Simplify interisland travel
Yesterday I returned from a week trip to O‘ahu, now possible with vaccination eliminating the nuisance of testing and quarantine. Before I left for Honolulu I had someone help upload my vaccination card into the Hawai‘i Safe Travels website. This should have taken care of it all, and indeed I had no trouble upon arriving in Honolulu, where no one coming off an interisland flight is checked anyway.
However, upon my return I learned that for each and every trip, that vaccination card must be uploaded into the website. So one of the National Guard checkers at the airport had to do this for me since I have no idea how to do that myself.
My question is, once you’ve uploaded your vaccination card into the Safe Travels system once, why do you have to do it again and again and again for each trip? What a nuisance, and a particular problem for people like myself who aren’t all that familiar with tech.
Here’s a thought. Why not just ditch this clunky, Safe Travels website and have us simply display our vaccination card with ID upon arrival? Why make things so difficult when they could be so much simpler?
Ken Fasig, retired U.S. Navy commander, Kalaheo
Doctors applaud island virus response
As physicians, we are writing to congratulate Mayor Kawakami, Dr. Janet Berreman, the district health officer, and the teams of people they have been working with during this COVID crisis. It is truly impressive how well their leadership has prevented and controlled the spread of the virus on Kaua‘i.
The strong leadership of the mayor started by placing a night curfew on the island, thus not allowing the infection to rapidly escalate here as it did on the other Hawaiian islands. Contrary to other islands, this was followed by the decision to require a 10-day quarantine of visitors, even those with a negative COVID test within 72 hours of arrival. These decisions were difficult, yet clearly prevented disease spread, saved lives and kept our health-care system from being overwhelmed.
A month ago, after the 10-day quarantine was eliminated, we had a spike in COVID infections on Kaua‘i, going from zero cases to 73 active cases within a couple of weeks.
Yet today’s The Garden Island newspaper reports only 8 active cases. This containment of the infection is truly a remarkable public-health achievement to have been accomplished within two weeks. It demonstrates how well-coordinated and organized our leaders are in managing this pandemic.
We also applaud the efforts of the mayor and his team that encourages all who are eligible to get vaccinated. This team has a proven record of success. We wholly support their continued management of the pandemic to keep us safe.
Judy Shabert M.D., MPH Doug Wilmore M.D., Kilauea
They are just trying to be data base oriented. Computers. They do not go by vaccine cards and just showing it. I don’t know. For some reason they want to be technical. Yes. Big deal.
Don’t forget my hero Dr. Fraudci !!!
I hope he’ll have my GMO baby !!!
Name checks out.
A little premature for applause on something with potential for devastating long term effects.
Seems already the virus is safer than the vaccine side effects.
All those who died while havung the virus, statistics tell us they were on medical care for the last 30 years of life,
Not a good record for drug disease care.
The mayors response to the pandemic probably seems great if you did not lose your job , house ,livelihood ect… The lack of compassion from the mayors office and all these doctors ,county workers and others who did not have to sacrifice everything they have worked for is appalling. I guess it is easy to glide thru the pandemic when you charge people gross amounts of money when they get sick or injured. What did you have to give up? Vacations to Martha’s Vineyard?
Sorry to tell you Ken, but people can easily reprint those cards and fake it. The reason all that info needs to be uploaded is so that is can be “verified” before you fly.
The inconvenience is there for your safety. You are a retired Navy man. You should understand protocols and safety!
A. Plaude:
“Seems already the virus is safer than the vaccine side effects. All those who died while havung the virus, statistics tell us they were on medical care for the last 30 years of life”
Your nonsense is laughable! Some did have pre-existing conditions, however many of the deceased and/or long haulers were healthy pre-COVID. Start focusing on REAL news with REAL facts, and quit spreading lies.
Karen Bent:
You need to change that around to…Bent Karen. Done. No more words needed.
alien:
“The mayors response to the pandemic probably seems great if you did not lose your job , house ,livelihood ect”
There’s been so much help available here with extended unemployment (even for gig workers), multiple rounds of rent & utility assistance, loans & grants for businesses, a moratorium on evictions & utility disconnects, 3 stimulus payments, additional food banks, a $500. restaurant card if unemployed, an increase in EBT cards, and even a tax break by the Feds for those on unemployment. Millions around the world have suffered with this pandemic, but you’re alive and well. Be grateful you weren’t born in India or Brazil where there’s still thousands dying daily! BTW – your violin is being shipped out right now.
I always wanted a violin. Thanks in advance. Now bury your head back in the sand and wait for them to tell you how to live. Some of us can take care of ourselves and make our own decisions on what risks we want to take. I guess you like to be on a leash.
Alien, which way is it? You want them to help you when you’re down and out, or you want them to leave you alone?