LIHU‘E — Mayor Derek Kawakami told travelers to give Kaua‘i a break on Wednesday, asking that all air travel to and from the island be limited to “essential needs only” and alerting the community of an islandwide curfew set to start tomorrow.
Kawakami issued his second emergency rule related to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in which he outlined an islandwide nighttime curfew beginning Friday, in effect from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. daily until further notice. Every individual within the county must remain in their residences during these specified hours, with the few exceptions noted below.
This applies to visitors and residents.
Kawakami said the decision was made with three goals in mind: protecting and preserving existing resources; managing the spread of COVID-19 by increasing social distancing; and ensuring that essential services, operations and family care can continue.
“After taking an assessment of what will likely be a very long journey for all of us and the amount of limited resources that we have, specifically public safety, first responder, and health-care workers, we must take bold steps to ensure that our public safety officials, first responders and health-care workers have the necessary environment in which to keep us all safe,” Kawakami said.
The mayor’s emergency rule No. 2 sets forth exceptions to the curfew, including those:
• Commuting to and from work;
• Working for an essential service provider whose shifts are within the curfew window;
• Delivering goods to food-service establishments or stores that sell food and household supplies;
• Seeking medical attention.
The houseless community is asked to shelter in place and avoid movement during these curfew hours.
Kaua‘i Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck said KPD isn’t planning to implement any measures beyond regular patrol activities in order to enforce the curfew at this time.
“What we are asking for is that the public voluntarily comply with this new guideline in order to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, especially to our most vulnerable citizens and our kupuna,” Raybuck said Wednesday. “Like most other misdemeanors, if someone commits a curfew violation, our police officers have the discretion to warn, cite or arrest a person acting in violation of the law.”
Kawakami also stated that airline travel to and from the island of Kaua‘i should be limited.
“Until further notice, visitors should not be traveling to our island for recreational purposes,” Kawakami said. “Kaua‘i is on vacation.”
Further, vacation-industry partners are urged to work with their marketing teams to refrain from marketing Kaua‘i as a place to visit during this time in order to protect the health and safety of the community.
“We understand that these measures will result in hardships for many of our business owners and residents,” added Kawakami. “But the longer it takes us to make these drastic decisions, the longer it will take us to get to a point of economic recovery.”
Mark Perriello, president of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce, participated in the curfew announcement on Wednesday, to show support.
“The chamber participated in this announcement in order to ensure our members and the business community that we are here to support them during this unprecedented situation,” Perriello said. “Stay healthy, stay strong, be safe and live with aloha.”
As of noon Wednesday the number of confirmed or presumed positive cases of COVID-19 rose to 16 statewide. That number has stayed at two individuals on Kaua‘i, and those same two — a couple visiting from Indiana — are still isolated in stable condition, according to the Mayor’s Office.
New positive results were announced Wednesday for two O‘ahu residents who traveled outside Hawai‘i. The state Department of Health is monitoring these individuals and supervising their isolation as well as the self-quarantine of their family members.
One of the O‘ahu cases announced this past Monday is a Kualoa tour operator who had not traveled but was exposed to travelers daily. Three family members from the individual’s household were tested with negative results. All cases who tested positive in Hawai‘i are travel-related.
The DOH says there is no evidence of community spread in Hawai‘i as of Wednesday afternoon.
Governor David Ige has directed closures for “establishments that typically attract large numbers of people,” and has directed restaurants to only sell dine-out food. But those mandates don’t yet come with consequences for those who don’t want to comply.
Officials are relying on the cooperation of businesses, organizations and individuals to be effective from a public-health perspective, according to state health officials.
“The response to the governor’s directives has been positive so far, and there are many, such as food establishments, which have identified alternative ways to serve the public with drive-through and take-out service to maintain their operations,” said Bruce Anderson, DOH director.
Officials are still emphasizing social distancing as one of the most powerful tools to combat the spread of COVID-19, and encourage people to use technology to connect socially.
“When feasible, we should use tools available for virtual meetings by phone, tablet or computer as a way to maintain contact with loved ones, especially kupuna in care homes, given Governor Ige’s directive to refrain from visiting nursing homes, retirement or long-term-care facilities at this time,” Anderson said.
Small business owners are urged to visit, sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources for a list of available resources. Additionally, workers experiencing layoffs should visit huiclaims.hawaii.gov for assistance.
•••
Jessica Else, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or jelse@thegardenisland.com.
This isn’t about the spread of the virus. This is all about giving the police a reason to pull somebody over and investigate. I can only assume there is a serious concern about people becoming desperate.
Got to agree with the Major. But who needs a constitution when people are panicked?
Kauai currently has 111 licensed hospital beds, 9 ICU units and 18 ventilators.
With limited containment measures, on average, every infected person – symptomatic or not – infects 3 individuals. The math is the following: 1 case > leads to 3 cases > then 9 > 27 > 81 > 243 > 729 > 2,187 > 6,561 > 19,683 > 59,049 > Soon enough, the entire Kauai population (visitors included) is carrying the virus. This could very well happen within weeks.
Based on the numbers coming out of Italy, France and Spain, while most carriers are asymptomatic or have symptoms similar to a cold, about 10% of affected individuals need to be hospitalized (ICU and/or ventilators) for up to 3 weeks. 50% of these critical cases are under 60 years old. These are countries with extremely efficient universal health care systems and paid sick leave…
I support our great, young, vibrant and intelligent mayor ONE MILLION PERCENT! While the rest of the state, and the Governor (whom I voted for), puts thei89r heads in the sand, our mayor took a page out of the Iniki playbook. At that time, it was ordered that all tourists should leave immediately. C-17 planes were brought in as soon as a runway could be prepared enough. They were ordered to go on pain of arrest by the MP’s.
Let me explain a little more. During Iniki, the top six inches of soil was stripped off. Now, staph lives naturally in our soil. Everyone and I repeat everyone was sick. All ages, all groups. We lacked supplies, we lacked a lot of things. We had no costcos, or home depots back then.
THat was the right decision then and its the right decision now. Derek Kawakami is a hero for being progressive. Now, listen if the rest of you want to be heroes and do whats right, great I salute you. For the rest of you. Understand that the State and Federal Governments will have things in place to pay people, and businesses for complying. It is coming. Kauai people are tough, and intelligent. We actually understand these kinds of measures, because real Kauaians lived through it before. younger people do not remember those times. But I do.
We will welcome tourists back with open arms. But if they don’t care about infecting us, I am not sure how happy the sentiment may be. let us all cooperate together. it is not Kauai style, or the Kauai way to grumble, complain and be sassy about protecting our Kupuna and compromised individuals. That isn’t us. So don’t go bragging about how “You local, brah, an what you gonna say?” I am gonna say you are a dummy, and comply.
Great job, Mayor!
After 9? Most people are asleep. What is really going on? This is not what it seems.
Draconian and unnecessary, Reasons don’t apply. I fail to see how someone night fishing is going to put a strain on the system, or make the spread of a virus more likely. Most activities after 10 are low risk activities.
Way to go Mayor Kawakami! Finally someone who stands up to the money grabbers and the politicians who are lagging. Keeping our island safe for the future.
Since he can’t shut down the airlines, this is the next best thing. This will make our islands unattractive to the tourists. Also, he has every right to do this since we are under a national emergency right now.
Those who don’t think this will be bad, just look to Italy. They just surpassed China’s number of deaths from this virus.
Let’s keep safe and look out for one another. Keep the aloha on the island.
Surely you must be kidding. Where’d you get that interpretation? They want everyone in a quarantine area. At home. Indoors.
Aloha, do not think they are actually allowing comments. If this gets thru, great. How does staying home at 9 help? Can tour companies still fly?
Bunch of bullcrap. The new 911 taking our rights away. Violation of constitutional rights. Media hype far overblown and politicians are mockingbirds repeating media hype. It’s like politicians and media work for the same “company.” It looks most ” corona deaths ” were people already sick and dying. Fake statistics. We’ve had many diseases and tragedies with no shut down. Curfew is treating us like children and against american free society. Two sick people on Kauai and everyone must shut down for 9pm police state. What a shame and what a sham.
Wow. Ignorant much? Tell you what, sparky when you are in the hospital crying your eyes out for a ventilator and someone to help you, give me a call. So I can laugh my ass off. Is this really how your mind works? Didn’t you read the comment above? also, Pauly Revere, you dope. Did you know that you are probably going to contract this virus? and it doesn’t just hit old people any more. it has been morphing. two hotspot states, the majority of their cases aren’t old guys. Doctors and nurses are dying now in their 30s and 40s.
More younger people are getting infected and hospitalized. People like you are the superspreaders, and will be the ones directly responsible for the deaths of people when the stats start rolling in. I bet you cough on people and sneeze on them and blow your nose, and get as close as you can to make sure you spread it all around, huh, genius. I guess you are really a lonely person. Since you hate old people so much, i predict you wont be old. So there’s that. You are the reason why we have curfew. to prevent people like you from congregating in places, and getting people sick. you are the sickness spreader. i hold you personally responsible. At least we know who the super-spreader is on Kauai. tell you what why don’t all you idiots on this thread who think its a hoax its just old people dying blah blah, go and lock yourselves up in a room together and get to know each other real well. Cough, spit, sneeze whatever it is you can think of. When you get the virus don’t call anyone to help you. Just sit there not being able to breath and choke. because that is what this virus does to you. Turns you blue in the face. I am not really angry at you. There are so many people like you around that is going to cause the deaths of many people.. I just needed to comment because i want you to know what i think of you.
By the way. Today? The numbers of deaths in the US doubled from what they were 3 days ago. It is 2000 now. I said deaths not cases. There were and are 4 cases on Kauai. With a whole lot of people waiting to get their results from the outside labs. Did you know the state has 14 cases now, with community spread on Maui? Once that happens, people like you will be the first ones to get sick. and also, everyone you were around. Because you think its ok to act like a complete jerk.
You do realize that Kauai has the most caszes of any place in Polynesia and the pacific island nations? Yup. Did you know when the number begins to grow exponentially there will be deaths?
You and your kind are the reason why our good mayor shut it down.
No need to be so harsh with your reply. Don’t know where you are getting your stats from but number of deaths in U.S. is 260 as of today per John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html) which is far less than 2000.
Any number is bad and we should all be doing what we can to be responsible in these times.
Accusing people of hating old people and wishing illness on them is not cool. Try more aloha and less anger and you will be more likely to convince others as to your perspective.
Curfew won’t help much but takes our rights away. Italian statistics flawed, it was mostly old and dying people anyway.
Disagree: Iniki was a natural disaster. This is a media hyped semi faux plague. Iniki was pre 911, pre patriot act, pre Trump’s insurrection of the establishment and democrats. Curfew totally unnecessary. Penalties ridiculously large. Steadfastly defend your rights.
Hey,Chicken Little! The Sky is not Falling,Get a Life would you!
What’s Really Going on with this Govt Scare Tactic?
This os martial law plain and simple. The curfew is not guidelines or recommendations, but is essential law. If you are caught during these hours your are subject to arrest and fines. Who signed off on this? Who gave him the right or power. Only the president Can declare martial law on a federal level, and governor on a state level. What is to stop him from now saying surrender your firearms, or the police stopping you and asking you questions that you should not have to answer. Hold this mayor accountable for his actions
Paul Revere, and rk669 are not Kauai or even Hawaii residents. They are just kids trolling. Russian bots. Whatever. They aren’t real. they are only here to stir the pot. But by doing that, and the garden island allowing those kind of comments, you put our residents art risk, because some are not smart enough to figure this out. And are probably the same person. Comments need to be screened for these kinds of things, people. Spreading hoaxes and bs like this is dangerous. it encourages weak minded individuals to spread the virus. please consider modifying your rules or simply shut down the comment sections. I am sure we are all fine with not being able to comment if it means this kind of garbage is not glorified in the comments section. They all need to slither back to reddit, and the dark web where they belong.
350,000,000…that is 350 million Americans…and just 150 people died so far from CoVid19 virus, is only a fraction of a %. Like 0.00000152 %.
The dead from the virus are predominantly those people on multiple prescription drugs, the already sick with obesity, diabetes, lung and heart diseases, weak immune system, etc., and those also killed by medical errors while being treated for this new virus. And Others get infected but are without symptoms, or only undergo mild symptoms, and worldwide 80,000 have already gotten over the virus and have even developed natural immunity to the virus as a result of confronting the virus.
cBut people are freaking out, in panic over this virus pandemic…but not a word is mentioned on any day of people who die of heart, lung, and stroke diseases, Cancers, diabetes, obesity, etc, and others with autism, Parkinson’s, and dementia. No mention of those dying or those ill in epidemic proportions from the common avoidable by diet…chronic degenerative diseases.
Yearly US seasonal flu infections by person to person contagion are a few million Americans of which usually 25,000 to 35,000 die annually, though this year it has only been 16,000…still sadness all around.
And another US EPIDEMIC being IGNORED: Ralph Nader, has been tracking medical deaths in hospitals for maybe 2 decades and now using MD’s as the researchers has found repeatedly that 5,000 Americans die in US hospitals from medical errors, doctor inattention, misuse of drugs, death during anesthesia for surgery and other procedures at the rate of 5,000 American citizen’s Deaths per WEEK, MAKING IT 250,000 medical deaths per year caused by hospitals and doctors at the 6,000 hospitals in America…and nothing mentioned in the media, no measures taken to prevent this…in 10 years this 2,500,000 dead peor by error or bad medical methods.
Yet 150 dead people so far by virus brings on emergency quarantines, lockdowns, business closures, paranoia, food hoarding, Rushed Race to dangerous vaccines, curfews, travel restriction, etc., and while all that may be reasonable; what in the heck allows tolerance of the other medical atrocities going on, much less the Big Food atrocity provided at our stores wherein our foods are saturated with toxic chemicals, and dangerous disease causing carcinogenic petrochemicals used for medicines: all the while more and more Americans are getting diseases that are more and more able to be prevented without drugs…these are chronic degenerative diseases.
The CoVid19 virus may be a disaster, but the current food, drugs, and medical malpractice and errors already are a disaster, and clearly a joke that no one is laughing at.
The community should be a part of serious decisions like a curfew. at 9 pm there is already nobody lurking around the stores and streets are empty there is no unrest no looting I could see if there was a problem a better solution is to communicate with the community and ask people to stay home but a enforced order doesn’t seem American
Most likely kpd already has a lot on there plate I really think that this enforcement is something that officers on duty are not looking forward to do.
I don’t get the comments re tourists. Tourists won’t be out on the roads between 9 pm and 5 am. To go where or do what, exactly? All bars and restaurants are closed, and there is nowhere open to get an early start on at 4 am. This curfew is about controlling local residents, plain and simple. If you think it’s a good idea, then have it all the time, since has nothing to do with this virus.