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HIPHI COVID-19 Update 3/23

WHAT IS HIPHI WORKING ON?

With so much being released on the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we know that keeping up can be challenging. We at the Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute (HIPHI) have been coordinating statewide efforts to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in our communities. We aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information and hope these weekly updates will be a useful resource. We are also working on a webpage at https://www.hiphi.org/covid19/.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND HELP PREVENT SPREADING THE VIRUS

Preventative measures are essential to protect you and your community from COVID-19 (i.e. good hygiene, sanitizing or disinfecting your home or shared spaces, social distancing, monitoring symptoms, home quarantine). Refer to this graphic for some key measures:

WEBINARS

Announcing a New Public Health Action Webinar Series! Join us for this week’s Public Health Action Webinar: “Sheltering In Place and Social Distancing Practices” a conversation with Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, MD. 

Note:  This event occurred on March 25, 2020 and has passed.  You can review the recorded webinar here.

Stay tuned for information on the next webinar to be held next Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Speakers and content are being solidified but registrations are being accepted.

URGING STRONGER GOVERNMENT ACTION

For the last two weeks, HIPHI has been working with a group of concerned physicians, healthcare providers, citizens, advocacy groups, and public health professionals urging Governor Ige to take a more proactive approach in protecting the health of Hawaiʻi residents and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

On Monday March 23, Governor Ige took the action that many healthcare professionals and public health advocates have been pushing for with a shelter in place order, but there’s still gaps in public health and healthcare that we are working to address. To read up on the orders given Monday, please see below in Recent Developments – State Restrictions.

HIPHI, along with the Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network are coordinating the Public Health Action network linking community members, healthcare workers and organizations with state and county leadership for solutions to mitigate COVID-19 over the coming weeks. If you would like to participate and join our Slack channel, please email kirsty@hiphi.org.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Federal Update

President Trump first signed an emergency funding bill on March 6, allocating roughly $8 billion for coronavirus prevention, preparation, and response efforts. The second package, titled, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, includes provisions for paid sick leave, free testing for those with private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, nutrition assistance, and unemployment insurance benefits. A third package is being deliberated this week by the U.S. Senate, which advocates hope will include broader protections for those disproportionately impacted by the virus.

State Restrictions

On Monday, March 23, Governor Ige issued a third supplementary emergency proclamation requiring Hawaiʻi residents to stay at home, effective 4:30PM on March 23, 2020.

This builds on Governor Ige’s supplementary emergency proclamation ordered on Saturday, March 21 that requires a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all returning Hawaiʻi residents and tourists, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, March 26:

  • If you are a resident, your designated quarantine location is your place of residence.
  • If you are a visitor, your designated quarantine location is your hotel room or rented lodging.
  • You can only leave your designated quarantine location for medical emergencies or to seek medical care.

For more information, read the news release or proclamation. 

All Hawaii’s Emergency Proclamations can be found here: https://governor.hawaii.gov/emergency-proclamations/.

County Restrictions

City and County of Honolulu 

County of Maui 

County of Kaua‘i 

County of Hawai‘i

BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Join our first webinar this Wednesday to help navigate and understand new adjustments to our lives. Lieutenant Governor Josh Green will be outlining terms like Social Distancing, Shelter in Place, and what they really mean for us (details above). Public Health Action Webinar Flyer and webinar registration.

SURVIVAL TIPS AT HOME

The transition to working from home is not always an easy one and finding work-life balance can be tough. Here are some tools and resources to help with the transition:

COORDINATING RESOURCES AND VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

Many organizations are urgently working to coordinate resources for those in need, and you may be looking for ways to help through volunteering. We have compiled a short list below, and invite you to list other opportunities here. 

Other organizations are working to compile food resources. Hawai’i Appleseed is gathering information from community (non-DOE) emergency feeding sites (Feeding Sites Survey). If you operate more than 5 sites with varying hours and protocols, please contact us at feedingsites@hiappleseed.org. If you are a farmer, distributor, chef, or restaurant looking to help coordinate, visit chefhui.com.

We know the next ~6 weeks will be hard, but the sooner we ALL unite and work together to flatten the curve, the sooner we can get our island and economy back on track. Mahalo for everything you are doing. 

 

In Good Health, 

Jessica Yamauchi

Jessica Yamauchi
Executive Director

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