Due to changes in federal funding, the state of Hawaii will alter its approach to testing, treatment and other COVID-19 mitigation strategies.
“Congress did not provide any additional funds to the Biden administration to support the COVID pandemic moving forward,” said Governor David Ige during a Honolulu Star-Advertiser conversation on Wednesday. “You’re going to begin to see us move back to normal, where health services, tests and treatments are provided through your health insurer.”
On Tuesday, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha confirmed the Biden administration will stop buying vaccines, treatments and tests as early as this fall.
“My hope is that in 2023, you’re going to see the commercialization of almost all of these products,” he said in a video release. “Some of that is actually going to begin this fall, in the days and weeks ahead.”
Ige noted treatments like monoclonal antibodies could be the first to change with the absence of federal funding.
“We will begin to see treatments, like the monoclonal antibodies, be one of the first things that will stop being funded by the federal government, which means that you would have to go to your physician, and they would make a decision whether it’s recommended, and a co-pay may be involved,” he said.
Ige added the state has acquired more than 2 million rapid antigen tests over the last few months, many of which have already been distributed throughout all counties and the public school system.
“We continue to still have very high COVID activity in our community,” Ige said. “But we haven’t seen hospitalizations increase with increased case counts, so I think we’re at a good place.”
COVID-19 cases throughout the state declined this week, with the Department of Health reporting Wednesday a total of 2,696 new cases statewide, a drop in 493 cases from the week before. A new state daily average was reported as well of 404 new cases this week, a drop in 48 cases from the week before.
“But remember, 400 was the peak in the Delta surge from more than a year ago,” said Ige of the daily average. “It’s still a lot of virus in our community.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also altered their COVID recommendations on Aug. 11.
Instead of quarantining, those exposed to COVID-19 are recommended to wear a mask for 10 days and to get tested on the fifth day.
For those who test positive for COVID-19, the CDC recommends staying home for at least five days, after which if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, you can end isolation and are encouraged to wear a mask for the remaining 10–day period.
Hawaii County reported 338 new COVID cases this week, a drop in 31 cases from the week before. The Big Island also reported one new death from COVID this week, a man above the age of 80 with a preexisting condition.
For Hilo’s 96720 ZIP code, there were 232 new COVID cases reported over the last 14-day period.
Ige also addressed the Department of Education’s choice to drop its mask mandate for students, saying he believes it was the right decision.
“I think in the next few months, it’ll be an adjustment period again to learning to live with COVID,” he said.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.