With the proposed “resort bubbles,” will patrons be able to use the beach in front of oceanfront resorts (“Hawaii Gov. David Ige gives counties right to pursue resort travel bubbles,” Star- Advertiser, Aug. 20)?

This sounds like a great selling point, but what about others walking through these areas as they move up and down the waterfront? We want the tourists back, but don’t want to give an inch on Hawaii’s public beach access laws by having corporations fence off sections of beach.

Matt Noponen

Waialua

Rethink restrictions that don’t make sense

While I agree stronger restrictions are needed to curb the rise in coronavirus cases on Oahu, some of the businesses and various areas ordered to close make no sense.

For example, you can cross the beach to go swimming but you can’t park your car in the parking lot; you can go to the laundromat or the doctor’s office, but you can’t go to the DMV to renew your driver’s license so you can get there.

The governor and mayor really need to think about the ramifications of some of their restrictions. Also, they finally have figured out that they need to use some hotels to house those requiring the 14-day quarantine, so they can keep an eye on those quarantined as well as keep them isolated. This should have been done with all visitors and returning residents, too.

Shalane Sambor

Makiki

Coronavirus crisis mishandled early on

We who earlier were proudly touting our low COVID-19 numbers are now silenced as cases and hospitalizations soar. We suddenly realize that we have our own Trump sdministration response to the pandemic right here in Hawaii.

Dr. Jonathan Dworkin pointed out parallels (“The state’s COVID response is a disgrace,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 23).

Early on, Gov. David Ige and the state Department of Health naively declared “the risk is low,” even as numbers elsewhere soared.

Sick people were denied tests because they hadn’t traveled to a high-risk area.

Lack of testing allowed many infected people to circulate undetected, exposing family, friends and health care providers for weeks and months, undoubtedly infecting many others.

Any contract tracing program was criminally inadequate or nonexistent.

Like the Trump administration, the state largely off-loaded these responsibilities to the counties.

Also, like this federal government, state officials have engaged in a policy of obfuscation, spinning the numbers, and inaccurately reporting statistics and data they think might reflect unfavorably on them.

Awake yet?

William E. Conti

Waikiki

State shouldn’t give up on contact tracing

Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson said he doesn’t think contact tracing will help much at this stage. When have his assumptions proven correct?

I don’t know what playbook he’s following, but if he’s ready to give up, isn’t it time to replace him with someone who’s ready to keep trying?

Cyrus Won

Wilhelmina Rise