HAWAII REVS UP TO VACCINATE!The much-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Hawaii on December 14, 2020. Here are some common questions about the vaccine. Click on the links for the answer:
MORE ON THE COVID-19 VACCINES: What’s the Plan?Most of us know that healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine, who else is on the priority list? Here’s the breakdown:
Phase 1-A: Health care workers, nursing home and long-term care facilities.
Phase 1-B: Essential workers such as teachers, firefighters, police, other first responders.
Phase 1-C: People over age 65.
Phase 1 also will include correctional officers and inmates.
Phase 2: The chronically ill.
Phase 3: Everyone else.
Vaccinations will not be mandatory.
The vaccine has not yet been approved for children under age 16.
The State warns that even if you are vaccinated, you should still wear masks, wash hands often and observe socially distancing.
It could take six to eight months for the state to vaccinate enough people to achieve “herd immunity” — the point when the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack COVID-19 immunity is low, about 70% of Hawaii’s population.
It would likely be July before Hawaii approaches normalcy.
Caller says, “We can get you to the front of the line.” That’s not how it works; the priority list is set.
Caller asks you to pay over the phone to secure a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s a scam.
And DON’T give any personal data over the phone to secure your vaccine shot .
WARNING: Fake Vaccine Sales!If you receive messages that seem to be from health care providers promising early access to the vaccine, be careful. Watch out if:
The vaccine is being dispensed through the medical community. Scammer may try to scare you to get your personal data or money. Don’t fall for it. When in doubt, reach out to your health care professional. For more tips on how to avoid a COVID-19 vaccine scams, click here. For more info on the consumer alert, click here.
STIMULUS CHECK: Recovery Tax Rebate Credit
Non-tax filers who failed to register for stimulus may seek a tax rebate for the full amount in 2021. Check if you qualify under the conditions below:
If you are eligible but were not issued an Economic Impact Payment.
If your Economic Impact Payment was less than $1,200 ($2,400 if married filing a joint return) plus $500 for each qualifying child you had in 2020.
If you were a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien in 2020, are not a dependent of another taxpayer for tax year 2020, and have a social security number valid for employment that is issued before the due date of your 2020 tax return (including extensions).
RENT ASSISTANCE: Landlords Can Still Verify Tenant’s Rental Application
It is not too late for a landlord to verify a pending application that a tenant had previously submitted, but it is too late for a tenant to submit a new application. Nearly $6.5 million was pending verification by the landlords who are to receive the rent. Some landlords have rejected about $8 million in direct payments to cover the rents they’re owed because they do not have general excise tax licenses and are not paying taxes on their rental income. For more info, click here. If you have a landlord/tenant problem, call 586-2634.
CITY PURSUES LAWSUIT AGAINST KAKAAKO DEVELOPER
The City filed a lawsuit against Howard Hughes Corporation over the parcels needed to finish rail. They’re at odds over the value of an approximately 2-acre stretch of property needed to erect the elevated line between Cooke and Kamakee Streets. The trial is scheduled for March. The City estimated the total value of the parcel portions at nearly $13.7 million but Howard Hughes has informally discussed valuations as high as $100 million more than the present offer. For more, click here.
BLESSING OF THE FUTURE CENTENNIAL PARK WAIKIKI
Nearly one-acre of green space has been blessed as part of public-private partnership with Rotary Club of Honolulu. The City’s 304th park location moved closer to reopening following a blessing of Centennial Park Waikiki in the heart of Oahu’s tourist district Tuesday. The development of the nearly one-acre park land located on Aloha Drive between Royal Hawaiian and Seaside avenues, is thanks to a public-private partnership between the City and the Rotary Club of Honolulu, which included the donation of $1.532 million from the Rotarians. The name Centennial Park Waikiki was approved via Resolution 20-232 and commemorates the Hawaii Rotary Club’s 100 year anniversary of providing outstanding community service to our island. For more information about Centennial Park Waikiki, and how you can help the Rotary Club of Honolulu’s efforts to revitalize this park land, please visit centennialparkwaikiki.org
HILTON HAWAIIAN VILLAGE: Accepting FROM DEC. 15
The flagship hotel is now open for business. The Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) closed on April 13 due to COVID-19. It reopened yesterday, on December 15. It is currently accepting applications; about 200 workers are returning. The rest will be returning after the reopening. Hilton Hawaiian Village is currently accepting reservations from December 15, 2020. For more info, click here.
