VIDEO: Q&A with Lt. Gov. Josh Green to discuss coronavirus in Hawaii
Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green answered readers’ questions Wednesday about the coronavirus in a Facebook live Q&A from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newsroom.
Two cases of coronavirus have so far been confirmed in Hawaii, and the Department of Health announced Tuesday a statewide surveillance program to identify any cases of the virus throughout the islands.
Green said Hawaii needs to perform more coronavirus tests, especially now that the World Health Organization has declared the global coronavirus crisis a pandemic. Two Hawaii labs are capable of testing for COVID-19 with the results arriving within two to three days, Green said.
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“I think we should max out and use all of our tests, as I’ve said quite a few times,” he said. “We can do up to 250 a week with a bonus of another up to 500 if we really double down.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that older adults and people with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer are at a higher risk of “getting very sick” from COVID-19.
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“If you are sick, don’t go to work,” Green said. “If you are sick, don’t go to school. If you have a fever, shortness of breath and coughing, and you test negative for the flu — somebody needs to test you for COVID-19 now — that way you’ll know whether you are in a high risk group.”
Watch the video below.
