Hawaii Daily COVID-19 Update: Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Hawaii Daily COVID-19 update coronavirus reports and statistics from government departments as of Tuesday, May 26, 2020 in the Aloha State.

Governor’s Office:

Three Days – Zero Cases

During an afternoon news briefing Gov. David Ige called the Memorial Day weekend, “A great weekend in the fight against COVID-19. Including today, we have had three days in a row with no new cases. Zero.” He thanked everyone for their efforts which have resulted in Hawai‘i leading the nation in controlling the coronavirus outbreak. The governor again encouraged people to continue practicing our now common measures like face covering and social distancing, especially as more and more of the economy is reopening. “It must be done in a careful manner so we can continue to protect your health and the health of your families and neighbors.”

Governor Thanks Residents for Successes

Gov. Ige once again thanked the people of Hawaiʻi for acting responsibly to flatten the curve. He said, “It is important to remember that we will keep the virus under control through personal responsibility … it’s about your own actions.This weekend, most of you enjoyed the holiday in the right way. Small gatherings. Physical distancing. Wearing your masks.” He acknowledged that there was at least one large gathering at Ka‘ena Point State Park and said “…we have sacrificed too much to have the health of our community threatened by the actions of a few, inconsiderate people.”

Update on Re-openings Including Travel and Tourism

The re-opening of Hawaiʻi is moving forward. Stores are re-opening. People can go to the beach and some parks. Some services and other businesses have re-started. Gov. Ige said he expects to announce the end of the inter-island travel quarantine very soon. He added, “And we are finalizing the plans to re-open tourism. Gov. Ige reminded everyone that we need to keep up our health best practices by maintaining social distancing, washing our hands, wearing our masks, staying home if sick and avoiding large gatherings. The governor concluded, “We came together as a community to fight the virus. And we still need to work together to remain safe.”

Department of Human Services:

Focus on Childcare

As parents return to work many of them are worried about having safe places for their children. Governor Ige said, “Without a safe place for their children, many people will have a hard time returning to their work.”

Alan Oshima, Economic Recovery and Resiliency Navigator, said that “childcare is a key component to allow employees to return to work with peace of mind, knowing their child is being cared for while they are working.” He said the guidelines being released today by the Dept. of Human Services (DHS) represent a collaborative effort and incorporate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

New guidelines for Hawai‘i childcare facilties will utilize all available public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Hawai‘i Department of Health. The goal is to minimize the risk to children, staff, and families when resuming or continuing childcare operations. Every child-care facility and home that continues to operate or re-opens is required to establish and follow written operational policies that address the guidelines consistent with Governor Ige’s 8^th Supplementary Emergency Proclamation. Minimizing the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus to children in care depends on every facility and home consistently applying these public health practices. The Guidelines for Child Care Facilities that cover public health measures include detailed reference material that will enable child care centers to effectively implement the new guidance with protocols for the following:

• Cleaning, sanitation and safety measures
• Child and parent expectations
• Employee support
• Physical distancing (limit to childcare groups of 9:1, room dividers, staggered meal times)
• Health & safety (temperature checks, face masks, etc.)
• Facility safety (ventilation system, trained back-up staff, communication protocols, etc.)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

Additional Contract Opportunities

DHS is also announcing contract opportunities for childcare facilities as well as requests for proposals for childcare providers. These opportunities will support families and provide an injection of funds to help Hawaii’s economy. Eligible child care providers may now apply for $11.9 million of additional federal funds to increase the safety and protect the health of children in their care. DHS has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Emergency Child Care Services and will award contracts to eligible providers to cover cleaning and sanitation of the child care facility or home or other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of the child care, including health and safety measures for the facility, health and safety measures for the child in care and for staff or caregivers.  All licensed and registered child care facilities and homes, as well as organizations contracted by the Department of Education (DOE) to operate A+ sites at elementary school campuses, are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2020.

https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/provider-vendor-covid-19-information/

Department of Health:

Third Day of No New Cases of COVID-19

Today is the third consecutive day that Hawai‘i has reported no new coronavirus cases. A weekend issue with electronic lab reporting (ELR) has been fixed and has not affected any data.

Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, May 26, 2020

* Includes cases that meet isolation release criteria.

Laboratory* Testing Data

*Electronic Laboratory Reporting  **15 test results were inconclusive

Hawaiicovid19.com

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:

Hotel Revenues Down Dramatically

Hawai‘i hotels across the state reported dramatic declines in revenue per available room (RevPAR), average daily rate (ADR), and occupancy last month compared to April 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, statewide RevPAR in April 2020 decreased to $12 (-94.5%), ADR fell to $131 (-51.8%), and occupancy declined to 8.9 percent (-69.0 percentage points).

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4618/hawaii-hotel-performance-04-2020.pdf

1,028 Passengers Arrive on Monday

Yesterday, a total of 1,028 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 259 visitors and 381 returning residents. There was a total of 14 arriving flights. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday, but does not show interisland travel.

AIRPORT ARRIVALS FOR MONDAY, MAY 26, 2020

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4620/052620-passenger-count-press-release.pdf

Reporting by DBEDT of interisland passenger numbers is currently experiencing an 11-day lag, as recently implemented traveler forms are being processed. Those numbers will be included as they become more current.

Previous Hawaii Daily COVID-19 Update.

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