The Hawai'i Department of Transportation (HDOT) notifies Oahu motorists of a single lane closure on westbound H-201 Moanalua Freeway in Puuloa between the Funston Road overpass and the Kaua Street onramp. The daily closure of the far-right lane is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 27, Friday, Aug. 28, and Monday, Aug. 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The work beginning Aug. 27 is a continuation of the repair work to level and improve drainage in the area. https://hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/08/25/daily-lane-closure-on-westbound-h-201-moanalua-freeway-in-puuloa-for-repairs/

Effective Tuesday, September 1, the City and County of Honolulu will require ALL riders of TheBus and TheHandi-Van to wear a mask or face covering over the nose and mouth, when boarding and for the duration of their ride. “As community spread continues through our island, we must take adequate and increased measures to protect our employees and passengers,” said Department of Transportation Services Deputy Director Jon Nouchi. “While most passengers have complied with previous face covering directives covered under earlier emergency orders, some passengers have become complacent, and, in disregarding the use of a face covering, present increased risks to their fellow passengers and transit operators.” Passengers not wearing a mask or face covering will not be allowed to board TheBus or TheHandi-Van. If a passenger removes their face covering while onboard, they may be subject to removal from the vehicle. “This policy update is greatly appreciated for our front-line TheBus and TheHandi-Van operators,” said Roger Morton, President and General Manager of Oʻahu Transit Services, Inc. “Consistent wearing of masks and face coverings while onboard will protect our workforce, our riders, and keep everyone safe.” For any questions regarding “no mask, no ride”, on TheBus, call (808) 848-5555 and press “3”. For any questions regarding “no mask, no ride” on TheHandi-Van, call (808) 456-5555 and press “3”. The City continues to remind the public that only essential trips should be taken on public transit. Riders should continue practicing good hygiene and social distancing. People who are sick or in poor health should stay at home and not ride public transit to keep our system safe. http://www.thebus.org/thehandivan/thehandivan.asp

Gov. David Ige and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) Acting Director Anne Eustaquio announced today that Hawaiʻi will apply to participate in a new unemployment insurance plus up program called the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program. The program, under to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created by the president via a memorandum earlier this month in response to the July expiration of the unemployment $600 weekly benefit. “This will bring relief to many who are still unemployed due to the impact of the coronavirus on our economy. I’m taking this action to maximize all available federal funds to help people in Hawaiʻi who are unemployed because of COVID-19,” said Gov. Ige. “In anticipation of FEMA approval, the DLIR has already begun working to build a new program within the unemployment computer system to implement and pay LWA benefits,” said Eustaquio. “In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor concerning program administration, the state will work diligently to complete this process as quickly as possible.” Upon approval, Hawaiʻi will offer an additional unemployment compensation benefit of $300 per week to eligible unemployment recipients. To qualify for this benefit, recipients must be eligible for at least $100 in weekly benefit and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Payments would be retroactive to August 1, 2020. Unlike the FPUC program that ended in July, LWA is a grant with a finite amount of funding. When FEMA exhausts its grant funding, it will no longer have the resources to provide LWA payments and the program will end. If the federal program does not exhaust the LWA grant funding, payments will end on Dec. 26, 2020. Claimants who are unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19 and are eligible to receive at least $100 per week in unemployment benefits from one of the following programs will be eligible to receive $300 a week in LWA funds from FEMA: ● Unemployment Insurance (UI) ● Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) ● Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX) ● Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) ● Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) ● Extended Benefits (EB) ● Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, State of Hawai'i, and the City and County of Honolulu have partnered to conduct widespread COVID-19 testing on O‘ahu. The Honolulu Fire Department will lead the effort. The surge testing is set to begin on Wednesday, August 26 and will run for 12 consecutive days. Testing at the surge locations is available at no cost to individuals five years and older – including those experiencing symptoms; those who believe they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19; and anyone who is worried about possibly having the virus. “I’m glad to be here on O’ahu to represent HHS as these testing sites are stood up, increasing access to critical testing resources,” said Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams. “If you or a loved one are worried you may have come into contact with COVID-19, please make an appointment to get tested. It’s easy and most importantly – free!” “This is an excellent opportunity for concerned Oʻahu residents to get tested. This mass testing is also a chance to better understand the level of infection across Oʻahu as our healthcare system has become increasingly concerned about its capacity to handle the caseload. County, state and federal partners will continue to work together to protect the health and safety of the people of Hawaiʻi.” “Doing this on a massive scale can help to reset O‘ahu, break these surges, and put us on a path to recovery,” said Mayor Caldwell. “If as many as possible participate in the next two weeks, then follow up with protective action, we can beat this. The County asked for help and the Federal Government’s Coronavirus Task Force stepped up. We need to find out where the virus is in our community. The best thing to do right now is to get yourself tested, get your family tested, encourage your coworkers, neighbors, anyone in your circles to do this. Keep your circle protected and sequestered for the next 14 days. This will knock out this virus. The intent is to test as many residents as possible, guide those that test positive, and give families piece of mind with their negative results. From that point on, everyone should work to protect their circle for 14 days. Stay home, stay away from gatherings. Stay safe.” Individuals seeking testing do not need to be a resident of the community where these testing sites are located. Individuals under 18 years old must have a parent or legal guardian present to consent to testing. Results are expected to be available 3-5 days following a test. There will be 60,000 tests available over the course of 12 days. The federal government is providing the tests and covering all associated costs. Every individual getting tested will also receive five cloth face coverings so they can protect others from COVID-19. On Wednesday, August 26, testing will be available from 9 a. m. through 2 p. m. at the following sites. A full site list is available at www.doineedacovid19test.com. Kaneohe District Park Leeward Community College The community is highly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity because it may not be offered again. For peace of mind, COVID-19 positive households can now get free testing for all family members. Protect yourselves, protect others, protect your community, and make use of this valuable opportunity. Testing procedures and results will be kept confidential. Results will be made available via e-mail notification in as early as three days. Surge test participants will not be subject to the fourteen-day quarantine that other test programs require. Register for your free test at www.doineedacovid19test.com. You will also obtain your results by logging into this portal.

The City and County of Honolulu and the Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) have joined forces to activate a coordinated plan to address the needs of O‘ahu families and individuals in need of resources to isolate and quarantine themselves to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) has partnered with the City and County to provide intake and support services for isolation and quarantine and the City has executed a contract with a local hotel to provide an additional 130 rooms for isolation and quarantine on O‘ahu. With this expanded capacity, there will be a total of more than 300 rooms available for use in Honolulu. DOH will provide case management and wrap around services to support families and individuals who may need resources and social services during their 14-day isolation or quarantine. The City has contracted with the hotel and provided the funding for the additional 130 rooms through federal grant funds available for COVID-19 response. “As cases increased, we realized the tremendous need for more isolation and quarantine units and stepped in with support, said Mayor Caldwell. “With sometimes crowded living conditions for large households on O‘ahu, these units will help to support families and individuals without the means to effectively prevent spreading the virus.” “We are grateful to the City for providing the additional resources needed to offer temporary rooms for individuals to safely isolate and quarantine,” said Eddie Mersereau, deputy director of the DOH’s Behavioral Health Administration. “Working together, the City and State are providing social services and basic supports to those who do not have homes or places to safely stay while they quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19.” BHA has activated the Hawai‘i CARES hotline to provide assistance and triage of cases. The Hawai‘i CARES call center is the state’s centralized resource for mental health and substance use treatment assistance. During the pandemic, the call center duties will be expanded for arranging appropriate placement for isolation/quarantine. The Hawai‘i CARES hotline can be reached on O‘ahu by calling (808) 832-3100, Neighbor Island residents can call toll free at 1-800-753-6879, or reach by fax at (808) 453-6994. For more information about Hawaii CARES, email hicares@hawaii.edu. In April 2020, the DOH formed the Behavioral Health and Homeless Statewide Unified Response Group (BHHSURG) to oversee the state’s public behavioral health and homelessness services systems. Partners include the Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration, the Governor’s Office, Department of Human Services’ Homeless Program Office, and all four counties. For information visit https://health.hawaii.gov/bhhsurg/.

Mayor Harry Kim's COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 11

In July 2020, the total monthly supply of statewide vacation rentals was 397,100 unit nights (-55.6%) and monthly demand was 56,000 unit nights (-91.9%), resulting in an average monthly unit occupancy of 14.1 percent (-63.5 percentage points) (Figure 1). In comparison, Hawaii’s hotels had an average occupancy rate of 20.9 percent in July 2020. It is important to note that unlike hotels, condominium hotels, timeshare resorts and vacation rental units are not necessarily available year-round or each day of the month and often accommodate a larger number of guests than traditional hotel rooms. The unit average daily rate (ADR) for vacation rental units statewide in July was $197, which was higher than the ADR for hotels ($174). On Oahu, short-term rentals (rented for less than 30 days) were not allowed to operate during July. For Hawaii Island, Kauai and Maui County, legal short-term rentals were allowed to operate as long as they were not being used as a quarantine location. During July, all passengers arriving from out-of state were required to abide by a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine, but interisland travelers did not have to quarantine. The majority of flights to Hawaii were cancelled in July because of COVID-19. HTA’s Tourism Research Division issued the report’s findings utilizing data compiled by Transparent Intelligence, Inc. The data in this report specifically excludes units reported in HTA’s Hawaii Hotel Performance Report and Hawaii Timeshare Quarterly Survey Report. In this report, a vacation rental is defined as the use of a rental house, condominium unit, private room in private home, or shared room/space in private home. This report also does not determine or differentiate between units that are permitted or unpermitted. The “legality” of any given vacation rental unit is determined on a county basis. Island Highlights In July, Maui had the largest vacation rental supply of all four counties with 142,000 unit nights, which was a decrease of 49.1 percent compared to a year ago. Unit demand was 12,700 unit nights (-94.4%), resulting in 8.9 percent occupancy (-72.6 percentage points) with an ADR of $228 (-40.8%). Maui County hotels were 12.1 percent occupied with an ADR of $206. Oahu vacation rental supply was 108,300 unit nights (-63.2%). Unit demand was 22,000 unit nights (-90.7%), resulting in 20.3 percent occupancy (-59.9 percentage points) and an ADR of $170 (-42.6%). Oahu hotels were 23.3 percent occupied with an ADR of $170. There were 90,900 available unit nights (-55.9%) on the island of Hawaii in July. Unit demand was 14,300 unit nights (-89.8%), resulting in 15.8 percent occupancy (-52.5 percentage points) with an ADR of $171 (-40.9%). Hawaii Island hotels were 24.7 percent occupied with an ADR of $164. Kauai had the fewest number of available unit nights in July at 56,000 (-51.2%). Unit demand was 7,000 unit nights (-92.2%), resulting in 12.4 percent occupancy (-65.5 percentage points) with an ADR of $279 (-39.0%). Kauai hotels were 21.6 percent occupied with an ADR of $175. Tables of vacation rental performance statistics, including data presented in the report are available for viewing online at: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/research/infrastructure-research/ About the Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report The Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report is produced using data compiled by Transparent Intelligence, Inc., which was selected by the Hawaii Tourism Authority as the provider for these data services. The report includes data for properties that are listed on Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway, and TripAdvisor. Data for units included in HTA’s Hawaii Hotel Performance Report and Hawaii Timeshare Quarterly Report have been excluded from the Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report. This report also does not determine or differentiate between units that are permitted or unpermitted. The “legality” of any given vacation rental unit is determined on a county basis. For July 2020, the report included data for 16,214 units, representing 28,372 bedrooms in the Hawaiian Islands. PRINT REPORT

This is a Civil Defense message update from the County of Hawai'i. On today’s update of COVID-19, the number of active cases, on Hawaii Island, monitored by the Department of Health is forty-eight. There are twelve new cases of Coronavirus on Hawaii Island. These cases are now isolated and monitored by the Department of Health. At this date, for Hawaii Island, two of the four reported from yesterday’s hospitalizations have been released as recovered and the two who remain are reported doing well. Thank you! Hawaii Island has seen large daily increases of positive cases for the past three weeks. Health data shows the majority of these new cases have been identified as Hilo based gatherings where people failed to practice preventive measures. An example of this is the huge gathering of remembrance recently held in east Hawaii. It has also been reported that people in social gatherings, such as beaches and parks, are disregarding the policies of prevention. The Police Department will be stepping up their enforcement of the prevention policies. A review is underway to see what policy changes need to occur to address the growing spread of this virus. At this time, indoor and outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than ten (10) persons. This does not apply to family gatherings of the same household, nor to faith based worship services. For any questions, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031. We must all get together, this is a serious situation developing in Hilo and only you can help stop the spread of this virus. We need your help in following the guidance of prevention. Thank you for listening and be safe. This is your Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.

DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division Tables Updated Weekly Gathering data on COVID-19, assimilating it, and reporting it to people in easily understood terms has been one of the many challenges that have faced public health experts and educators across the country. The Department of Health’s Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD) has maintained a data-rich website since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and now has additional open-source information available at: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current -situation-in-hawaii/. Starting today, weekly updated charts on the DOCD website include the following: Race of COVID-19 Cases Compared to State Population New COVID-19 Cases per Week by Age Group Age COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths Gender of COVID-19 Cases State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said these simple-to-understand charts reinforce many of the key messages she and other infectious disease experts have been sharing for weeks and months. “While the death rates are clearly higher for older people, the data suggest that the bulk of the disease activity is occurring now among the 18-29 year-old category, which has the highest number of total cases, followed by those in the 30-39 year-old group,” Dr. Park explained. Conversely these younger demographic groups have low percentages of hospitalizations and deaths, at 1% and 2% respectively. So, they’re not getting very sick, and they are spreading a lot of the infection. Just over a third of those 80 and older succumbed to COVID-19. Pacific Islanders have the highest percentage of case counts at 30%, even though this group only represents 4% of the state’s overall population. Filipino’s account for 17% of the total cases, close to their representation in the state population at 16%; yet they represent 25% of those who have passed. These numbers, Park said, reinforce health education efforts underway in these ethnic communities to help people understand the importance of practicing safe health measures. The number of men and women needing hospital care due to coronavirus infection is nearly equal: 174 for females and 189 for men. Males also have a higher number of cases at 3,313 compared to 3,022 for females. The charts and tables in this dashboard will be updated weekly.

Last week, the DLNR Divisions of Aquatic Resources (DAR), State Parks (SP), the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, local businesses, and members of the community, conducted two separate marine debris cleanups in West Hawai‘i. These efforts were great examples of State employees, non-profit organizations and individuals working together to keep beaches and reefs clean and beautiful. More than 1,200 pounds of nets and other debris were removed and transported for disposal and research. The first was a derelict fishing net bundle that was reported on the beach at Keawaiki, by a Ke Kai Ola volunteer. The landowner provided access to this remote North Kona shoreline, and the net was hauled off the beach. The removal crew followed up with a sweep of the beach for any remaining net pieces and other rubbish. This material was estimated to weigh around 130 pounds. The second was a large cargo-type net covering a shallow reef in Puakō Bay that was reported to DLNR by Kelly Nedved of LightSUP Hawai‘i. With her help, DAR divers conducted an initial assessment of the net and what it would take to remove it from the reef. Later a full removal operation was conducted that involved five DAR employees and nine community volunteers. DAR free divers worked to cut the net and remove it from the reef, careful to minimize damage to corals and live rock. Volunteers shuttled the net pieces back to shore and into a truck. LightSUP Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Surf and Kayak donated the use of stand-up paddleboards and kayaks for the operation. The removal team estimated that over 1,000 pounds of netting were taken off of the reef over a four-hour period. During this operation, divers found several small coral colonies growing in and around the netting. These colonies were carefully removed and placed back onto the reef where they will hopefully continue to grow. Both nets will be taken by the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund and will be saved for a partner at Hawai‘i Pacific University to aid in marine debris research. Any derelict net or line bundles recovered from the shore or ocean, can be deposited in designated bins outside the DAR offices in Kona (at Honokōhau) and Hilo (Wailoa Fisheries Research Station) for contribution to the NOAA Nets to Energy partnership. If you see marine debris in your area, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Visit https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/marine-debris/ for more information or call 808-587-0405.

Civil Defense Message from the Hawai'i County Alerts and Notifications Center On today’s update of COVID-19, the number of active cases, on Hawaii Island, monitored by the Department of Health is fifty-six. There are eleven new cases of Coronavirus on Hawaii Island. These cases are now isolated and monitored by the Department of Health. At this date, for Hawaii Island, four are hospitalized. An active case is defined as an individual who has tested positive for the Coronavirus and is presently monitored by the Department of Health. For your information, two drive through testing sites are scheduled for today; the first, in North Kona at the Keauhou Shopping Center. Hours are from 9:00 in the morning ‘til noon and the second in Hilo at the Keaukaha Gym from 9:00 in the morning ‘til 1:00 this afternoon. Hawaii Island has seen large daily increases of positive cases for the past three weeks. Health data shows the majority of these new cases have been identified as Hilo based gatherings where people were disregarding the policies of prevention. The Police Department will be stepping up their enforcement of the prevention policies. A review is underway to see what policy changes need to occur to address the growing spread of this virus. At this time, indoor and outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than ten (10) persons. This does not apply to family gatherings of the same household, nor to faith based worship services. For any questions, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031. We must all get together, this is a serious situation developing in Hilo and only you can help stop the spread of this virus. We need your help in following the guidance of prevention. Thank you for listening and be safe. This is your Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.

Two (2) additional Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) inmates and 1 adult corrections officer (ACO) tested positive for COVID-19. The Department of Public Safety (PSD) coordinated with the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct mass testing of all OCCC inmates in each of the 19 individual housing units there. PSD received 153 more inmate test results. Two (2) were positive and 151 were negative. The initial round of mass testing was completed Thursday. The Department of Health will be conducting follow up testing of all inmates at OCCC in the coming weeks. 49 OCCC staff test results have also been reported. 1 was positive and 48 were negative. All transports to court from all Oahu facilities are suspended through Friday, August 28. Video hearings will still be accommodated to the extent possible and as legally permissible. PSD is in constant contact with the Judiciary to assure the safety of all staff and inmates involved. PSD will continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 and make additional operational and preventative decisions as the situation evolves. For more information on PSD’s planning and response to COVID-19, inmate testing data, and information detailing the efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, visit their webpage at: http://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/