LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i’s surge in COVID-19 cases attributed to the omicron variant and holiday events isn’t over, Mayor Derek Kawakami said Thursday, but that does not mean there will be new restrictions to the county.
“(Thursday’s) case count is alarming, but not surprising,” Mayor Derek Kawakami said Thursday afternoon. “Based on how easily omicron spreads, and coming out of the holiday gatherings and travel, we likely have not yet reached our peak.”
The Hawai‘i State Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office announced 240 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, another single-day high. There are 802 active, reported cases, with seven hospitalized.
“While many are asking ‘What’s next?’ in terms of new restrictions, the truth is the best tools available that everyone can utilize in their daily life already exists. This includes wearing a mask around others, avoiding gatherings, getting vaccinated and boosted, and if you feel sick, please stay home,” Kawakami said.
According to the DOH COVID-19 database, the county has a 13.2% test positivity rate, which is the lowest in the state.
With these high case counts, people have adjusted their behavior during the surge, Kawakami said.
“I’ve met people who have canceled their gatherings on their own, postponed their travel, and are changing in-person meetings to virtual,” Kawakami said. “There is a sense of vigilance that we’ve been observing, and these are positive things we should continue to build momentum on.”
To date, the county has recorded 4,968 cumulative cases.
“Because while omicron appears to be more mild for most people, for a small percentage of people – particularly those who are unvaccinated – this is still a deadly disease,” Kawakami said. “Again, the best way we can protect ourselves and our loved ones is to get a vaccine. And if you’re fully vaccinated, please get your booster.”
Vaccines for those ages 5 to 11 are available at Walmart, Longs Drugs at Kukui Grove Center in Lihu‘e and Kaiser Permanente.
Mobile-vaccine clinics for those 5 and older are available at Kanuikapono Public Charter School in Anahola and the Kekaha Neighborhood Center Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. Walk-ins are accepted, and minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Vaccine locations can be found at kauai.gov/vaccine.
The Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu‘e is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for testing. Appointments for free drive-thru testing at Lihu‘e Pharmacy be made at AlohaClear.com. Testing locations can be found at kauai.gov/covidtest.
Mayor K has done a fairly good job recently but he seems to be throwing in the towel lately. The “let omicron burn through” approach isn’t going to work if schools are open because they’re a COVID cluster every single day. There’s LOTS of kids unvaccinated here on Kauai. Like 35%! We’re going to sacrifice some of these kids and family – just to teach in person for a couple weeks or to sell a few more fish dinners to tourists? The wheels are coming off the bus. Our leaders are going “all in” on the idea omicron isn’t all that bad. But really no one knows.
Mayor has exhausted trying… itʻs not about tourists…itʻs about those who live here that refuse the vaccine. Canʻt blame him really
I currently know more people sick with covid who have had 2x and boostered than without. You clearly lack the ability to understand that whole “pandemic of the unvaccinated” was not rooted in science. It was actually a PR slam piece put out to try and shame people into thinking that if they couldn’t or decided to wait to receive the vaccine that they were propagating the virus. However you can look to Gibraltar %100 vaccinated and highest cases they’ve had. Israel 90+ percent and most cases are the vaccinated. I’m sorry to inform you that covid is the issue, not unvaccinated, not the vaccinated, not kids, not government. The virus is the issue. Get your health in order and ride it out tuna cowboy
How is it the fault of the “unvaccinated” that your “vaccine” does not work? My family got covid (pre omicron) from a “vaccinated” family. Please share the data and scientific logic to your presumption.
It’s clearly not that bad. Cases have blasted off exponentially. But hospitalizations have not. Just like other places. Are you doing Everything you can do to avoid covid? You are a high risk age so you will have been vaccinated and boostered No
Doubt. Beyond that all you can do is be healthy and hopeful for the best outcome if and when you get covid. I get a flu vaccine every year. And let me tell you some years I never got the flu but some years I got hammered. So you do your best with what you’re given. Good luck and stop blaming the government for not keeping you safe. 2 years was too long for mandates and restrictions. Pau. Nuff already
U make it sound like the shot keeps someone from spreading it if they should happen to catch it even tho they had thshot themself
“According to the DOH COVID-19 database, the county has a 13.2% test positivity rate, which is the lowest in the state.With these high case counts, people have adjusted their behavior during the surge, Kawakami said.”
I waited in line to get a covid test yesterday after hearing that I was seated in a car with someone who had tested positive. After an hour, with another hour wait in front of me, and with a couple of ill-behaved kids running around unmasked and realizing that, on average, 10 of the 60 people being tested would find our that they had Covid, I bailed. Better to take my chances away from those in line (even though most were masked and honoring a 6 foot distancing) and go home and watch for symptoms before exposing myself again to a public gathering.
Don’t be scared. COVID is for most people not much different than the flu. Too many chickens on Kauai and even more since the pandemic.
Holiday gatherings??? Why do you keep ignoring how many tourists arrive daily?? They do not arrive nor stay in a bubble, they are in our community interacting with all of us that work in the visitor industry. Then we go home and spread it to our families. Of course that is our fault and called community spread.
I would like one, just one of our leaders to ADMIT the number of tourists flooding our island is bringing in the virus.
Good for Kawakami!
Adding restrictions now would be like closing the barn door after the horse has already bolted.
I’ll be first to criticize Kawakami. However I’d like to commend him on the decision to keep kauai open and no impose any restrictions. I’ll
Say that the original ones went on too long and were too strict but initially it was a good faith idea.
All the credit for Derek now leading out of fear. He’s using a rational science based approach. Anyone who still thinks they can “shut down covid” look at countries 90-100% vaccinated. Look at places like Australia and New Zealand who had the strictest lockdowns. Not to mention they’re being completely stripped of their personal freedoms.
Good for Kawakami, if a year too late. Time to get used to living with covid. It’s not going to be vaxxed away. Sorry, Petrina.
Congratulations to our wonderful Mayor! Restrictions do nothing! When is everyone going to realize that the vaccine after 4 shots is still a big question mark? The masks, according to CNN do little to stop the spread of all viruses, and that the primary risk from Covid is in the obese, already ill with comorbidities that could/will cause death, and those over 80? If anyone is in that category, they should N95 mask, quarantine as much as possible, and social distance as needed! They should do everything possible to help stop Covid enter their bodies. For everyone who is healthy, and really wants to “follow the unbiased Science”, the best antibodies and fighting machine against the virus is found in your own bodies called your immune system. Getting the virus, if you’re healthy, improves your system, and creates the best, longest lasting antibodies to the virus! I believe everyone on earth will eventually get Covid! May all of humanity overcome this virus like we did all the others, and I pray all of our brothers and sisters will not have any short- or long-term side effects from the vaccine! Thank you, Mayor, for realizing that shutting down the entire world for Covid has many horrifying consequences for humanity!
Why are we congratulating him for being a follower?
well said and 100% right on. Our immune systems are built to keep us healthy if WE do OUR part. Vit D, Vit C, Zinc and lots of sunshine goes a lot farther than a vax that they now admit doesn’t perform the way they thought it would. Eat right, use your common sense and you will be ok. Natural immunities are more powerful and more efficient than anything man-made. Good luck to all… stay safe and healthy. light & love to those who are ill and prayers they will recover soon!
Yes because kids running around playing while they wait in line for hours is ill behaved. Stay home or just roll your windows up. It won’t come through your car door.