RonBoyd
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Case counts are extremely low on Maui island (about 0-3 per day);
Except for those 0-3, of course... and anyone they met prior to becoming a "case."
Case counts are extremely low on Maui island (about 0-3 per day);
I'm just afraid some of the "flavor" will never return when larger companies swallow up the defunct smaller ones.
Except for those 0-3, of course... and anyone they met prior to becoming a "case."
I suppose if that is the way we look at it, none of us would go anywhere or do anything. Due to my age and underlying conditions, I am acutely aware of risks and do what I can to limit exposures. But, I refuse to adopt a bunker mentality when our case counts are so low. One could take the same attitude toward driving or even walking. Accidents do claim a fair number of lives each year, yet we still drive because we need to get someplace or we want to get someplace. I understand that the numbers are different, but in many ways, the analogy holds up. Most accidents are preventable with defensive driving. I take the attitude that we make our own "luck" with Covid as well.
We mask up, socially distance, limit our time indoors with "strangers", wash our hands 'til the skin sloughs off, get tested before travel, avoid 'hot spots' (you know, raves, funerals, halloween parties, etc.) and remain aware of our circumstances.
None of us gets out of here alive! But between birth and death, we all need to do our best to look out for ourselves and each other - but also live our precious one-time-gift of life. I was just thinking: I won't risk my health to travel to the mainland right now, BUT were I still living on the frozen tundra of the midwest, I WOULD risk my life (with Covid, air travel, car travel, etc.) to come to the Islands. Well, also the "we are all dying"
This is very much a YMMV subject so, well, YMMV.
We have plans to go in April for 2 weeks. Hopefully the process will be smoother then, test or no test here we come.
Hawaii's unemployment got as high as 20%, but then subsided to 11% recently.
People can go find other work, but what? Or they just drop out of the work force, and stop being counted as unemployed?
I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but a lot of tourism industry folks here work for cash, and their employers don't pay unemployment insurance. These folks can't claim benefits. Many construction and tourism employees often return to the mainland when the economy tanks!I just saw some unemployment statistics that caused me to scratch my head. That is, Hawaii's unemployment got as high as 20%, but then subsided to 11% recently.
Given that the hospitality businesses got totally shut down, the 20% number is not surprising. But it does not look like travel has reopened sufficiently to help improve the unemployment that much. People can go find other work, but what? Or they just drop out of the work force, and stop being counted as unemployed?
By my search, Hawaii is at 15.1% for September and reported as of October 19th. I do not find anything posted for October unemployment rates for Hawaii. Interestingly, the national unemployment rate has fallen to 6.9% for October. That's only around 3% off for the year's all time low of 3.5% back in February. (I found my stats on the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics web site)...
I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but a lot of tourism industry folks here work for cash, and their employers don't pay unemployment insurance. These folks can't claim benefits. Many construction and tourism employees often return to the mainland when the economy tanks!
You have to dig a little deeper into the mask rules. Masks are not required on the beach, or actually anywhere in public, where 6 feet of distance can be maintained.
“The Hawaii that you have come to love” is alive and well! Don’t let the naysayers give you a false picture of reality. Some locals had been enjoying a Hawaii without tourists, and are also terrified of visitors increasing Covid case counts. This is understandable, although thousands of tourists have now arrived since October 15th, when the islands allowed skipping quarantine with a 72-hr Covid test, and the islands are still one of the few places in the US where Covid cases are not rising.
You have to dig a little deeper into the mask rules. Masks are not required on the beach, or actually anywhere in public, where 6 feet of distance can be maintained.
“The Hawaii that you have come to love” is alive and well! Don’t let the naysayers give you a false picture of reality. Some locals had been enjoying a Hawaii without tourists, and are also terrified of visitors increasing Covid case counts. This is understandable, although thousands of tourists have now arrived since October 15th, when the islands allowed skipping quarantine with a 72-hr Covid test, and the islands are still one of the few places in the US where Covid cases are not rising.
“Auntie makes their famous baked potatoes with cheese,” Ige said. “It’s everything that everybody looks forward to, and we can’t do that this year.”
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/11/17/hawaii-news/masks-rules-clarified-ige-imposes-new-decrees/
This pretty much says it all. I won't be going to Hawaii anytime soon.
Headlines:
Gov. David Ige imposes new decrees for statewide mask mandate, clarifying previously confusing rules.
Seems to me Kings and dictators make decrees.
So people complain about a few mask rules in Hawaii while those of us actually hanging out in Hawaii are enjoying 80 degree sunshine, with a nice ocean breeze, in the spot with the lowest covid numbers in the country. Ya it sucks here. I am sure your weather is just as nice! It’s horrible here. Stay home! Lol.
Interesting article. We like to visit Hawaii once a year but the requirement to wear a mask even while on the beach was enough for us to decide to hold off.
Are they still requiring masks in open air spaces? What is open or closed at this point?
Masks are still required in public. We no longer see 6 O'clock news stories of 3 HPD officers hiding in the mangroves waiting to pounce on the lone bather without a mask. I think our HPD OT scandal nixed that a bit.
Some restaurants are open, but most of the more "touristy" places are closed - many out of business. Of course, there are Fast Food places, but all you can do inside is order/take out. Can't even use the bathroom. We've been to Outback once and to The Old Spaghetti Factory once for indoor dining. IOW some of the slightly up-scale places are open, but the seating is spaced quite a bit. Prices are higher (not ridiculously so - maybe 20%) to cover cost of being open with fewer guests. Menus are quite curtailed. Maybe a single page instead of the usual "booklet."
We don't do the tourist stuff anymore, but I do sometimes see the parasail up in the sky. There are virtually no air "tours" as nearly as I can tell. We used to have helicopters overhead all day long. Now, the odd military copter is about all we see. You can go to the bigger stores and some of Ala Moana stores are open, I believe, but not many.
I'd say a Hawaii vacation now would most likely be to Oahu (slightly fewer rules than outer Islands - their rules change often it would seem). IF you have your documentation and the right phone app, you can get in and stay in a hotel without quarantine. If it were me, I'd do the beach and scenic stuff (rental car if there are any - check first) to natural formations and other beaches. You'll find food someplace and fuel is available. It will be quite laid back without the typical excitement that Oahu provides. Most bars (maybe all actual bars closed?? I can't keep track of the current rules.)
I'm guessing you could google some of your previous favorite spots and see if they are open currently.
We DO have just about the lowest rate of Covid19 in the country right now. So a mask and social distancing/wash hands/etc. and you should feel reasonably safe right now. Not so sure about air travel - especially connecting flights. Those direct to Hawaii, in theory, most folks are in "compliance" with Hawaii rules which should limit exposure quite a bit - but no guarantees.
I would do a lot of due diligence on the net before travel (anywhere). Our rules change fairly often. We SHOULD make it to the next (better) level of precautions soon if folks avoid SuperBowl parties this Sunday. Our numbers spiked after the holidays, but are slowly returning to our "new" normal. I guess we'll see.
I am hoping that we see significant travel return this fall, but won't count on it. YMMV