According to Dr. Scott Miscovich, the recent outbreak at a nursing home in Hilo is a stark reminder that the threat of COVID-19 is still very much present. With the federal public health emergency for COVID-19 ending on May 11, there has been a decline in vaccinations, masking, and funding for testing. However, patients with COVID-19 are still showing up at urgent care clinics in windward Oahu. Dr. Miscovich stresses the importance of protecting the elderly community and cautions against dropping masks in health care settings.
Several health care institutions in Hawaii have relaxed their masking policies. Kaiser Permanente Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific Health no longer require masks in public common areas, but they are still required in certain areas serving immunocompromised and oncology patients. The Queen’s Health System still requires visitors to wear surgical masks at all times. While some dentists’ offices still require masks in waiting rooms, others do not.
Despite the trend towards relaxed masking policies, Dr. Miscovich emphasizes that masks should still be 100% required in health care institutions to maintain a safe environment. He encourages people to wear well-fitting N95 masks, as studies have shown that they are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Miscovich also reminds us that kupuna and the immunocompromised are still at higher risk of COVID-19 deaths. He warns that even younger people with risk factors such as obesity, long-term smoking, or inflammatory lung disease are also at risk.
The United States is currently “flying blind” as various counties and states drop COVID-19 monitoring altogether, according to Dr. Miscovich. He emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility in protecting ourselves and our families from COVID-19. As of Wednesday, the Hawaii Department of Health reported an average of 83 COVID-19 cases per day and an average positivity rate of 6.3%, with 50 COVID-19 patients in hospitals and four in intensive care. There were also eight more deaths, all among kupuna ages 60 and older, bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,904.
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