Not enough of a deterrent
I recall recently reading of a mainland couple who had violated their quarantine. They had been fined $1,000 each and set for court appearance in September. Reported this week, another couple was charged with the same violation but no information on any fine but released on their own recognizance and again a court appearance in September. They suddenly checked out of their hotel and now lost among the population.
This causes me to consider the cost to our people, the strain on our health care resources and the overall cost of a single transferred infection brought by these non-caring visitors. How is it that $1,000 is a deterrent to these visitors much less any expectation that they will return to appear a month later? This is nothing more than an inconvenience and slight cost increase to their vacation budget. Even then, will we ever collect anything?
The penalties for such a potential devastation left behind by these visitors should be severe enough to gravely consider the value of their disregard and it should be posted as bail before released from arrest. Maybe then the public care directives would be served by this deplorable behavior to their hosts. While I’m here, who is the genius that believes wearing a mask below the nose stops a viral infection?
Steve Lopez
Kailua-Kona
Bigger is not always better
In response to the letter from John Caudell: I want to thank you for giving me a good laugh Wednesday morning. The county is coming for my cellphone? Really? Not mine and not yours either.
Obviously, you are one of the “complainers” about all your freedoms being taken away during this pandemic. However, I also have the right to exercise my freedom and try and stay healthy by complying with some really simple rules like wearing a mask in public, washing my hands and social distancing. Believe me, it’s not easy but I do it for the good of my fellow citizens and for myself and my family.
Now, regarding the pesky little phone complaint, here is an easy solution you might want to try. How about changing your phone carrier or perhaps change your phone because no one I know who lives in the Palisades has ever complained about “spotty” coverage up there or going into town. Regarding cellphone companies wanting to improve the infrastructure, really? They could care less about the people who live here and how it may or may not affect us. How about cellphone companies want to improve their corporations bottom line to make more money. Besides all that, what’s wrong with going back to the 1980s? That was a really great time in Hawaii. No cellphones, no nothing except for a landline and we all did just fine. Life was simpler and in lots of ways, much happier and less stressful. Bigger and more is not always better, especially living on a small island.
Kathy Awai
Waikoloa
All voters should read up
Mr. Ogilvie should read up on Trump’s payroll tax holiday. I suggest he read some of the entries in the website PolitiFact to discover what is true, false, or misleading about the news he hears — and so should all voters. If one thinks back, the GOP has been trying to “privatize” Social Security for years. It is no wonder, then, that the Democrats are warning America against giving the GOP four more years to destroy it.
Ruth C. Savakinas
Kailua-Kona
Vigorous enforcement needed
I commend government officials for making hard choices and reinstating the interisland quarantine. And I encourage our officials to remain diligent, because a quarantine will protect us only if it’s vigorously enforced.
A friend recently returned from Asia. Officials called him one time during his quarantine. They asked what he was doing, but did not attempt to verify he was at home. Fortunately, my friend honored the quarantine. But we all know of people who don’t. And we see people out and about who are obviously fresh off the plane. I understand the pandemic is creating a heavy burden for government officials, and that enforcing the quarantine may be difficult. But the burden will become even heavier if the quarantine is not enforced.
It would be easy to send a daily text message to each person who is quarantined. Instruct them to immediately take a picture of themselves and text it back. Require them to do something in the photo to ensure it was just taken. Further action will be required only if they do not respond or if photos shows they are not in their residence.
If our already-overburdened government lacks the resources to send daily texts, recruit volunteers from the community to send them. The only contact the volunteers would have with visitors would be sending and receiving text message. If the visitor violates the quarantine, the volunteer would contact the appropriate government official.
This may be our last chance to stop the virus so I’m ready to volunteer. And I’m sure I’m not alone.
Mark Johnson
Kailua-Kona
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