Column: To save Hawaii’s economy, beat COVID

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our state has been through two shutdowns directly due to spikes in positive cases, and our economy and businesses have paid the price.

We’ve all seen the numbers. More than 300,000 of our neighbors, friends, co-workers and family members have filed for unemployment. At first, many were furloughed. More recently, the furloughs have become permanent layoffs.

Our state has one of the highest rates of COVID-related business closures in the nation. With hundreds of local businesses having to shut their doors, many of them may never reopen. Long-standing establishments like Like Like Drive Inn and Alan Wong’s are no more.

There has been a great deal of discussion regarding the balance between protecting the health of our community and protecting our economy. Our ultimate path to economic recovery is through minimizing the spread of the virus.

We must first heed the necessary health and safety protocols: Wear a mask, watch our physical distancing, wash our hands and refrain from large gatherings. These measures will protect your personal health.

But it is also the foundation for our economic health. Everyone in our community must take this effort seriously as we fight the pandemic together. Only then can our businesses and employment opportunities stabilize and get back on track.

This is an important perspective for our community to understand. And that’s why members of our business community, including the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and the Hawaii Business Roundtable, are launching a statewide informational campaign to remind people that our personal behavior is the key to our economic recovery.

The campaign features Hawaii businesses that are fighting to survive.

We’ll introduce you to Troy Terorotua, one of the owners of Brew’d Craft Pub who will share how they made the tough decision to close one of their outlets, Real Gastropub in Kakaako, due to the economic slowdown. He points out that businesses like Brew’d have been doing their part by implementing new health and social distancing measures. This includes investing funds in protective barriers, cleaning supplies and PPE for its employees.

Zippy’s CEO, Jason Higa, reveals that the company had to invest in new technology, adapted its menus, and even hired staff whose only job is to clean and sanitize their restaurants. This is an enormous commitment to stay in business and continue serving local residents.

Both Troy and Jason, like many other business owners in our community, had to reinvent their business models. It was a hefty investment in both time and money.

However, they understand that safety protocols as well as new technology are helping to keep their businesses afloat, while also ensuring the health and well-being of their employees and customers. And at the same time, their investment is helping keep many of our friends, family and neighbors employed.

As local business owners, they have done their part. But they can only control what happens in their businesses.

Their long-term success, and the success of all Hawaii businesses, will only be possible if we can mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We must all do our part.

We know how to prevent COVID-19. The guidelines are simple. And they are worth repeating … again and again. It’s the “3 Ws”: Wear a mask. Watch your physical distancing. Wash your hands. And do not gather.

By embracing these behaviors, you can help Hawaii businesses stay open, and help friends and family stay employed or return to work. We can’t afford to have another shutdown. Take a look at how cases are surging across the U.S. mainland. In California, 94% of its population is now under the state’s most restrictive tier. This means that restaurant dining rooms, gyms and churches have all closed to the public. Again.

We need everyone to join us in taking these common-sense measures … so the rest of our community can survive.

Michele K. Saito chairs the Hawaii Business Roundtable and is president of DTRIC Insurance Company; Sherry Menor-McNamara is CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.