David Y. Ige

(Honolulu) – Anyone interested in getting more detail on the State’s Beyond Recovery: Reopening Strategy, can now view the entire detailed strategy online. It was developed by the Governor’s Office along with the Hawai‘i Economic and Community Recovery Navigator in collaboration with many government agencies and business sector partners.

The reopening strategy, presented by the Governor in late May, is informed by three guiding principles: save lives and prevent suffering, empower individuals with safe practices, and reopen and reshape Hawai‘i to be stronger and more resilient.

A phased approach to reopening is already underway, with a continued focus on four key public health pillars:

• Prevention: Safe practices, self-isolation and quarantine
• Detection: Provide a robust picture of infections in communities
• Containment: Investigate, test, isolate and monitor cases and close contacts
• Treatment: Clinical care and treatment, symptom management

The state roadmap to recovery and resiliency includes 4 distinct phases: Stabilization, Reopening, Long-term Recovery, and Resilience. The state is currently in phase 2, the Reopening Phase, with an emphasis on strengthening and promoting the Kama‘aina Economy. During this phase interisland travel will reopen without quarantine restrictions on June 16. This phase is informed by the “Act with Care” impact level, which asks all Hawai‘i residents to continue Safe Practices recommended by the State Department of Health such as handwashing, physical distancing, and wearing face coverings. 

As phase 2 transitions into phase 3, Long-term Recovery, there will be consideration for reopening highest-risk businesses and operations, including increasing the size of allowable gatherings. These decisions will happen with caution and adjustments to Safe Practices as conditions evolve. The Resilience phase, or phase 4, is the state’s intended outcome. This envisions an adaptive workforce, a flexible business environment, and an innovative economy. 

Each phase corresponds to impact levels informed by health, economic, and community-based indicators. To ensure the health and well-being of the community, the Governor and county mayors agreed to a minimum 14-day “observation period” between decisions points to assess conditions before moving to the next impact level.  

Governor David Ige said, “We will continue monitoring health metrics with every decision we make and are committed to decisions based on data, science, and best practices. We are also mindful that every action we take serves the interest of the health and safety of the people of Hawaiʻi. Together, we will emerge stronger and more resilient, as a result of learning from and overcoming this challenge.”

The strategy includes multiple graphical representations of the phases, impact levels, decision points, and useful information for individuals and businesses. View it online at:

https://recoverynavigator.hawaii.gov/reopening-status/#detailed-strategy

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Dennison
Lead Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i COVID-19 Joint Information Center
(808) 354-4263
[email protected]