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Lt. Gov. Josh Green joined the COVID-19 Care Conversation to take viewer questions about the state’s response to the coronavirus. Dr. Green said he continues to be encouraged by the relatively low number of new coronavirus cases each day, but also warned that now is not time for residents to let their guard down.
Once the disease is believed to be under control, Green said he supports “a very deliberate, cautious opening up of our normal behavior.” That will still require measures like social distancing and wearing masks. He did not offer a specific timeframe as to when that might happen, saying it all hinges on whether people stick to the stay at home order over the next two weeks.
Green said that before Hawaii can allow tourists back into the state, there must be a system in place to test all visitors for the virus. He says has put together a plan that is under review, which will mandate that people prove that they have tested negative for COVID-19 before they are allowed into the state. Upon arrival, all visitors should be subject to a temperature check as well, he said. Visitors who cannot provide negative test verification would be placed under quarantine or sent back.
“I can’t say when this will start, but I can say that we should not open up our islands to large numbers of travelers until we have that in place,” he said.
Green also spoke at length about the concerns over the loss of state tax revenue, and the potential for a salary cut of up to 20% for state workers, including teachers, and 10% for first responders like police officers and EMTs.
“That was just a discussion point, that was not actually a proposal that had come from the governor,” Green said, “There are possibilities that we can use other resources.”
Watch here and submit your questions through our Facebook page. Be sure to join us Friday when marriage and family therapist Britt Young will be our guest.
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Join COVID-19 Care Conversation, sponsored by Hawai’i Executive Collaborative, live every weekday at 10:30 a.m. on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Facebook page. Yunji de Nies and Ryan Kalei Tsuji will discuss the latest news, resources and community concerns about the coronavirus outbreak in Hawaii.
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