Quarantine mess is madness
My wife and I are currently stuck in Kaua‘i with no place to go or anything to do.
Notwithstanding the fact that we’ve both been vaccinated, passed two COVID tests within six days and IMMEDIATELY uploading our latest test results to our state of Hawaii trip accounts; and NOW we wait….and we wait….and we wait…for some state bureaucrat to get off his or her ass and come to work so our test results can be APPROVED.
THEN, and only then, will they START the process of getting us out of this quarantine rabbit hole they have set up to “protect” us all.
And, to add insult to injury, we’ve been told that even this process could take “several days.” In the meantime, we’re both sitting here like a couple of chumps WAITING on these people. We “played their game” and did what they asked of us, only for them NOT to do their job by PROMPTLY approving our paperwork and letting us go about our “vacation.”
Needless to say, I just rescheduled our flight back home. And we’re taking our money back with us, because under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are we going to sit in some resort and report in to the authorities every day while they decide whether or not to “free us from this prison.”
We’ve got better things to do with our time and MONEY. And we won’t be back, ever again!!! The Hawaiian tourist industry can go straight to hell. And, you can quote me on that.
Steve Trexler, Denver
Non-maskers risk lives
I’ve encountered many people, particularly those visiting our island, who believe since they have gotten vaccinated for COVID-19 they needn’t follow social distancing and mask guidelines.
Allow me to address this issue. But first, the basics; no matter your political affiliation, a mask serves as a barrier to mouth and nose exhalents containing the COVID-19. Second, social distancing provides a “safe zone” where one’s residual exhalants “drop off” harmlessly before being inhaled by another. And third, COVID-19 still kills people.
That understood, understand that despite one being fully vaccinated, they can still catch COVID-19 and can still spread COVID-19, the vaccine only serving to, more than likely, keep the vaccinated from facing death in an ICU due to COVID-19 pneumonia.
The kicker, and this is extremely important, is there are some people who are on a type of chemotherapy that renders any type of COVID-19 vaccine useless as soon as it enters the body.
My wife happens to be one of these people. So when I am in a store, shopping for my family, and I see people not practicing social distancing, not wearing a mask, or wearing a mask improperly, not cooperating with store management concerning COVID-19 regulations, etc., I see them as the potential killers of my wife, as I, though vaccinated, can catch COVID-19 and pass it on to my wife, who might die from it.
I see them as mortal enemies who do not care if my wife lives or dies, or if my kids have a mom. The health and welfare of my ‘ohana mean absolutely nothing to them.
Do I believe all who live or visit Kaua‘i should wear a mask (properly) and practice social distancing because my wife might die if they do not? Oh, yes, I most certainly do.
I would do the same for anyone’s loved one. Wearing a mask properly in a store or business for a few minutes versus someone’s life is not even any kind of sacrifice for me when it comes to protecting someone’s life.
But, I realize, too, there are some people devoid of empathy and kindness, let alone aloha, selfishness and rebellion being their top priority. I have witnessed this in stores on our island.
I would be very interested to hear from any of you who believe my viewpoint is unfair or selfish.
Christopher Schaefer, Kapa‘a
