Oahu opens new COVID-19 isolation, quarantine facility

\HONOLULU — Officials on Hawaii’s most populous island of Oahu have opened a new facility for COVID-19 patients who need a place to isolate or quarantine.

The facility is the second of its kind on the island and will start with 26 units that can expand to 50, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Tuesday.

The first facility has 30 isolation units with 56 beds. That facility has been nearly full in recent weeks as the state has dealt with a record wave of omicron cases.

“We are opening this facility out of an abundance of caution,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi in a statement to the Star-Advertiser. “However, we remain optimistic that the omicron variant has peaked with an anticipated decline in the need for isolation and quarantine resources in the near future.”

The new facility will give priority to people who are being released from hospitals.

“The city is providing an emergency response to the current high case numbers by helping to alleviate the strain that has been placed on our hospitals,” said Jim Ireland, director of the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Department.

A nonprofit is running the facilities for the county. They provide meals, drinks snacks and cleaning. A local mental health group is also providing services.