Letters: Widespread testing needed for tourism; COVID-19 is not the flu; Church, provide food for Palolo Valley

In order for Hawaii’s economy to thrive again, residents need to return to work and tourists must be allowed to visit without fear of contracting COVID-19. Current practices of stay-at-home, distancing and masking must be complemented with a more proactive approach.

Testing every person in Hawaii (population 1.4 million) is the only viable solution. This will provide real facts to establish effective quarantine mandates. If diagnostic test kits are in short supply domestically, then approach Taiwan or China directly. If cost is a issue, then reduce government spending. The financial infeasibility excuse is unacceptable.

Additionally, visitors must have a certified negative test result from their point of origin.

Without tourism, Hawaii’s economy will not recover. However, given the advantages of logistics and a relatively small population, we can be the first state to open fully and safely, “clean” of COVID-19, for residents and visitors alike.

Richard Ernest

Hawaii Kai

Find, adopt quick-result coronavirus tests

Los Angeles is giving free COVID-19 tests to any resident who requests one. The residents do not have to have any symptoms. By making the tests available to all, the asymptomatic will be identified.

A medical technology company, in an appearance on CNBC April 30, said it has a new highly automated test that will get lab results to the patient quickly. It is committed to doing 1 million tests weekly until the end of the year. The machine the company uses is in all 50 states.

Given these new developments, why is Hawaii not following Los Angeles’ lead? The mantra is test test, test. We need more testing now, testing for all.

Lynne Matusow

Downtown Honolulu

COVID-19 is not the flu; people must take care

It is shameful to call people stupid, insane or foolish by apologizing first (“Foolish to shut down world because of coronavirus,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 18).

Death is natural, that is true. But death because of people’s actions, with a virus that cannot be controlled, is not.

People who do not understand the severity of this epidemic, or compare the deaths from this virus with that of the flu, could be called foolish.

COVID-19 and the flu are very similar. But there are big differences. The incubation time for the coronavirus is two to 14 days, versus one to four days for the flu.

Contagiousness is higher when someone is showing symptoms, and asymptomatic people also may spread the virus faster. One in five people may require hospitalization. And no vaccines.

This is not about politics or the media; it is about being a human being and understanding how individual actions can affect the whole community.

Trudy Grilho

Kaimuki

Lockdown is contrary to God-given freedoms

With all due respect to Gov. David Ige for extraordinary measures he took to defend us from this virus,this is not Red China. Here, freedom belongs to each individual, inherent at birth. It does not, at any time, belong to any governor or mayor to hand out as they see fit.

It also should be mentioned that a person’s livelihood is his or her own private property. Not the property of the state, as with communism.

We cooperated with this “stay home” stuff for five weeks, for the sake of kupuna and to give hospitals time to organize for a pandemic. To comply with the governor’s 31-day extension of this lockdown is to guarantee periodic lockdowns for all future generations.

If we care about that, civil disobedience (or class-action lawsuits) are in order. It is time to send a strong message to Ige, all future governors, mayors or anyone else who wishes to regulate our God-given liberties: We won’t be locked down. Not ever.

Richard Morse

Kilauea, Kauai

Lawmakers need to see how UI system works

I suggest all legislators get into the trenches and volunteer for a minimum of three days to help expedite unemployment checks for their constituents.

This will let them experience the frustration felt both by those trying to apply for unemployment and the workers attempting to expedite their applications.

It may also give them better insight on what needs to be done to have the system up and working smoothly.

Annette Spinaio

Kailua

Let locals enjoy Hawaii before tourists return

As we get ready to open our business and island to tourists, what about opening it to locals first? Maybe just a one-week head start so we could drive around the island like long ago. No traffic. Go to Hanauma Bay. Walk down Waikiki. Body surf by the groin at Kalakaua and Kapahulu.

Give us the freedom first. Just one week before back to the future.

Vincent Hee

Mililani

Ease quarantine rules for interisland travel

There needs to be a contact person or department with phone and email contact information for those who need to travel interisland for businesses who are not considered essential but still need equipment and facilities to be maintained, without being forced to quarantine every time they travel.

Let us notify this department of all the information on locations to be visited and amount of time we will be there.

We already are following the stay-at-home orders on each island and can be tested to prove we are not affected. Everything can be done in a safe and responsible manner.

Having a blanket order that does not take into consideration some special cases is not right. It is not working for those of us who need to take care of and maintain our life-blood businesses, which cannot just sit without maintenance and attention.

Clark Carr

Kailua-Kona

Church, elder provide food for Palolo Valley

Even though our church is closed, a church elder named Kevin Kondo took action to organize the distribution of bentos and masks for our neighborhood in Palolo Valley.

Kevin filled his van with non-perishables and produce from Costco, he found hundreds of masks from obscure retailers, and asked a Waimanalo-based caterer (struggling from the restaurant restrictions) to prepare 30 meals. The meals were distributed at the Palolo Homes following best practices for hygiene. Some 300 meals and 300 masks were distributed from the Honolulu Bible Church parking lot in Palolo to neighbors in cars on April 25.

Angus Kelly

Ala Moana

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