Hawaii Extends 14-Day Quarantine for Out-of-State Arrivals
Hawaii is a popular travel destination for Americans, and tourism is a main source of income for the islands. But if you are planning to visit Hawaii this year, you will have to wait a bit longer. Hawaii Gov. David Ige has signed a ninth supplementary emergency proclamation that extends the COVID-19 emergency period through July 31.
The emergency proclamation lifts the quarantine requirement for inter-island travelers effective 12:01 a.m. on June 16, 2020. However, it also leaves in place the quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers. The governor has the authority to make exemptions for transit corridors/bubbles.
“We are working very hard toward re-opening out-of-state travel, but we’re not there yet. We are being very cautious. There are new virus flare-ups in key mainland markets – including California where more than 2,000 new cases were reported yesterday. Oregon, Arizona and Texas are also reporting their highest number of new daily cases,” said Gov. Ige in the press release published by his office.
The proclamation includes:
- Criminal liability for hosts of guests who violate quarantine requirements or owners of cars that are rented to quarantine violators.
- The extension of the eviction moratorium through July 31.
- The elimination of prohibitions related to beaches, boating, hiking and shoreline fishing, as these activities are being addressed through the counties in coordination with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Coronavirus in Hawaii
Hawaii has fared much better than other states during the pandemic. It has one of the lowest COVID-19 infection and mortality rates in the nation. Ige enacted a mandatory self-quarantine for all arriving tourists and residents in March. There have been at least 673 cases of coronavirus in Hawaii, according to a New York Times database. As of Thursday morning, at least 17 people had died.
