corona-virus does not pick a color or an income bracket, it is killing & massively changing globally lives, don’t write stupid stuff you obvious have no knowledge of how it infects.
Be sure to beg those doctors and nurses on the front line for a ventilator to breathe when you or someone you love ends up in the ICU.
Ignorance is a bliss, truly…. wait until you’re so sick you beg for your life, how many did you personally infect along the way, weeks, days before it actually put you down.
Oh, he/she was absolutely fine yesterday, last night, we went to bed, why hasn’t he come for breakfast, go check on him. He died from A-Symptomatic COVID!
It’s unfortunate until it hits you blatantly, you’re history, it’s in the air like an aerosol spray.. wake up, educate yourself, don’t be so vain not to wear at least a mask, unbelievable and scary to have thoughts people think anything differently!
And the highly privileged…
You rebooked the last flight with delta, so if I tried ten minutes after you does that make me less motivated?
But enjoy your stay and remember:
Aloha means hello and goodbye…
Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands forget the State of Hawaii is the 50th State of the union of the United States of America (1959). We must follow both Federal & State laws, just like you in your state. Many of us have not been out of our homes less than half a dozen times since the end of February.(February?? you ask),yes having over 35 plus years in hospitality & part-time medical care, including working “search & rescue” for visitors who decided to stray off path & got lost. We’re smart enough to keep others out who may be A-Symptomatic to prevent a partial genocide of 1)the 100% pure Polynesian people were invaded with visitors & people moving here 2) Hawaii is a melting pot of many nationalities.How would you feel if your state allowed everyone to bring COVID into your state? Don’t rant on the “people or being stupid”, we not only attend school, we read books at home to further educate ourselves. All you see as a visitor is “playtime”. P.S. the beaches are CLOSED! We also live on Maui & I agree with the person who mentioned Mayor Michael Victorino, who should “step up” & control all islands of Maui Nui, like the Kauai Mayor! We only had this virus because 1)visitors to the islands brought it with them including people from all countries 2)People(from Hawaii & their ‘blissful’ vacays to Las Vegas which was “filthy” brought it back and spread it.Go to Las Vegas they don’t give a rip about you, with an attitude like yours,& Hawaiian people are “stupid”,really? Maybe check the stats, then look in the mirror. You can’t put off visiting the Hawaiian islands six months down the road or even a year? Even the beaches are closed to “everyone” including us.Yes, we have a few who believe they can hold bonfires, get together on the beach or? they’re not hurting the sacred island, they’re furthering spread of the virus, same as you would,they are being jailed & fined! You’re aware you can be negative one;positive the next? “True”! Visit Hawaii in 6 mos, a year? Mexico option?
Not that surprised we had a trip planned for Kauai for a couple of years now.then a couple of months ago we cancelled and are actually flying out tomorrow.We decided on going to Florida instead.Why Florda well because it’s a Red state.
Alot less complicated to travel to Florida loads of beautifull beaches and they will be glad to see you these incompetent politicians will turn the state into a third world country unfortunately people who don’t even live there will foot the bill.most of the cases come from people who live there not tourists loads of homeless I. Honolulu . really sad thought of going back can’t happen now
“because it’s a Red state.”
Amen!!
Too many brains oxygen deprived putting up with this bizarre Destructive totalitarian Exercise !
Aloha
So surprised to see the ad above the article advertising cheap flights to Hawaii
Can see where BeatofHawaii stands
Those ads provide income for BOH, otherwise you wouldn’t have this free website.
Hi Rob.
Thank you. True that.
Aloha.
You mean not even The Beat of Hawaii can survive without tourism? How ironic.
Devastating , 34 years in business , I’ve had to close two out of three businesses. 29 employees now will be on total unemployment once again . What did decision makers think was going to happen . It was a joke to think that the testing would work . There were more holes in it
Before it even started . What they think was going to happen. Visitors will pay for two tests to not only be safe for themselves but also for the community. Close it down right before Xmas . T hi so is not so good .
I might not be around fir the née year
once again the heavy-handed democratic mayor imposes his will without consideration of the business community. Kauai has been doing fine as compared to the other islands, no need for this kind of shutdown. It is a major restriction for residents as well as tourists.
If you can’t educate yourself on the virus, not a political party, why don’t you move?
What your Mayor is doing is very intelligent! He may be saving your life, including issues that leave COVID/Corona-virus side effects that live in your body the remainder of your life!
Educate yourself about this virus, it is serious, it is in the air like an aerosol spray.
Healthcare workers have not had a break, they’re worked until they catch the virus, many have died, others still suffering. All because thoughts of people truly uneducated about this virus, how deadly it is.
No, you would rather play “politics”! Boggles the brain people do not educate themselves, think outside the box for awhile, be thankful you have a mayor that likely goes against even maybe his own thoughts.
He receives daily memos, sometimes more than once what is going on & must act on the best he can for the survival of his people! Highly classified memos he is likely receiving at least once daily, do you know what “classified means”? Doesn’t sound like it.
Bottom line, please educate yourselves beyond politics, do it for yourself & all family & friends around you. If you figure this virus out & how scary it is, tell all your family and friends.
If you honestly believe this virus is not for real. go put yourself in the healthcare industry having sick people breathe, cough, vomit all for you, begging you for one more breathe. Wilcox hospital probably wouldn’t have you, not with your political mentality.
Stop with the ignorance & stupidity….. educate yourself, blame no one for anything, tons of things are going on behind the scenes we may never see. We must leave it up to those we elected (or maybe didn’t elect) “who are in the know” of it all, follow their lead whether you agree or not, grow up!
Like many residents of Kauai, I was strongly opposed to opening our travel restrictions without the requirement of both a pre-travel test and a brief quarantine post-arrival waiting for results of a follow-up test. This shutdown could – and should – have been avoided. Governor Ige’s refusal to approve Kauai’s request to require follow-up testing led to this sad decision. Locals, let’s do everything we can to support our Kauai resort businesses. Eat out or at least get take-out, and maybe enjoy a staycation at one of our hotels if they can stay open. Governor, learn your lesson and allow double testing so we can open up again quickly!
We don’t have jobs, we can’t even pay rent! How are we supposed to go stay at a hotel? You buyin?
RUBADUBSKI Y…
Oh – but Richard C said you guys are all “loving it” that us tourists aren’t there supporting your economy. As folks who has over the last 25 years of visiting Kauai have spent over 2 years of our life there – his telling us we aren’t welcome – that hurts!
If you read properly, the moratorium “is not up, legally you cannot be evicted until December 31at, and many things are happening behind the scenes, we may never know. The moratorium ends December 31st, midnight. There will be new rules put into effect to be certain you are3 not evicted. The U.S. Government will not let you down. Stimulus checks eventually will come out, any rents not paid, there are huge varieties of programs on your county, state, and federal levels, have you looked to them to pay rent?
Educate yourself about this virus, it is in the air, like an aerosol spray! Spread the good, not the negative in all you find. Your landlord could even apply for a “totally forgivable PPP loan from the treasury department.
It’s tireless that people cannot work together would rather fight. Your comments show more about you than you know.
One administration has “left us to die, care only for their self”, take a chance & listen to the administration coming in… or are you too full of hate?
It’s amazing, how infected this administration has left so many delusional people. Or perhaps a “good reason to fight with your neighbor” instead of care for them. If they seem like jerks, maybe there is a reason for that, when was the last time you looked in a full length mirror?
Who is going to eat out and support local business if everyone is out of work.
With the surge of cases all the way up to zero hospitalizations, with zero recent deaths, it’s definitely the right move! I hear Kawakami is trying to figure out how many of Kauai’s young men can be forced into committing suicide – 4 in one week is his best work so far, let’s see how many suicides he can encourage this time.
Great job, Hawaiians! You asked for this, and you deserve it.
Politics are not the problem! People lacking the true knowledge of how this virus spreads. Enjoy Florida, or wherever. We would rather be alive than “chance” our lives, better yet, possibly be the very reason others we are around die from COVID. Are you American, Red State (not by much), ma y of you and your “Red state” have drank the kool-aide”*)
*Kool-aide, educate yourself about “con persons”, the Jones-town Massacre.
You were never taught or it was before you were born! Amazing con-persons, they’re destructive paths. Live with your consequences!
This is a devastating blow to the economy and what a bad time of the year to get this news..
As a lover of this island and its people I only hope the best for these great people.
From a Texan
Thank you so much for your heart-felt wishes. And thank you so much for thinking about our island and the people and not making this all about your “vacation plans.” We will all get through this together, somehow.
Congratulations Derek,
You have cut of the hands that feed your people. We’ll all look back at this draconian measure as the pivotal move that effectively sank your economy. Sure, you can call Biden next month, but with a nation that is inasmuch debt as America-good luck. Another Democrat who ruined his island and city without attempting to work through COVID by implementing safe and sane practices.
Let’s not make this political. There’s been enough of that to last another 4 years! I think it’s a mistake to shut down again. Start making people who won’t wear masks accountable. This virus is terrible but killing the economy is not the answer, IMO, but I’m no medical expert. I hope Maui doesn’t follow suit. We are hoping to go in February.
Won’t affect his large inheritance portfolio.
True that
Mayor K earned his money the old-fashioned way!
I live in Minnesota and can tell you from experience that it is a very smart decision to have a 2 week shutdown. Having a 3 day quarantine is WORTHLESS!!! Many many People are “a-symptomatic” and don’t feel sick at and therefore are running around not wearing a mask passing this deadly virus to a lot of people, and their passing it on to
many others, and it “Does Not Stop “. It can only stop or be controlled by people not being near other people period, and humans do not do that well enough on their own, so yes shutting down is the only saving way to protect your Island and it’s people. I’m sorry that businesses are failing, but keeping them open is only a death sentence for many that do not have the luxury to survive this virus. Don’t be stubborn, please wear your mask for those that won’t live unless you help them. Blessings to all
Yes, You’re 100% correct.
This is tyrants game! People are becoming poorer by the day and they don’t care! This is absolutely horrible for everyone on Kauai involved with Tourism- which is 75%. Wake up people, this is not about your health, this is about control and destruction of small and medium business! Government doesn’t care about how we feed our kids, they have set paychecks, they don’t care how much we already suffer under a false pretense of “safety”…
This tyrants will be held accountable for the devastating consequences of these actions! We still have US Constitution, not Chinese Communist mandates!
Aloha! I respectfully disagree Anna! If they don’t get this under control now there won’t be many customers because there will be so many deaths. There are 38 ventilators on this Island. Given the limited medical treatment facilities here the Mayor has good reason to shut it down. It’s only a matter of months before we see the roll out of the vaccine. For now we can all help by simply wearing a mask, washing your hands often and social distancing. Please stay safe everyone! Mahalo!
So wrong! Survival rate is 99.96 unless over 70.
For those of us over 70 that’s a real problem! 70 isn’t that old in 2020 friend. Show your Alhoa and wear your mask, social distance and wash your hands often!
I’m not sure, Nani, if you are aware of the 95+% survival rate aa well as the lack of deaths from ANYthing other than “covid” these days. People are going to die. Right now, nearly everything is being blamed on The Virus. You are literally killing your own communities by perpetuating this nonsense. Just stop. Look at the despair as one by tens by hundreds of your island neighbors lose everything, including hope, and then watch the rich and powerful step in, not to save them or you but to scavenge the pieces.
What is wrong with asking people to be responsible and wear a mask and social distance? If everyone would have done this in February we wouldn’t be in this predicament. If we want out our economy to stay open we all need to get on the same page. A little Aloha will go a long way!
Have you read the Constitution? I doubt it. Please take the time to read it. All of it. And understand what it means. If you “rights” impinge on another person’s “rights”, doesn’t it make it wrong?
I take it you’re Hawaiian and you’re always fighting for your cultural rights and giving the Hawaiian government back to the Hawaiian people etc…. So my question is to you, what has the U.S. Constitution has to do with you?
It’s people like you that don’t really care about health and welfare if all the people that live here on Kauai, especially what you said about health (This is not about your health)
So if everyone gets sick,!who will there be to run business? You keep people healthy so you can revive them he business community. People needs to be patience and no one is giving it a chance.
I like the suggestion brought up by an earlier commentor that those of us who are off island at the moment would love a resource list of businesses that can be supported via online orders and similar. I would make it a special point to patronize Kaua’i business in this way.
Regarding the limited ICU capacity on the island, I am wondering why, if the US military can quickly set up an ICU in hostile environments like Iraq, why could that contingency not have already been addressed on Kaua’i? There’s been plenty of time to address this by now.
That was my question…Kauai, like every city in every state, has had months to increase capacity for beds and ventilators. Each state (versus the federal gov) has control over Health and Public Safety issues. Where I live, they rearranged care facilities to make room for ventilators and Covid-19 patients. Does Kauai not have the physical space, or has the extra work just not been done? Covid-19 is a virus, and it spreads. Dr. Fauci said in the beginning days, that you or someone you know Will contract the virus, it cannot be helped. All we’re trying to do is flatten the curve so as not to overwhelm our medical facilities. That’s wise. However, why wouldn’t you expand the means to care specifically for Covid-19 patients anyway….for “just in case”? So many things just don’t seem logical to me.
Sadly, we’re cancelling our 10-day December 26th trip now in hope of recovering some of the money we spent. It took 2 years to save, and we booked in January 2020. I’m sad for no vacation, I’m sad our world is having to endure this virus, and I’m sad for the people of Kauai and the hardships they are enduring.
Praying for better days ahead, for everyone. Mahalo and God Bless
I’m so sorry to hear of another shutdown for the Island of Kauai.we missed not coming this year, we have been coming every year for the past 35 years. Please stay well and know that you our Ohana family and friends will be in our hearts and prayers. When we can we will be there to help our beloved island return to its new normal. God Bless and Aloha❤🌴
I concurr with mayor Kawakami,as we Hawaiian residents shuld show the country we’re not idiots. If a backwoods country like Viet Nam can barely have any cases,we can beat-this dreaded disease too.We are Hawaiian,we understand rules.
We Shall Prevail!😉
You will starve
You will ruin yourself and your neighbors, unless of course, you’re one of the elite who will scavenge what’s left. Study the lie and failure that socialism is.
The surge in COVID-19 cases means nothing. Because we’re testing so much, of course the number of cases is increasing. But the death rate is plummeting into non-epidemic territory. It’s more important to know how serious they are. How many are asymptomatic or mild, and how many were found in tests or doctor/ER visits?
What is the proper balance between health & economic survival?
aier.org/article/new-study-highlights-serious-accounting-error-regarding-covid-deaths/
Yes keep our family’s safe.but u must help businesses. Also why cant you guys do something about getting the right equipment in hospitals this a bad pandemic
Yes keep our family’s safe.but u must help businesses.
Does anyone know how this will effect travelers arriving before the second? If we arrive in the 1st, do the old rules (arriving with a negative test) still apply? Or would we need to quarantine too starting on the 2nd?
Wondering the same our flight is on Dec 1st. We have our expensive quick COVID tests today and would like to know before we pay for them.
Kate and Sarah,
As long as you have a negative pre-travels test uploaded to the State’s safe travels program prior to your flights departure to Kauai anytime before 12:01 on 12/2, you will not be subjected to the counties new Emergency Rule #23 aka the two week quarantine.
Highly encourage you to participate in the counties post travel testing program while here so that the county can continue to get data on how to best allow travel during a pandemic. Please wear your masks while enjoying Kauai and make an extra effort to support the local based businesses!
I’m glad the the Governor is concern. The people of Hawaii comes first. Stay safe.
BOH
Thank you for your updates as always. Sadness for Kauai. I can understand the risk of infection but also the importance of business to survive.
The Big Island I think has done it better. Yes you need your COVID negative test within 72hrs of traveling, AND another test upon arrival prior to even securing your bags. Without this second negative test you are not allowed out, no rental car, etc.
When we arrived 2 days after the 14 day quarantine removal, they had had 1 positive test that then went for a third full PCR test and they were quarantined.
Tough times for all :-(. I hope there can be a balance, free of Covid, tourists and residents alike following the guidance and requirements for gatherings and masks, and ensuring the Islands can get back on their feet.
We are still planning to return for two weeks on 12/20. Hope we are able to.
Thank you again for keeping us all informed in a super effective way.
Gracias!
Hi Julieta.
Thanks. Appreciate you sharing the Big Island experience.
Aloha.
Well we live on the mainland (Texas) and hoped to visit Hawaii for a retirement trip. We respect the needs of the State of Hawaii and each island to protect residents from COVID. In return, we ask you to respect our needs that we can’t and won’t plan any travel until there is 100% certainty that we can visit for up to 2 weeks with no restrictions. We cannot accept a 14 day quarantine at a hotel or resort given that both of us have had two negative PCR tests in the past month. And requiring potential visitors to travel 100s of miles to a state approved lab to get another test doesn’t work for us. Surely, there are many labs that test properly and the approved list can be greatly expanded.
I recently returned to work in a retail job where it’s not easy to socially distance. It felt good to be engaging with tourists again, except when one of them pulled down his mask and started telling me that it’s ridiculous to put money into CoVid as it’s just going to go away. He flew here from Florida. And the other very agitated customer that was putting our mayor down as we only have one death. He was trying to rush me as I was trying to stay safe. Neither of these and others of the few customers I dealt with were sensitive the the unique situation we are in.
There were other very kind customers who inquired as to how I felt about visitors and were very nice to deal with. They were going home to places where CoVid is surging and intended to bunker down at home. I understand the need to just get away. It’s been hard feeling trapped but I am thankful that we have a mayor who values human life.
I think former President Reagan said it best when remarked, The two statements he feared most from a politician were: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
Thanks for the ongoing updates. You’re the best source of info we’ve found. We are arriving on Nov 30th so are presuming the quarantine doesn’t apply but now feel very uncertain if there will be further changes that will be of impact, including if so many flights will now be cancelled that it will be tough to get home. Difficult situation all the way around for all the people and businesses involved. We will be watching closely for any future clarifications and updates. Mahalo
Hi Brenda.
Thanks. Yes more changes coming. Expect your return flight routing to be via Honolulu.
Aloha.
I’m shocked but I’m not shocked. Given how inconsistently and incompetently Hawaii has handled its closure and reopening rules, something like this happening was a given.
What I am upset about is that returning residents and tourists who have followed the rules and possess negative Covid tests in hand are now being harmed. That makes no sense to me, especially during the ramp up to the busy and lucrative Holiday High Season. If officials weren’t intent upon destroying local businesses before, they surely are now – this will absolutely devastate them. What’s more, while I completely understand that the shortage of ICU beds in the Neighbor Islands is a serious issue, they’ve had how long to address this? To do something?
I’m trying to do my part by buying macadamia nuts, coffee, and goat cheese from my favorite Maui businesses. Could I please suggest that Beat of Hawaii compile a list of island businesses that readers could mail order from to at least keep some local businesses afloat? Seriously, there won’t be many left at this rate.
Yes, this is a great suggestion!
It is becoming very apparent that Kauai actually enjoys the shut down of tourism. They use the lack of hospital beds as the tool to keep “outsiders” out, but have had 9 months to expand their hospital capabilities. Trip #2 now cancelled! I will not make anymore plans to visit Kauai for many years to come.
This is an unfortunate but absolutely necessary action due to a terrible National response to the pandemic. Mayor Kawakami is very courageous and doing the right thing. Cases are completely out of control on the mainland and the country is facing a total calamity. I live on Maui and wish that Mayor Victorino would be brave enough to do the right thing for our island now as well, and not bend to the pressures from the hotel industry, etc – before it becomes a catastrophe. We could have had this under control and been in a much better position if everyone had just made some small sacrifices. We all need to act in a preventative way, not a reactive way after it spreads even more and becomes impossibly difficult to get under control. You can’t put this virus “back in the tube”!! We all need to pull together on this NOW. If everyone had done the right thing from the beginning we would not be in the predicament now. There will be no economic recovery until there is control of this virus.
This is why Hawaii is doomed. The residents are not intelligent enough to think for themselves; not even a little bit. Mersi is from Mauai, this article is about Kauai – maybe Mersi doesn’t realize that we have zero hospitalizations on the island right now – which means our current pandemic is at… Zero. Literally, it couldn’t be going better than that. And yet we’re locking down again, and the comments are full of people who nod their heads like good little zombies. Thanks, Mersi!
We had a trip planned for the month of January. While we knew a shutdown was a possibility when we booked our travel, we are still profoundly disappointed. At the same time, we would never want to do anything to endanger the people of Kauai or end up taking up one of the few ICU beds. Our hearts go out to everyone whose livelihoods depend upon tourism. We look forward to rescheduling our trip and will do what we can to support Kauai businesses from the Mainland in the meantime (I see a lot of family members getting Kauai gifts for Christmas). Aloha.
This whole virus situation sucks we should hold china responsible and don’t pay the debt our country has with them they killed our people and economy sounds like a act of war against the USA to me