Off the News: Here come the vaccine mandates

As of midweek, 60.4% of Hawaii’s population was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 67.4% had at least initiated the process. While that marks progress, the highly contagious delta variant appears to be raising the bar for herd immunity. In response, some indoor venues are rightly implementing vaccine mandates.

When Diamond Head Theatre’s season starts next month, audience members (age 12 and older) will be required provide proof of full vaccination. Also, on Thursday state House Speaker Scott Saiki issued a new policy requiring House members, employees and volunteers to do the same, effective Sept. 30. Weekly testing will be an option for the unvaccinated.

Hawaii residents bring COVID home

The University of Hawaii and public schools mandates for vaccinations for those participating in school sports make sense: Just check this week’s COVID-19 cluster report. The report issued Thursday described how, in the past two months, the state Department of Health investigated a total of 30 cases of Hawaii residents associated with volleyball tournaments in Las Vegas and Kansas City, Mo. Sports events are risky at home, riskier in places lacking masking or distancing, as these were.