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Aloha Neighbors,
The Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 will meet tomorrow, Friday, April 3 at 11 am. You can watch it on `Ōlelo channel 49 or on YouTube livestream and see the agenda here. Reporting State agencies include the office of the Governor and departments of human resources, agriculture, and education. Information from prior meetings can be found on the committee’s web page.
Drive-thru COVID-19 testing. One of the most effective ways to flatten the curve is to find the positive cases through testing. I’m glad to see the testing is increasing and we welcome again the drive-through testing at Kaka’ako Waterfront Park this coming Sunday from 8 am to noon. See this flyer to see if you should be tested.
Can my landlord evict me if I don’t pay my rent? The Judiciary has issued several orders that impact the ability of landlords and their agents to use legal process to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent. Legal proceedings relating to summary possession or eviction have been postponed to at least April 30, 2020. Absent extraordinary circumstances, no eviction orders will be issued until at least after April 30, 2020. For more FAQ’s on the Landlord-Tenant Code under the Governor’s Proclamation, click here. For inquiries regarding specific cases, call 808-586-2634. Trained investigators are available to consult.
Some of you have also asked about price gouging and scams. The Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs (DCCA) also can address this. For more information on COVID-19 consumer resources visit DCCA’s resources page .
Drivers License/Safety Check Hiatus: You also asked about what to do if you need to renew your driver’s license or need a safety check. The Satellite City Halls and DMVs are currently closed to all in-person transactions until further notice. The good news is that the City has declared that all expired safety checks are valid until May 31. Also, any driver license, instructional permit, state ID, or commercial driver license expiring March 23, 2020, through May 15, 2020, will be considered valid in the state of Hawaii for an additional 90 days after expiration. For more details, see the Department of Customer Services COVID-19 update page.
Making masks? More and more reports indicate that masks plus social distancing are the ways that we all can contribute to flattening the curve. I have been walking through the district every morning and see more neighbors wearing various types of masks –even scarves around their nose and mouth. The important point: We don’t have to get the medical grade N95 masks, which are in short supply and should be reserved for healthcare workers. Kudos to them for being on the front lines for us and need all the protection we can give them.
For the rest of us, we should wear masks if we are in public places and especially when we are in spaces with a number of people (e.g., grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurant take out, etc.) to protect others and ourselves from spreading the virus. And, yes, even the non-professional masks may not yet be available. So… we can be innovative. And since you are at home “sheltering in place” (you are, right?) you can make your own! Mahalo to those of you who wrote giving suggestions on how we can make our own masks. One of our neighbors is already making masks that she is giving to her neighbors and shares this video and instructions on making your own. And for many, like me, who don’t sew, here’s a video on how to make your mask without having to sew a stitch! The main thing about wearing the mask properly is that it fit snugly on your face and covers the bridge of your nose and below your chin and be kept clean if you are reusing.
Take care and stay healthy!
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