Ige Maps Out A Reopening Plan Allowing Hawaii To ‘Live With Covid-19’
The governor’s four-phase plan would allow “medium-risk” businesses such as salons and restaurants to start operating with restrictions in June.
Gov. David Ige unveiled a four-phase plan for reopening Hawaii鈥檚 economy at a news conference Monday, announcing that 鈥渕edium-risk” businesses and activities 鈥 from salons to theaters to restaurants 鈥 would be allowed to operate by the beginning of June with social distancing measures in place.
Gov. David Ige said the plan was aimed at providing a road map for Hawaii to 鈥渓ive with COVID-19.鈥 according to a
Highlights of the plan include:
- A quarantine for inter-island, domestic and international travelers will continue through June.
- Hawaii is currently in phase 1, with retailers and shopping malls recently allowed to reopen. The next phase slated for early June will include a much broader reopening of the economy that caters to Hawaii residents.
- Under phase 2 of the state鈥檚 reopening plans, 鈥渕edium-risk鈥 businesses 鈥 including salons and barbers, restaurants and gyms 鈥 will be allowed to once again operate. Also considered medium-risk: Movie theaters, houses of worship and museums. These venues will all have to maintain social distancing guidelines.
- But 鈥渉igh-risk鈥 businesses, like bars and clubs, will remain closed until phase 3.
- In a supplemental proclamation issued Monday, the governor has also extended his moratorium on evictions for residential properties through June 30.
The shutdown of much of Hawaii鈥檚 economy, including the tourism industry, has seen 220,000 Hawaii workers unemployed and left many businesses facing tough decisions about the future.
鈥淲e do anticipate an increase in COVID-19 positives, but we continue to ask that each and everyone of you to act with care,” Ige said. “We know that this phased approach will allow us to restart the local economy and bring those who have been recently unemployed back to the employment rolls.”
Retailers and shopping malls have already reopened statewide, and a number of other businesses are now able to operate. Counties have also reopened beaches, and many parks are open for limited activities.
The state has waited longer to reopen 鈥渕edium-risk鈥 businesses 鈥 like salons 鈥 because they require close contact of 30 minutes or more employees and customers.
For example, Maui County officials also announced Monday plans for how hair and nail salons can reopen May 25 with additional restrictions that include wearing face masks and conducting temperature screenings.
A panel of senators also asked for the administration’s plans on how to respond to various risk levels in March.
The recovery plan unveiled Monday is a piece of the state’s economic recovery effort that’s led by Alan Oshima, who the state has on loan from Hawaiian Electric Co.
Oshima has also been under fire recently for requests to use federal relief funds on over $9 million worth of consultant contracts. One of those consultants is Boston Consulting Group, one of the nations largest consulting firms that was involved in the proposed NextEra merger with Hawaiian Electric.
Read the reopening plan below.
