Mayor Caldwell: Honolulu could become another New York in COVID-19 outbreak
Honolulu Mayor Caldwell warns that more people could be dying, and Honolulu could become like New York. Today, Hawaii recorded 140 new cases and 3 new dead because of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Clusters are reported from Honolulu.
Mayor Caldwell said: “We the people of this beautiful but fragile island need to come together. We need to save u,s each of us, our loved ones, and yes, also to save our economy.
“It’s about life and death now, and a healthy economy is depending on a healthy population.”
An outbreak at the Honolulu City Hall, known as Honolulu Hale. is hitting home for Mayor Caldwell. He himself was tested and is expecting the result later today.
The Mayor was disturbed that the military and their friends were allowed to bypass State quarantine restrictions and assured this is now in place. Caldwell did not know about the extent of an outbreak at a military installation on Oahu and urged federal authorities to share such data and coordinate efforts.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell today announced that Honolulu Hale will be closed to the public effective today following several positive COVID-19 cases on the Honolulu Hale grounds.
During this time, all city workers are instructed to work from home through September 6, if possible. City offices are currently being sanitized, and employees are undergoing testing.
“Health and safety has always been the number one priority during this pandemic,” Mayor Kirk Caldwell said. “The city will continue to operate, but nothing is more important than the lives and well-being of our employees and residents. We encourage all employers to take similar steps when necessary to ensure the safety of their work ‘ohana.”
Due to the recent positive cases in Honolulu Hale, City Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson also announced that he has decided to postpone the upcoming Council and Committee meetings.
“We are evaluating how best to conduct the people’s business under these circumstances but, out of an abundance of caution, I believe postponing our Council and Committee meetings is the right thing to do, said Chairman Anderson. “More details will be announced later today.”
Mayor Kirk Caldwell has entered quarantine until his test results come back.
Forward-facing city services like Satellite City Halls will remain open with stringent safety protocols in place, by appointment only. Tax payments and other critical business will continue to be conducted at Honolulu Hale with a new check-in system in place.
To date, there have been 48 City and County of Honolulu employees who have tested positive for the Coronavirus from various departments across Honolulu, including:
13 in Honolulu Fire Department
9 in Budget and Fiscal Services
9 in Honolulu Police Department
3 in Board of Water Supply
2 in Environmental Services
2 in Parks and Recreation
2 in Honolulu Emergency Services Department
2 in Department of Community Services
1 in Design and Construction
1 in Human Resources
1 in Facility Maintenance
1 in the Clerk’s Office
1 in Enterprise Services
1 in the Mayor’s Office
