Advertisement

Hawaii won’t reopen anytime soon. Alaska begins to lift stay-at-home rules.

Travelers who visit Hawaii during the pandemic must self-quarantine for 14 days, according to the governor's order.
(Tor Johnson / Hawaii Tourism Authority)
Share via

Hawaii doubled down on its stay-at home order Saturday. With Georgia and a few states starting to reopen businesses, Hawaii’s Gov. David Ige went in the opposite direction. He extended the state’s stay-at-home order until May 31, keeping beaches closed to sunbathers and swimmers and other businesses shut.

Ige’s order extended mandatory quarantine rules too. Anyone flying to the islands will have to quarantine at home or at their hotel for 14 days. As of Sunday, Hawaii reported 606 cases and 14 deaths, according to its health department’s website.

Because of the coronavirus lockdown, airlines have canceled flights and reduced schedules. Know your rights and what you are entitled to.

Visitors must quarantine in their hotel rooms or other lodging. “You can only leave your designated quarantine location for medical emergencies or to seek medical care,” the original March 25 order said.

Advertisement

“With the majority of Hawaii’s COVID-19 cases linked to travel, it is critical that we further mitigate the spread of the virus by both residents and visitors who are coming from out-of-state,” Ige said in his order.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority also has told travelers to stay away too.

“While we’ve always welcomed people to Hawaii with open arms, health and safety is our first priority,” a statement posted on Facebook said. “So it’s with a heavy heart that we’re advising travelers not to visit the Hawaiian Islands at this time. [The governor] has asked that all trips be postponed for 30 days, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The coronavirus pandemic is keeping cruise ships out of the water. Disney, Carnival and others have canceled more trips

Amid the spread of the novel coronavirus to all 50 states, Hawaii and Alaska had earlier set quarantine rules for locals and arriving passengers. Also, Hawaiian Airlines had suspended all but one flight between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii starting March 26. .

Advertisement

But as of April 24, Alaska started to reopen restaurants, hair salons and barbershops and gyms while keeping social distancing rules in place.

Updates

8:22 p.m. April 26, 2020: The story has been updated to include an extensions of Hawaii’s stay-at-home order and number of coronavirus cases in the state.

Advertisement