In this time of self-isolation, for those times you do have to venture out, it might be worth considering starting a journal to document times and places, mode of transportation (especially if it’s outside your normal way of doing things), and places you’ve visited throughout the day: how long you stayed there; who was with you; if you caught the bus, which routes you took; if you used Uber or Lyft, who was your driver.

That way, if you become sick, it will be easier for health investigators (and you!) to backtrack your movements and pinpoint where you might have contracted the coronavirus — allowing them to alert others more quickly.

Stay safe out there!

Puanani Akaka

Kaneohe

Keep outdoor farmers markets open to public

I totally understand almost all of the closures here on our islands, but closing farmers markets is without a doubt a huge mistake (“Events, farmers markets affected by virus pandemic,” Star-Advertiser, March 16). How can it be OK to have hundreds of people, elbow-to-elbow, indoors, waiting in line for toilet paper and pushing dirty wagons, when the farmers markets are only once a week, outdoors, no wagons and without hundreds of people pushing and shoving?

I understand the government owns some of the land used for the markets. If it wants to close them, I guess there is nothing we can do.

I’d much rather help our local farmers and shop outdoors and be able to buy fresh, locally grown products than products shipped from the mainland.

Renee Silva

Waianae

Tests can’t establish no community transmission

When I read the claim that 31 negative COVID-19 random tests show there’s no community transmission, I was livid (“Coronavirus tests show no community spread yet, Hawaii officials say,” Star-Advertiser, March 14). At best, 31 samples can set an upper limit on the rate of actual cases — it cannot establish there are none.

In fact, the tested population could have an incidence as high as 2% (1 in 50 people) and 31 random samples would have only a 50-50 chance of detecting the disease. Hawaii is at high risk due to our tourism industry, and the state should be doing much more testing, rather than offering misleading reassurances justified by inadequate data.

Michael J. DeWeert

Kaneohe

Media informs public of realities of virus danger

Robert Holub is correct about one thing: COVID-19 should eventually burn out (“Irresponsible media driving virus panic,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 15). But the issue is how many people will get seriously ill or die before it does.

In places like China and Taiwan, controlling its spread is seen as a community responsibility, and social pressure maintains it. Everyone wears a mask and keeps social distance. These measures are controlling the outbreak and saving lives.

In the U.S. it’s been a struggle to get President Donald Trump and his media cheerleaders to state the facts. I’m thankful that sources like the Star- Advertiser have kept us apprised of the realities. Now it’s up to members of the community to behave responsibly.

Luaus and dinner cruises can wait.

James Young

St. Louis Heights

Allow Maasdam cruise ship passengers to leave

The Maasdam cruise ship must be allowed to dock and its passengers disembark to the airport in Honolulu (“Hawaii officials say passengers, crew must remain on 2 cruise ships heading to Honolulu,” Star-Advertiser, March 19). This is not a five-day booze cruise. The ship is on a long-term cruise and already has been quarantined for more than two weeks.

To be clear, no one has entered or exited and re-entered the ship in the last two weeks. No one on the ship is showing any signs or symptoms of the flu or coronavirus. Despite this, Hawaii officials have announced that passengers will not be permitted to disembark and go directly to the airport.

How can Hawaii keep its airport open but not allow healthy Americans to travel through that same airport to leave Hawaii?

My parents and my aunt and uncle are passengers on the Maasdam. They are healthy and in good spirits. There is no reason why they should not be allowed to travel to the Honolulu airport to return to their homes in northwest Ohio.

Calm, reasoned, fact-based decision- making must win out over panic over the next several months.

Alysha Clous

Columbus, Ohio

Why are pathogens in Waikiki beach water?

An article in the paper reported that elevated levels of enterococci, or fecal pathogens, were detected in the water at Kahanamoku Beach (“High bacteria levels found at Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki,” Star-Advertiser, March 11).

Could we receive some clarity on why fecal pathogens are polluting the waters off Waikiki’s beaches? Did Waikiki have a sewage spill? Are tourists using the beach as a toilet? Do we not have enough toilets in Waikiki?

I would like some honest reporting on the reasons behind the abundance of feces in Waikiki’s waters. This is not the first time we have heard of these advisories. Gastroenteritis is not coronavirus, but I think we need to address this recurring problem of fecal water pollution with similar diligence.

Lauri Madanay

Aina Haina

Kaimuki parking lot repaving ridiculous

This is positively ridiculous. What a waste of basic, precious resources (“Kaimuki parking lot repaving work delayed for 2 weeks,” Star-Advertiser, March 11).

Our roads are dreadful, among the worst in the country. Potholes galore. Those do need repaving — very badly. My home road, Nuuanu Avenue, is like going through a vodka shaker at length — just not quite as tasty. Don’t worry, fellow Oahu residents, there are some even worse roads, if that is possible.

Why repave a parking lot at all? The cars sitting there don’t care. What gives? People driving on there, slowly, don’t care, either. All they want is a parking spot. End of it.

Eight months to repave the lot. The Chinese built a brand-new hospital for the coronavirus in 10 days! A trip to the moon takes three days (240,000 miles).

Do we have to hire a mainland company to do the work in eight days?

Gerhard C. Hamm

Nuuanu

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