Gov. David Ige says state indoor mask mandate to end March 25

[Rob Tucker]

Please folks, just keep it Hawaii on Punaweb.

[HawaiiEV]

No that’s not it. It’s a video of them testing all the different common masks and it shows how the smoke goes right through them. Rob not sure how we are to discuss the merits of masking in Hawaii without the bloody scientific evidence, unfortunately Ige has said he will bring lockdown policy back if he feels like it. I do find it interesting people can post their opinions about the masks working but one little video from Mayo Clinic with no comment must be deleted…

[Chas]

Sorry Rob. Just amazed that someone can't Google the size of Hawaii smoke particles vs. Hawaii Covid droplets and the numerous studies showing the effectiveness of masks.

I'll stop now. I should've realized that facts don't matter to some people.

[malahini]

So terrified that Ige is going to extend due to BA.2

   

They need to start taking people's mental health seriously. This is going to be an unmitigated disaster when it comes to the mental health of people and educational/developmental loss in children.

All of this making people "feel" safe is having real harms on people.

[Rob Tucker]

Terrified? Sigh...

[kalakoa]

Nobody is being forced to live in Hawaii. There are lots of other places. Some of them even have competent governance and a functional economy.

[MyManao]

So terrified that Ige is going to extend due to BA.2..

They need to start taking people's mental health seriously..

Interesting juxtaposition.. "terrified" and "mental health." And that's against the backdrop of how well Hawaii has faired. Unfortunately, for all that I still don't think we're as close to the end of this thing as folks would hope..

Initially, seemingly because we don't have much of a tourist trade with China, we were last to get it as the pandemic first circled the globe. And then we had a fleeting moment hoping Covid doesn't like the tropics, but it came, and although PaulW tried his damndest to convince us otherwise, we adjusted and have faired better than most because we, collectively, were more inclined to follow the suggestions of our medical professionals than other states. 

And thank all the gods for our moat.

But, even being the last to get it, and now the last to give up our cautions, we're here. Mask burning parties, love ins and OMG give me a hug already. Hooray, the pandemic is over! 

Or is it?

The way I see it there are only two ways the pandemic ends: We, collectively, gain enough lasting immunity to resist and Covid, finding no hosts, fades away; or Covid mutates in such a way as to no longer be as serious a health concern as it has, to date, been. And, to my knowledge, neither of those conditions have been met. Although, at this moment, it appears we think they have.

Right now most Americans, having been immunized either through vaccines or natural exposure, are behaving as if they are protected against Covid. Although, as we have seen before, immunity to Covid doesn't last. And, as such, for the vaccinated with our last dose being months in the past, we're now reaching the point where our's will fade. Though now, unlike in earlier lulls in Covid's cycles, we are doing away with our protective measures. We are abandoning our mandates. No more masks, no more social distancing. In fact, it looks like congress is poised to abandon funding for Covid measures nationally.. 

End of COVID funds? House eyes $15.6B, but outlook dim 

From.. https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-...770dd06c24 

Which begins..

This could be the end of the line for congressional funding to fight COVID-19..

While here, in Hawaii, our first line of defense against further infection, especially from beyond our shores, our Safe Travels Program, is set to end on March 25.

And then there's this..

What rising Covid-19 infections in the UK and Europe could mean for the US

From.. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/health/co...index.html

Which, in part, reads.. Cases up 48% in the UK last week.. also rising in more than half of the countries in the European Union. Fauci said.. The BA.2 variant, which is more transmissible than the original Omicron.. The opening of society, with people mingling more indoors without masks.. Waning immunity from vaccination or prior infection..

And I appreciate being Covid exhausted.. and am overwhelmingly tired of all the anti noise.. and all I want is to just please turn the channel already.. and I am completely convinced our political leaders ain't got the stomach for this anymore..

As Edge said, enjoy the moment... get what needs doing done.. and pray like all get up Covid is as tired of us as we are of it. Otherwise, I doubt Ige, anyone, has the stomach to do anymore than just let Covid run wild.. we're seriously on our own. Which, while watching the happiness on folks faces while extolling the joys of an in person Merrie Monarch Festival it's hard to see how any of this is going to work out as folks expect. All things considered I give it a month, six weeks, before the next surge comes rolling through.

[kalakoa]

Please just stop.

The virus cannot be contained or managed. People aren't willing to make the necessary sacrifices, and even severe restrictions will only "slow the spread" not stop it. Vaccination is a coping strategy at best. Fourth booster? Sign me up, whatever.

Safe Travels was always Federally funded, Ige can't extend it without passing the hat around the Legislature. People who want to live with those restrictions should be willing to pay for them. The rest of us should be allowed to leave.

The virus is evolving. Killing the host is not in its best interest. Even when that host is already unhealthy and a good candidate for the cull.

Thank goodness for Ukraine pushing COVID off the headlines.

[randomq]

Our approach here in Hawaii seems to have saved lives, and has tapered to barely an inconvenience. Unless hospitalizations jump up I think masks are pau for now. Probably best to just use common sense, and wear a well fitted N95 if you are still particularly vulnerable for some reason.

If you're still getting hysterical about "lockdowns" and "restrictions", I suggest you take advantage of the free counseling and mental health resources while they are available.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

take advantage of the free counseling and mental health resources 

But would that work better than complaining and arguing on Punaweb?