(BIVN) – There were 46 newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the State of Hawaiʻi on Monday. Of that number, four(4) new cases were identified on the Big Island.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health says there have been 90 cases of COVID-19 reported on Hawaiʻi island in the past 14 days.

Hawaiʻi County has seen an average 1.1% test positivity rate over the last 14 days, with an average of eight (8) new cases per day.

On the health department’s zip code area map showing reported COVID-19 cases with onset dates in the past 14 days, there are three (3) areas on Hawaiʻi island showing totals of over 10 cases:

• 96720 (Hilo) – 18 cases
• 96740 (Kona) – 27 cases
• 96749 (Puna) – 11 cases

From the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense:

The Hawaii Department of Health reports four (4) new cases of Coronavirus with two (2) persons hospitalized on Hawaii Island. There have been no deaths reported in the last eleven weeks.

The Department of Health has opened vaccine registration to those 65 and older. If you have questions regarding vaccine availability for your age group, please contact the Department of Health at 300-1120. For a list of all the facilities providing vaccinations visit the Civil Defense website. 

Beginning tomorrow Civil Defense will provide one Coronavirus message in the early morning each day. This message will be focused on County sponsored Coronavirus test events and when warranted provide significant updates on the situation. We appreciate your understanding and continued attention to following the mandates of wearing face coverings, distancing, and limiting gathering sizes.

Thank you for listening and have a safe week.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health reports there have been 475,661 cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the State of Hawaiʻi, an increase of 27,744 from March 12, 2021.

DOE To Implement Revised Safety Protocols

The Hawaiʻi Department of Education says it has worked with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health on health guidance and safety protocols for schools, as the State projects an increasing number of students will to return to in-person learning during the fourth quarter.

From the DOE, highlights for the ramp-up of in-person instruction include:

• Advance notice: Schools shall provide a minimum seven calendar days before an increase to in-person schooling.
• Remote work during quarantine: In the event of a classroom, workspace and/or building being closed due to COVID-19 and students being sent home and/or being directed to quarantine, employees identified as close contact needing to quarantine in accordance with CDC/DOH school guidance shall continue to work from a remote location when available.
• Mitigation strategies: Regardless of the level of community transmission, all schools shall use and layer mitigation strategies to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes wearing masks, staying home if you’re feeling sick, washing hands, physical distancing, and more.

Hawaiʻi DOE Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said, “Face-to-face learning is so vital for our students, especially our young learners. We’ve been diligently working to maximize in-person learning for the remainder of the school year… This will ensure our dedicated teams working in our schools are supported and continue to feel safe as we make this transition.”

State: No Gap in Benefits After American Rescue Plan Act

The Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced there will be no gap in benefits, following the signing of the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Unemployment insurance and assistance benefits are being extended.

DLIR Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio said, “We are relieved that Congress has acted to continue to provide unemployment insurance benefits and assistance to claimants as Hawai‘i residents continue to struggle from the effects of COVID-19 disruption in our community. We will automatically enroll claimants in the appropriate extension, so claimants will not need to take any extra steps to receive benefits. Claimants will see a new benefit amount in the online portal and receive a written monetary determination in the mail.” From the State:

At this time, DLIR does not expect a gap in benefits for most claimants as long as they remain eligible. Like the recent extension of the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), the department will batch process extensions so some claimants may have short delays in the ability to file claim certifications. Once a claimant’s monetary determination has been established, claimants will be able to file weekly claim certifications and will receive a monetary determination by mail.

The DLIR also announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 10.2 percent, compared to the revised rate of 10.3 percent in December. “Statewide, 67,000 people were unemployed in January,” the DLIR reported. “Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 6.3 percent for the same time period. Like many other states, Hawai‘i has dealt with higher unemployment rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”