Making the Hawai‘i Pandemic Action Plan work

Posted on Dec 29, 2020 in Capitol Connection, Featured

Governor Ige with the mayors on June 18: (clockwise) Kirk Caldwell, Mike Victorino, Harry Kim, ASL interpreter Laura Safranski and Derek Kawakami.

The governor’s Pandemic Action Plan focuses on protecting public health, reviving the economy and strengthening our community. Finding the right balance has been part of the ongoing challenge for the governor and the four county mayors. From the start of the pandemic, the question has been, “How do we strike the right balance between public safety and economic recovery? Since the state’s March 2020 launch of the nation’s first mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for travelers, the governor and mayors, working with the Department of Health, have developed tiered systems, guidelines and protocols for businesses, gatherings and school and college instruction. The state’s Oct. 15 launch of its Safe Travels pre-travel testing program with “trusted testing partners” was a milestone as part of Hawai‘i’s multi-tiered screening process to keep the community safe while helping businesses recover and restore local jobs. The website development was coordinated by the state’s Office of Enterprise Technology Services. “So far, the Safe Travels program has worked to bring in visitors safely,” said Governor Ige.