The City and County of Honolulu is working towards reopening several COVID-19 testing sites and isolation facilities due to the surge in cases.
Many facilities related to COVID-19 closed their doors as case numbers steadily decreased.
However, the current surge has created a demand for these types of facilities. The lines at existing testing facilities are reportedly too long and crowded.
Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina urges Native Hawaiian health centers to use federal relief funds for better outreach.
"For Native Hawaiians, I feel that we have seen this historically. This is about the survival of our people," she said. "If that doesn’t make people rethink why they should care, maybe we should have leaders explain to them."
"For all that we have faced historically with pandemics, the aliʻi were the best in making sure that during the impact of Westernization, we got the appropriate care. And it’s no different now," Kiaʻāina said.
As of Tuesday, Oʻahu reported an average of 450 daily cases over the past seven days and a nearly 10% positivity rate.
A list of testing and vaccine sites on O‘ahu can be found here.
