As mainland nurses near the end of their contracts, experts warn that some hospitals are still very full
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – In the next two weeks, contracts for 247 traveling nurses and respiratory therapists who will be dispatched to Hawaii this summer will expire. Negotiations are now underway to keep many of these mainland health workers on the island – at least for a while longer.
Officials confirmed that 111 have agreed to extend their stay for about an additional month.
Healthcare workers are funded by FEMA and some are preparing to leave as the state’s COVID crisis continues to subside.
COVID hospital stays in Hawaii have declined 60% since their peak on September 3 of 448.
But not every community is overwhelmed.
Officials confirm that Queen’s Medical Center West Oahu still has its licensed bed capacity. Other bodies remain thinly stretched.
âThere was some catching up to do,â said Hilton Raethel, CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. âWhat we are seeing now is that we have a significant number of people coming from procedures and operations. There’s a lot of activity going on and that keeps our hospitals full. “
Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, he believes the state is fast approaching a time when people should be able to return to normal social and economic activities.
âOur positivity rate of 3.5% is lower than the national average – and they are wide open. They are 6.4%, âhe said. “If we as a state are below 3% positivity and we are constantly under 200 people in the hospital, then the restrictions should be removed.”
He predicts Hawaii will hit that threshold in about two weeks.
âNo doubt people would like to go to some sporting events. See her kids, see UH football. Go to events and it’s easier to eat out, âsaid Green.
âThose are the restrictions that should be removed. We should continue to wear masks indoors. We should still be careful when traveling. “
Nationwide, clinicians have dispensed more than two million vaccines while 5.7% of the state’s population had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID. As of Monday, 68.2% of Hawaii residents were fully vaccinated.
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