With the recent denial of the additional three-day quarantine and testing protocol by Governor Ige, Kaua‘i is left with only bad choices. Either we open up like O‘ahu and risk having our hospitals overloaded if there is a spike in cases, or we continue with the 14-day quarantine, which will wreak further havoc on our economy.
We have an idea that would bypass Ige’s denial of a required second COVID test after arrival from off-island.
The idea is a program that creates an incentive for visitors to voluntarily get a second COVID test three days into their visit.
How would this work? It would operate around the concept of malama. Hawai‘i Tourism Authority CEO John DeFries has been talking about a similar program to educate visitors about how to care for our local community.
The program would encourage visitors to get tested after three days on island as a way to malama our community. We could educate and explain to visitors the importance of taking care of our island and our community.
In exchange, visitors who took the COVID test would be given some sort of VIP status, maybe a card, maybe something electronic, that would entitle them to perks all over the island — discounts at restaurants, hotels, shops, attractions, etc.
This would require buy-in from local businesses, and would also perpetuate the malama idea. Visitors malama Kaua‘i with a second test, and Kaua‘i would malama them back with benefits and discounts.
The county has already purchased 15,000 COVID tests, so use those for this program. Visitors could get tested for free.
Anyone who tests positive would be given free room and meals until they are no longer contagious.
This would overcome fears visitors might have of getting stuck with hotel bills for the two weeks they have to isolate before they can go home. The cost of this is much smaller than an outbreak that requires the island to shut down.
This is the framework of the program. We could market it starting on the flight over, in the airport, and in the hotels. We could push local businesses to encourage visitors to participate.
It would be a full-court press. We hope the mayor will give this idea serious consideration. We all want Kaua‘i to continue to be a safe place to live, and we recognize the limitations of our local medical infrastructure, but continuing the two-week quarantine will be the final nail in the coffin of our economy.
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Sonja McGinnis and Mike
McGinnis are Kapa‘a residents.
