Maui needs a vision and a plan to execute it

Maui is an island. Maui has control of its borders that would be the envy of many communities on the Mainland. Maui is also apparently not overrun with COVID-19. On the other hand, Maui is far from self-sufficient; Maui’s economy is tourist-dependent. What Maui needs is a vision and a plan. My vision is this: Maui comes to be seen as a haven of health. All we need to do is test — test for current infection and test for past infection. Test, test, test. If we can test, we can control the spread of the virus. We can make Maui COVID-19 free. Then we can advertise to potential visitors — come to paradise where the days are long and warm, and the island is COVID-19 free.

First, we need an epidemiologist in charge, someone who really knows what he or she is doing, someone who has experience like that gained by having been a member of the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the CDC, someone who has chased disease, someone who has the executive experience to command a team. Get that person to Maui, give them a job and give them a $5 million to $10 million budget to get supplies and hire staff.

Then, test widely on Maui to find those with the disease, isolate them, find their contacts and test them, and isolate those who are positive. Wipe out the disease.

Set up testing at the airport. Make it mandatory that everyone who comes on the island gets tested. Budd Shenkin, M.D. Makena

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