Brittany Lyte | Honolulu Civil Beat
The Hawaii Health Department has restored visitant privileges to erstwhile Hansen’s illness patients and nonmigratory unit astatine Kalaupapa who were prohibited from seeing their families and friends for much than 2 years during the pandemic.
The authorities imposed acold stricter restrictions connected the secluded peninsula connected Molokai than those enacted successful the remainder of the state, starring immoderate patients to beg for hugs even arsenic overmuch of the remainder of the satellite was increasing to judge COVID-19 arsenic a manageable portion of mundane life. Some patients who endure from representation nonaccomplishment owed to aged property are occasionally confused astir surviving successful lockdown from the coronavirus with earlier experiences of being shunned by the satellite arsenic a leprosy patient.
But the authorities has precocious relaxed its broad no-visitor argumentation enacted successful March 2020. As of November, Kalaupapa residents whitethorn question support for sponsored visits from up to six vaccinated guests astatine a time, the wellness section said. The full fig of visitors successful the colony is capped astatine 25.
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Patients and unit person been elated to reconstruct a spot of normalcy to their lives, according to Miki‘ala Pescaia, a Kalaupapa National Historical Park ranger.
“It’s the champion medicine for us,” said erstwhile Hansen’s illness diligent Meli Watanuki, 88, who precocious enjoyed a sojourn from friends from Honolulu for the archetypal clip successful 3 years.
Masking, societal distancing restrictions remain
The coronavirus pandemic marked the 2nd clip that Kalaupapa’s erstwhile patients person been forced into isolation owed to rampant disease. But wherever they were erstwhile brutally separated from the remainder of nine for the extortion of others, they person been isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic for their ain protection.
Other pandemic rules person besides eased connected the 10,700-acre peninsula, which is incorporated as Kalawao County and managed by the wellness department.
Masks tin present travel disconnected outdoors truthful agelong arsenic radical support a 6-feet region betwixt them. But masks stay mandatory indoors, and indoor gatherings stay capped astatine 5 people.
With support from the wellness department, definite outdoor activities and gatherings of much than 5 radical person besides resumed connected a case-by-case basis. There volition beryllium a Christmas enactment and door-to-door caroling this month.
Hawaii DOH spokesperson Kaitlin Arita-Chang said the department’s precedence is protecting high-risk members of the Kalaupapa assemblage from COVID-19. None of the erstwhile patients who reside successful the colony person contracted the disease.
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'I'm truthful blessed this is my home'
Four patients successful their 80s and 90s stay successful Kalaupapa of the galore erstwhile Hansen’s illness patients who chose to proceed surviving connected the rugged peninsula contempt the 1969 repeal of the Hawaii instrumentality that had exiled them determination until death. An estimated 8,000 radical afflicted with the unwellness were banished determination from 1866 to 1969.
The past surviving patients reside successful the colony with enactment from the wellness department, which provides them with furnished homes, nursing unit and stipends for nutrient and clothing.
Watanuki was 18 erstwhile she was diagnosed with Hansen’s illness successful 1952 successful her autochthonal American Samoa. Thinking she had flooded the illness, she moved to Honolulu successful 1960. But signs of the sickness returned in 1964. After undergoing treatment, she elected to relocate to Kalaupapa successful 1969.
“I’m truthful blessed this is my home,” she told Civil Beat successful an interrogation this week.
Today Watanuki begins her mornings astatine religion earlier going to enactment astatine the Kalawao Store. In the day she cleans and pulls weeds part-time for the National Park Service astatine St. Philomena Church successful the archetypal Kalawao Settlement area.
She is buoyed by religion successful God and reverence for Saints Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope, who dedicated their lives to caring for Hansen’s illness patients successful Kalaupapa contempt risks to their ain health.
Pandemic restrictions person been difficult, Watanuki said, but she understands that choky controls imposed by the authorities are intended for her protection.
When volition tours return?
Although idiosyncratic visits person resumed, nationalist tours stay closed. As co-owner of Saints Damien and Marianne Cope Molokai Tours, Watanuki said she’s anxious for tourism’s return. Health section administrators person told her that tours are expected to commencement up again successful 2023, she said.
Watanuki noted that determination person been galore national employees who’ve traveled from the mainland to enactment successful Kalaupapa successful caller months.
“Why is it different?” she asked, adding that tourists travel successful tiny numbers and permission aft a fewer hours, whereas national workers typically enactment connected the peninsula for weeks oregon months.
Sister Alicia Damien Lau, a Catholic nun who resides successful Kalaupapa, said nationalist tours stay unopen down owed to concerns that visitors from different places could dispersed the virus.
“We don’t privation radical coming into Kalaupapa that cipher knows,” she said. “So it’s strict. But it’s good. It’s to support our kupuna.”
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Next week, for the archetypal clip successful 3 years, the Kalaupapa Lion’s Club volition resume its yearly Christmas enactment with immoderate semblance of normalcy. There volition beryllium food, gifts and a accidental to triumph an ukulele.
The enactment volition instrumentality spot outdoors - a pandemic precaution acold little stringent than those imposed connected the lawsuit past twelvemonth erstwhile party-goers could lone thrust up successful a conveyance to cod gifts and a repast to instrumentality location and bask successful solitude.
The wellness section has besides approved Christmas caroling for patients and staff.
This story was published successful concern with Honolulu Civil Beat, a nonprofit newsroom doing investigative and watchdog journalism relating to the authorities of Hawaii.
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