Updated 1/6/21, 3:30 p.m.
Governor David Ige condemned the actions of protestors who stormed the U.S. Capitol in D.C. Monday morning, protesting the congressional confirmation of the presidential election’s result.
“It is an assault on our democracy and everything that our country stands for,” Ige said.
“Every state in this country has certified the election results. And we had unprecedented voter turnout. The nation has spoken and Joe Biden will be the next president. It is time for us to move on.”
The Ige administration said it’s monitoring demonstrations from President Donald Trump supporters in Hawaii that have continued through the week.
Catherine Cruz / HPR
Updated 1/7/21, 9:06 a.m.
Governor David Ige condemned the actions of protestors who stormed the U.S. Capitol in D.C. Monday morning, protesting the congressional confirmation of the presidential election’s result.
“It is an assault on our democracy and everything that our country stands for,” Ige said.
“Every state in this country has certified the election results. And we had unprecedented voter turnout. The nation has spoken and Joe Biden will be the next president. It is time for us to move on.”
The Ige administration said it’s monitoring demonstrations from President Donald Trump supporters in Hawaii that have continued through the week.
Updated 1/6/21, 7:36 a.m.
People in Hawaii may be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine sooner than expected in the state s updated vaccination plan.
It has been a few weeks since vaccinations began in Hawaii. Frontline healthcare workers and those in long-term care facilities were first to receive them.
However, people over the age of 75 will soon have access to the vaccine as well as other essential workers that include correctional officers, emergency service dispatchers and teachers. The vaccinations of these groups are expected to happen now through March. The big picture on the vaccination plan is our kupuna. And those who care for our kupuna and keep our state going. That s the overarching principle of our vaccination program, Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said.
By Ashley Mizuo & HPR News Staff
• Dec 28, 2020 Cory Lum / Civil Beat
Nurses at Hawaiʻi Pacific Health s Kapiʻolani Hospital have been unable to come to a labor agreement with the medical facility due to a dispute over COVID-19 protocols.
Nurses, like Paulette Vasu who has been a nurse at the hospital for the past 23 years, are concerned about personal protective equipment including facemasks.
Vasu says the hospital requires nurses to disinfect their N-95 facemasks five times, using the facility s UV equipment. But the masks have to meet certain requirements, such as not having makeup and not broken. They did agree to only zapping it three times, which we don t understand why we can t get a new N-95 every time we work, Vasu said.
Updatd 12/14/20, 9:04 a.m.
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Hālawa Correctional Facility has grown to infect more than 160 inmates and nearly 30 staff. The prison is currently in lockdown with all inmate movement including transfer to and from the facility have been suspended forthe next two weeks.
According to the state Department of Public Safety, 167 inmates at the Hālawa Correctional Facility are currently in medical isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus. Another 28 staff at the prison were also infected.
Hawaiʻi health officials are currently conducting contact tracing. State public safety director Max Otani says security and medical staff at Hālawa are working around the clock to keep the virus from spreading.