Hawaii Won’t Let Tourists in Until the End of June

Forget about Hawaii in case you had the Pacific U.S. state in your plans for this year’s summer vacations. 

According to CNN, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said in an online Q-and-A session that the mandatory quarantine for any travelers visiting Hawaii will continue through at least the end of June.

The state has cracked down on visitors who fail to abide by the quarantine, in some cases telling scofflaws to leave the islands entirely. The quarantine rule was established in mid-March, and Ige said at the time that tourists should cancel their travel for at least 30 days.

Any travelers who visit Hawaii are forced to self-quarantine for 14 days, which means that visitors must stay in their hotel rooms or residence for two weeks before the restrictions are lifted.

New arrivals are required to fill out documentation listing their contact and lodging information, and they must sign the document acknowledging that violating the quarantine is a criminal offense punishable by a $5,000 fine and up to a year in prison, according to the state's transportation department.

A number of visitors, including a newlywed couple on their honeymoon, have been arrested by police for ignoring the state's emergency pandemic orders requiring them to self-quarantine for 14 days.

According to John Hopkins University, Hawaii has 637 coronavirus cases and 17 deaths.