 Aloha, here is a think-tech commentary about the surge in coronavirus. 622 then 485 people were infected in two days in Hawaii this week. Those are both records, our infections were going down, now they are dramatically going up, much like many places on the mainland. This is of great concern because even people who have been vaccinated are vulnerable. We have been suffering with Covid for 18 months, and this new surge has the prospect of doing even more deadly damage to our public health, our morale and our economy. What about requiring everyone who comes to Hawaii to have taken a vaccine, except in special circumstances verified by a medical professional? That would reduce the risk of tourists bringing it with them even when the testing protocol is not sufficient. You can blame tourism, but the surge in Hawaii is also community-spread. Many local people don't want to take vaccines. They refuse to wear masks. They go to reckless gatherings. What they are doing is irresponsible. Remember that one-third of Hawaii still believes in Donald Trump. They believe his lies, including the lies about masks and vaccines. Joe Biden has begged people to take vaccines. David E. Gay is trying hard. But we need to try much harder. What's we have now is an intractable base who don't listen and who double down in ignoring government. The more you beg, the more they refuse. No culture, no religion, no party, no patriotism can justify this. God never asked us to commit suicide or kill our neighbors. And no legitimate political party or leader, no patriot, would ever ask us to do so. We cannot tolerate this state of affairs for much longer. After these terrible 18 months, we need to get serious and go to the next step in Hawaii and on the mainland. First, we need to have a vaccine passport. Very simple, the CDC vaccine card can certainly be a vaccine passport. If you present the CDC card, it proves you've had the vaccine. With it you can get into a store or an office or a restaurant or public building. With it you can get a license or permit and get on a bus or plane. With it you can get government benefits and entitlements. Without it, you should not be able to do or get any of those things. And if you forge the card or fraud the system, you should be prosecuted. And if a person refuses the vaccine, should they have hospital coverage, and should their hospitalization displace other patients who have taken the vaccine or who have other medical issues? Furthermore, everyone should now be required to wear a mask outside and in all public places in Hawaii. There can be no excuses, exceptions or exemptions. If we take these steps, we will stop the virus. We will stop Delta and the other variants to follow. We will save pain and suffering and many lives. We will save ourselves, our families and friends, our community, our economy, our kids and our country. But we can only do this in places where officials have the courage to act. This can happen in Hawaii, although there are many places on the mainland where local officials will oppose and ignore any such action. That's why many of these things must fall on the president. He can make all the agencies of the federal government do these things, and he should promptly do so. That includes of course all branches of the military. It must also fall on the media and social media to stop repeating lies and disinformation. To do so makes the virus worse, and cannot be in the public interest. If crying fire in a crowded movie theater is not protected speech, how can lies about a disease that kills thousands be protected? Governmental limitations on the First Amendment, even assuming Congress would do anything anyway, is dangerous to our democracy, so we also need non-governmental action to stop lies about COVID. This burden falls on every business organization, every non-profit, every worker and every individual. If someone lies about COVID, aren't they subject to suit? Steps must be taken, even draconian steps. It's the highest priority. We must save ourselves, our families, our friends, our neighbors, our communities, our country. There should be no debate, no argument. It's a matter of survival and we have no time to waste. Thank you for your consideration of the views expressed in this ThinkTech commentary.