House & Senate COVID Committees, Symptoms, $ Assistance
August 18, 2020
Aloha Neighbor,
“Half the population is scared because they don’t know what’s going on…The other half is not scared enough because they don’t know what’s going on.”
-Ray Vara, CEO, Hawaii Pacific Health, House Special Committee member
The continuing coronavirus surge has led the House Select and the Senate Special Committees to continue pushing for answers from the slow-to-act Administration that you have been emailing me about. We hope the Administration will to listen to your concerns. In the meantime, you may follow the committees’ progress.
HOUSE COVID-19 COMMITTEE: Administration Must Do Better
The committee assessed Hawaii’s current medical and economic status, its prognosis, and recommendations to reset the State’s course. Some of the concerns needing action raised were:
All metrics point to code orange (moderate “safer at home” disruption) or red (major “stay at home” disruption) in terms of disease activity, hospital supply capacity, contact tracing capacity, testing capacity.
We need useful, reliable, consistent data, without violating HIPAA (patient privacy protection law), to enable leaders to make decisions on a shutdown.
We need further adjustment to current restrictions.
We need a strong communication program from the state and county that provides better information to the community.
We need an oversight body to help direct covid planning & execution.
We need collection of reliable, consistent data to allow leaders to act without violating HIPAA.
We were at 300, now 200’s. Breathing a sigh of relief is a false sense of security. Our story from then–Hawaii as “the safest place on earth”– until now, a surge—is not a pretty story. The behavior of individuals is driving business success or failure. If you party and fail to follow the social distancing rules, don’t expect to find a job. You can view the full meeting online at Olelo.
SENATE COVID-19 COMMITTEE: Asking for Pandemic Updates
The committee will meet on Wednesday, August 19, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to follow-up on concerns about the PPE supply chain and distribution, coordination among the departments and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HiEMA), quarantine quarters for the homeless, state staffing and teleworking, and the DOE update on schools opening. Presenting are:
Major General Ken Hara, Incident Commander, Pandemic Response Team
Edward Mersereau, Deputy Director, Department of Health- Behavioral Health Services Administration
Ryker Wada, Director, Department of Human Resources Development
Christina Kishimoto, Superintendent, Department of Education
COVID-19 TEST: Know the Symptoms & Know What to Do
This resource might be of interest to you; and if ill, can help you decide the kind of medical care you might need. Note the disclaimer that this simple assessment is for informational purposes only. It is NOT a medical diagnosis. No personal information is requested nor are answers collected or shared. This is for your own assessment only. Click here.
IRS: Federal Extension to Claim Kids for $500 Stimulus Payments
The Internal Revenue Service will be reopening the registration period for those who didn’t receive Economic Impact Payments for their qualifying children, starting August 15 through September 30. The basic stimulus payment was $1,200 per qualifying taxpayer, plus $500 for each eligible child under age 17. You can find more information at the IRS website.
RENTAL & MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE: Waikiki Community Center
If you lost your job due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for one-time emergency financial assistance for rent or mortgage up to $1,500 per household. Applications will be accepted online or via email only. Funds are limited. You may be eligible if you are:
18 years of age or older.
Honolulu county resident.
Income decreased due directly to COVID-19.
Have not received the same benefit from another Aloha United Way partner.
Total household must not have more than $6,000 in liquid assets (cash, checking & savings accounts).
Household is not receiving housing subsidies.
Total household income must be at or below 80% AMI (Area Median Income).
Email your application request to:jokimura@waikikicommunitycenter.org OR click on this link. Once your application has been reviewed, you will be contacted by phone or email within four business days. If your application is approved, the funds will be mailed directly to your landlord, bank or mortgage company.
UPDATES OF INTEREST:
HART Traffic Updates:Week beginning August 16, 2020
View street closures due to HART construction. Note August 16- 22 closure of Halekauwila, Queen, Kamakee, and Kona Streets.
Ala Wai Flood Mitigation Project Update: USACE Reports
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Honolulu District completed its Engineering Documentation Report (August 6) which provides the new recommended plan for the Ala Wai Flood Control Project. The report and a map showing the proposed project design changes and new feature recommendations based on community input are available on the Ala Wai project webpage. Email questions about the project to: AlaWaiFloodProject@usace.army.mil
