Reaction is the best we have
I am not fan of Mayor Harry Kim, but I think his response to the current situation is the best we have. The emotional overreaction to the virus is going to do much more damage than the virus itself.
You are going to get the virus. Accept it. All that the current approach will do is ensure that the pain drags out and that the global economy is destroyed.
Last Tuesday, the CDC released a report, which stated that they expect the pandemic will extend, in waves, for 18 months. So how does this work? We extend various shutdowns (restaurants, travel and bars for example) two weeks at a time for 18 months? How many small (and for that matter large) businesses will survive for a year and a half in shutdown mode? Every business has fixed expenses, the most obvious being rent. Without income, you can’t pay the rent. So, eventually, you will go out of business.
I suggest that we all accept that we will contract the virus. Some of us will die. But continue with a life as normal as possible. Otherwise, the life that remains in two years will be like some apocalyptic movie.
I am 69 years old and my wife is 76, so we are in the high-risk category. We will get sick; we may die. I am not making this argument because I expect a better outcome for myself than others. I simply don’t believe that destroying the economy and all the businesses we enjoy will accomplish anything more than to delay the inevitable.
Bob Curtis
Kailua-Kona
Failure to perform
Seems Mayor Harry Kim has forgotten that the health and welfare of the people of Hawaii should be his first priority. There are countries that have been very successful in flattening the curve the coronavirus and there are others that have taken relaxed attitude and have seen many deaths and massive spikes in the spread of this disease.
Kim seems to be clueless as to which model works and is more concerned about the welfare of tourists. We know that visitors are the ones bringing the COVID-19 to Hawaii, but Kim is only concerned about where they can eat. If there is a spike and deaths of locals, I hope he will take full responsibility for each one.
Harry Kim, if you are reading this please stop all tourist from coming to this island for a while.
Leslie Iijima
Waikoloa Village
Mayor needs to resign
Council meeting … Shut down the island now! “This looks like a lockdown,” said Harry Kim “I will have to look at the ramifications.”
Harry, have you not watched the pandemic march across the world killing over 600 people in one day in Italy.
The Italian government and people said they have one regret toward their response to the coronavirus it is that they should have closed the country sooner.
Harry you are not fit to be mayor; resign today so we can take the preventive measures to save people on the Big Island. We know all the confirmed cases in Hawaii have arrived from the mainland. What part of this fact is hard for you to understand? Please get out of the way.
John Burke
Waikoloa Village