Herein a potpourri of topics to catch up on our news that includes a C0vid update from Kauai, nasal swab test, and a hip replacement. Read on for details.
One week ago, Jeff had a C0vid nasal swab test performed here in Hawaii at Wilcox Hospital on Kauai. We share what that was like later in today’s post. And while we are at it, let’s kill two birds with one stone (or whatever your favorite such expression is). Jeff had a hip replacement surgery last Tuesday, and that put Beat of Hawaii temporarily out of commission. We’re back and he’s happily on the mend!
The past few days we also learned that a single-family on Kauai within one mile of us here at Beat of Hawaii had eight new C0vid cases. Other outlets have not reported the exact location, but we can confirm that. We have seen the National Guard posted there, apparently making sure that everyone stays put. We don’t have more details than that as of yet. These are the first confirmed cases on Kauai in over ten weeks. That mood on the island is that of concern. We all had become complacent because we went for a long time without a new case.
C0vid nasal swab test – what was it like?
Nasal swabs in both nostrils were inserted serially. While it is true that these were inserted far, there was no pain involved. Jeff reported that the result was a ticklish, need to sneeze feeling. It didn’t last long and that was it. No problem to report.
We had to wait quite a while in the car for the drive up test. That was the worst part. From what we saw, testing here is simply not efficient by any means. Notes were being taken with pen and paper by technicians. To get 6 people in front of Jeff processed, it took the better part of two hours. The test itself was fast. We’re left scratching our heads on how this could work for arriving passengers.
So is testing for travelers even available here in Hawaii or for travelers to Hawaii?
Hawaii will have a major testing component for visitors when reopening is announced shortly, but how could this be done at the pace which we saw? As you know, the State of Alaska offers testing on arrival. And, it is Alaska’s model that will be implemented here in Hawaii. When Hawaii does testing, it will need to be far more efficient than what we experienced, or visitors might lose most of their first vacation day in the process. Once the test was taken, thankfully the results were available online within 12 hours. For travelers that means quarantine until results are known.
Jeff’s surgery update for our loyal fans.
Jeff had a procedure known as minimally invasive anterior hip arthroplasty. In other words, a complete hip replacement. It came as a result of decades of sports abuse among other things. Jeff had that performed as an outpatient surgery on Tuesday, and he has been recovering ever since. Jeff is back in the saddle today and while he is still hurting some, everything is going well. Mahalo and Aloha!
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East Coast $200?? Kindly request that you please explain.
Warmest aloha for quick recovery.
Hi Catherine.
Not sure what your question is about that. Thanks for the well wishes.
Aloha.
Thank you for the update. Jeff take care I had a total hip replacement last December after relaxing on Kauai all of November. My hip is doing great and hope to be on Kauai (as I have for the past 20 years) in November. Take care and Aloha
Hi Tricia.
Thanks very much!
Aloha.
So glad the surgery went well! If you have to recuperate, Kauai is the place to do it! Aloha
Hi Buddy.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Go, Jeff, go!
You’ll be part of the Big Island’s Ironman Triathlon next. Good luck with your recovery.
I’m not so sure about my upcoming reservations in September. Nothing looks like changing soon – the County’s lockdown for international visitors and Hawai’i’s quar antine. So, I think, bearing mind timeshare 60 day notification request, I’d be as well to push the visit into the New Year? One might hope things are a little better then. It’s so very difficult for folks who just cant rearrange things and some who will miss long organised trips. Let’s try to be understanding and as ‘upbeat’ as possible.
Aloha and mahalo for keeping so well informed and good luck to Island travelers.
Hi Michael.
Thank you. It is so hard to predict how global travel will unfold at this moment. Hopefully, more clarity will arrive soon.
Aloha.
Jeff, congrats on being brave enough to have the surgery! I hope you mend well and are “back in the game” soon.
a loyal Kauai fan,
Diane
Hi Diane.
Thanks!
Aloha.
Please can you give any info/update on the opening of Hawaii to tourists?Will tourists be required to quar antine?
Hi Cynthia.
We will have an update shortly. Please stand by.
Aloha.
Aloha, Guys!
Been there, done that… I wish Jeff the best in his recovery. Mine wasn’t so pleasant, but there were medical issues that didn’t help with my hip replacement. Anyway, I hope his is successful!
So, I have a question. Do you know if they will take tests results from a certain number of days before someone leaves to visit there? I can get far faster results here, a few days before arriving there. I would hope they would allow that, instead of making people wait in line for hours to take a test, and then be quarantined waiting for results.
It sounds like they’re doing everything they can to make it inconvenient for people to vacation there, if that is their only option? How many people will actually come, if they have to waste a day (or more) of their vacation? I hope that is not the case…
Mahalo!
Hi Jim.
Thanks! We have the same concerns about testing, which we hope to have clarified by the state this week.
Aloha.
Jeff,
It is good to hear that your surgery went well. Wishing you all the best with the healing. I am still holding out hope (however faint) that we can still visit Oahu and Kauai in September from Canada. No point in going if stuck in quar antine.
Heather
Hi Heather.
Thank you. We’ll know more very soon – feel confident about that.
Aloha.
Many thanks for the update, and sending wishes for a speedy recovery to Jeff!
Hi Carolyn.
Thanks!
Aloha.
I am so glad you are both doing well, Jeff is C0vid-free and recovering fully from his surgery! I have missed your posts and news from Paradise! Stay safe and healthy!
Hi Nadege.
Thanks and our best to you!!
Aloha.
Good Evening,
With the implementation of quar antine my question is I am planning on going to Oahu on July 20,2020 . If we are able to take a test for C0vid will it be accepted? Will we be able to bypass the quar antine? Please let me know if anyone has tried ?
Gina
Hi Gina.
That will not work. We’ll have more word this week on changes to all of this that are forthcoming.
Aloha.
No, Quar antine has been pushed out to July 31st. With the recent rise in cases here in Hawaii, (mostly from tourists who are not going through quar antine) I would imagine that it will be pushed back even farther.
Us residents take this seriously. We do not want you here unless you follow the rules of the state of Hawaii. If we see you traveling around the state in your rental car you will be challenged as to when you arrived and when you plan on leaving.
Unlike the rest of the mainland, we all wear masks when out in public. You will also be challenged on mask wearing.
Be warned.
That’s good to hear. I’m from rural upstate NY. We have had very few c0vid cases in our southern tier region. But people are still mostly wearing masks here. My parents live in Florida and they tell me every day how they never see people wear masks. It is business as usual there and their hospitals are overflowing. Ugh masks make a huge difference in containing the spread. I am glad it’s the culture there.
Please know that there are plenty of areas/ people in the mainland who take the requirement of wearing masks very seriously. You just do not see them on the news, because it is not as sensational as showing the hordes of people who do not wear masks. We live in Illinois, and most people here wear masks. The state started to slowly reopen at the beginning of June. Cases keep dropping because people wear masks and follow the recommended guidelines. Even in the large metropolitan area of Chicago. If we have the chance to visit your beautiful island we will follow and respect all the rules the same way the locals do. I am confident that many other mainland tourists will do the same.
I wonder if a pre flight negative test would suffice or is that in addition arrival testing. Would be bad to never get your results from arrival testing and be denied food and TP for 7 days.
Hi Linda.
Thank you! We too hear that the tests aren’t all that reliable but haven’t seen anything that would quantify that reliably. The state seems to think that tests will contain the vast majority of cases, but certainly not all of them.
Aloha.
We are sorry to hear you needed surgery – but, just think, you will be recovering in Paradise! :0) Feel better fast. Thanks for the updates.
Hi Collen.
Thanks and regards to you both!
Aloha.
Thank you for the update! We live on Maui and we’re planning to visit Kaua’i in July before quar antine is lifted at end of July! Can we safely keep our plans and hope that inter-island quar antine will not be put back in place? Any input would be appreciated!
Hi Albert.
We have no reason to believe that would be reinstated. Highly unlikely.
Aloha.
Good luck to Jeff. Hope you heal quickly and fully. We thank you for all of your updates and wish you both the best. We are hoping Hawaii is safe for you all there and will wait for the all clear to visit you again. Please take care of yourselves. I think I’ve been reading your posts for 10+ years. I think of you often and appreciate all you do for us.
Hi Katie.
Thanks for your nice comment and for being a regular over the years. We really appreciate both.
Aloha.
Goodness, glad surgery went well. I wondered why Beat of HI
was under the radar. I am introducing a dear friend and classmate (High School Class 74’) from the Mainland to Oahu in April. My favorite time to visit is fir the ANZAC DAY celebration at the Punch Bowl held every April 25, sadly C0VID interrupted this celebration in 2020. I will attend in 2021.
Thank you Beat of Hawaii
Hi Pamela.
Thanks!
Aloha.
Heal quickly Jeff. You are in our prayers
Hi Casey.
Thank you!
Aloha.
Hoping for a speedy recovery Jeff! And again in comparing our USA testing process nationwide to other countries that have basically contained the virus with testing and tracking, we are just woefully behind. This does not bode well for further travel any time in the near future for most of us that have elders or those that are at high risk in our group. Recently, in Washington, while our testing is better than other statues due to proactive governor in locking it down, and Univ of Washington and other experts, it was relayed that even antibody testing may only last a few months and therefore, THERE IS NO IMMUNITY buildup for this. That may have even more impact on those that may have had it, been exposed, and think they may now be immune.
Hoping you guys can keep it contained and all are safe!
Hi Amber.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Stop spreading misinformation. This isn’t the forum for debating the science behind this, so I won’t. But I will say that your suggestion that there is no immunity to this has no scientific basis and you are blatantly misrepresenting the actual research.
Thanks for the update!!
Wishing you a speedy recovery…
The new C0vid case is very concerning. I would be interested to know HOW they contracted it, if it is ever known..
Missing my yearly trip to “my” island. If I ever get to go back I may not leave !
Stay Safe
Aloha
Hi Lori.
Thank you. We aren’t sure the details – and the coconut wireless isn’t always the most reliable. It is one large family, in an apartment nearby. We’d hope that if it had gone any further, we would know by now.
Aloha.
So happy to hear Jeff is doing well! We come to Maui for the month of February every year. We live in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and love Hawaii! The C0vid test would be great if we can get it when we arrive. Twelve hours to quar antine before we get the results is totally doable and necessary. Please keep us posted as to info on reopening. Thank you,
Hi Kim.
Thank you!
Aloha.
Congratulations to Jeff on his successful hip surgery! I’ll bet he is very happy to have that behind him.
Thoughts and prayers going out to him for a speedy, uneventful recovery!
Mahalo for all you do to keep us informed!
Hi TJ.
Thanks for your nice words and your continued participation. Much appreciated.
Aloha.
glad surgery went well, in a few years you will forget. too bad about the increase on kauai. interesting…all one family. good luck ands tay safe.
Hi Mary.
Thank you!
Aloha.
Aloha Jeff
Wishing you a speedy recovery. We appreciate all the great info you put out!
Lisa
Hi Lisa.
Thanks so much!
Aloha.
Jeff, I had a hip replacement here in Colorado Springs back in 2016. In a few weeks you will wonder why you didn’t have it done sooner. Same with knee replacements, which I also had. I’m pain free, although not quite as mobile as I once was, and my 30 miles a week runs are no longer possible. But…. with the anterior surgery you had, recovery is very quick, and you should be back on the golf course in a week or two.
On another subject, with this latest C0VID-19 event with the family in Kauai (Koloa?) and the uptick in Hawaii in general, does BOH believe Governor Ige will extend the 14-day quar antine beyond July 31? And do you have any thoughts on whether pre-flight testing will be required for everyone traveling to Hawaii until a vaccine is available?
Hi Bob.
Thanks again for the nice and helpful words, and all of your comments. The first five days weren’t that easy. Nothing horrible, but definitely uncomfortable.
The latest issue was in Kalaheo. No, we are virtually certain that there will be an announcement this week ending the isolation for those who pre-test at 72 hours. If you don’t pre-test then the 14-day period will remain. Post arrival testing isn’t clear at this point, including whether it is included in the plan and whether it would be available. Based on what we saw, that wouldn’t work.
Aloha.
Aloha and many good wishes for a speedy recovery Jeff! Follow the doc’s orders for a smooth and fast rebound <3
Interesting first hand observation on the testing. We are BI residents, trying to get home but have been stuck on the Mainland since the end of March. We are up to our 18th flight cancellations/rebookings/reroutings/schedule changes since April. We will be happy to be home no matter how long the testing process takes.
Mahalo!
Hi Jules.
Thank you! Here hoping you get back to the BI soon. We can’t invasion any circumstances under which there won’t be an announcement this week.
Aloha.
“minimally invasive anterior hip arthroplasty. In other words, a complete hip replacement” — Calling that “minimally invasive” is a marvelous example of how routine and successfully that surgery is nowadays! Get well quickly!
On that Kauai family: I hope you hear more about them in a follow-up. There are a lot of signs that the virus is much less virulent than it had been: Some doctors are saying the virus appears to have “attentuated” in severity, and the rise in so-called “cases” (as the lockdowns are withdrawn) seem to be accompanied by rapid drops in death rates. Fingers crossed!
Hi Kevin.
Thank you! We don’t really know much more. We’ve heard who the people are, but we don’t know them and can’t speak to anything directly. Apparently one person got it and then suddenly the whole household had it.
Calling having your femur amputated “minimal” under any circumstances is indeed a strange term. Then there’s the very large stem that is sledgehammered into the bone, and that’s before even discussing the artificial joint. Ha.
Aloha.
The “minimally invasive” technique refers to the small incision and that the doctor does not have to go through muscle to get to the joint. That’s why recovery from this type of procedure is so quick. I had an antero-lateral procedure, which is still a small incision but it is on the side rather than the front as with yours, and therefore muscle was incised. Longer recovery time. You’ll be hiking in Waimea in no time.
Hi Bob.
Thank you!
Aloha.
Jeff, hope you make a full recovery with no complications! I play volleyball at 61, feel like 30ish when we begin, however, ache all over afterwards like I’m 80ish!
Guess that’s why I coach at a girls’ club, so I don’t have to actually play as much!
Hi Reg.
Thank you and best wishes!
Aloha.
With travel to the islands as restricted as it is, how did those new cases suddenly just pop up? Was someone a non-symptom presenting carrier? Weird… Is there any news on how this suddenly occurred?
Best wishes for a fast recovery. A friend just forwarded your site to me. Looking forward to reading it more in the future.
Hi Sammy.
Thank you and welcome! We are all wondering the same things ourselves. No answers thus far.
Aloha.
Thank you for the updates. Stay safe Kauai.
Best wishes & heal well Jeff.
Hi Bob.
Thank you!
Aloha.
Aloha! Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Jeff! Mahalo for all your posts!
Be well,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth.
Thanks for your words and also for all of your comments!
Aloha.
Sorry to say, I too just had a C0VID test last Thursday 6/18 and the nasal swab stung and had a burning sensation for the entire ten seconds that they did it before they did the other side. Not the most comfortable thing. I was informed I’d have ny results within 2 days but as I write this, they still don’t have my results back as they show “its in processing. ” I needed to have it done as I was scheduled to have an invasive procedure done this morning only to have it canceled since my results weren’t back.. Now i have to repeat a C0VID test July 15th so my procedure can be done on v the 20th. Hopefully they’ll get my results in time. I guess it’s a good thing I wasn’t planning a trip to the islands, even though I left there 2 days before the shelter in place orders went into effect and am eager to return.
Mahalo for your perspectives and well wishes for a healthy future.
From my point of view on Maui, the past few months have revealed an unhealthy dependence on tourism. While the underlying cause of the quiet streets, clean beaches and stress less interactions is tragic, the quar antine has brought most residents to resist the return of tourists, at least on the pre-C0VID scale.
For the health of our islands, we need to act in this time of opportunity to limit the influx of visitors, and therefore, flights. I am unsubscribing with respect for you, but also to disengage with entities promoting tourism.
Aloha oe.
Cynthia H
Maui
Hi Cynthia.
Best wishes.
Aloha.
Here’s to your speedy recovery, It will help a lot. Thanks for all the updates.
Hi Tom.
Thank you!
Aloha.
I just went to book my airfare on Southwest from OAK to HNL for July 31st but nothing was available! Nothing for that day or 10 days before or several days after. I had just looked a few minutes before and there were plenty of flights on all those days but then I got kicked out of the system. I think SW made a major update. I was wondering if they cancelled all those flights that were available just minutes before.
Wondered where you guys were
Jeff get better soon with that new hip you’ll be running all over the place:). Heal fast and stay safe!
Hi Jackie.
Thank you!
Aloha.
Good to hear that the hip replacement went well. It’s amazing that it can be done as an outpatient.
I had a COVID test last week that went much faster than yours on the front side. A drive thru with no wait and the entire process took less than 5 minutes. Only one nostril was tested. On the other hand, results were available after 24 hours so the 12-hour wait you had seems very good.
You mentioned testing “when reopening is announced SHORTLY”. Could you please give us an idea when that information may be coming? Thanks.
Hi again Mike.
We were expecting it last week, then today, and now we are being told in the next couple of days. It should largely resemble what Alaska is doing.
Aloha.
Thank you for sharing your stories. It’s very interesting to see how things actually are working in Hawaii. I wish you guys could nail it like New Zealand is, and even they are having some problems.
Hi Terry.
Thanks. It is a strange new world, that’s for sure.
Aloha.
Aloha Jeff,
Wishing you a speedy recovery and the very best. It’s great to see you back and providing updates on the most beautiful place on the planet. Me and the family look forward to our future visit as soon as the islands are open for visitors.
Aloha and a speedy recovery.
Jerry G.
Aurora, Colorado
Hi Jerry.
Much appreciated!!
Aloha.
Jeff, Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Hi Jim.
Thanks so much!
Aloha.