Governor Ige orders mandatory 14-day quarantine for all individuals arriving or returning to the State of Hawaiʻi
News Release from Office of the Governor, March 21, 2020
HONOLULU – Gov. David Y. Ige issued a second supplemental emergency proclamation ordering all individuals, both residents and visitors, arriving or returning to the State of Hawaiʻi to a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. The mandate — the first such action in the nation — applies to all arrivals at state airports from the continental U.S. and international destinations and extends to other private and commercial aircrafts.
“With the majority of Hawaiʻi’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,” said Gov. Ige. “This plan was developed in collaboration with our county mayors and Hawaiʻi’s business, community and visitor industry leaders.”
All visitors and residents arriving through Hawaiʻi’s airports will be required to complete a Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture form that will be distributed onboard their flight. They will retain the form when disembarking the aircraft. Upon arrival, they will go through a checkpoint and present the completed form with a valid identification. Checkpoint staff will validate the form and issue documentation that certifies they cleared the checkpoint. The form also includes information on the mandatory requirements for the 14-day quarantine along with penalties.
The mandatory 14-day self-quarantine orders are:
Proceed directly from the airport to your designated quarantine location, which is the location identified and affirmed by you on the mandatory State of Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture Plants and Animals Declaration Form.
Remain in your designated quarantine location for a period of 14 days or the duration of your stay in the State of Hawai‘i, whichever is shorter.
If you are a resident, your designated quarantine location is your place of residence.
If you are a visitor, your designated quarantine location is your hotel room or rented lodging.
You can only leave your designated quarantine location for medical emergencies or to seek medical care.
Do not visit any public spaces, including but not limited to pools, meeting rooms, fitness centers or restaurants.
Do not allow visitors in or out of your designated quarantine location other than a physician, healthcare provider, or individual authorized to enter the designated quarantine location by the Director of HIEMA.
Comply with any and all rules or protocols related to your quarantine as set forth by your hotel or rented lodging.
If you become ill with a fever or cough:
Continue to stay in designated quarantine location, avoid contact with others and contact a healthcare provider for further instructions on treatment or testing.
If you are older or have any medical conditions (e.g., immune compromise, diabetes, asthma), consult your regular healthcare provider.
If you feel you need medical care, contact healthcare provider and inform them of your travel history.
If you need urgent medical care (e.g., have difficulty breathing), call 9-1-1 and let the dispatcher know your travel history).
Failure to follow this order is a misdemeanor and punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than one year, or both.
Enforcement will be handled by each of Hawaiʻi’s four counties.
The mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, March 26, 2020.
“These actions are extreme, but they will help flatten the curve and lay the groundwork for a quicker recovery. We need everyone to comply with these quarantine orders to help protect Hawaiʻi’s residents,” added Ige.
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March 21 COVID-19 Daily Update: Be Considerate When Purchasing Food and Supplies
March 21, 2020 Update
Be Considerate When Purchasing Food and Supplies
The DOH reminds the public to be judicious when shopping for food and essential goods so that kūpuna and others in need are able to purchase necessary items. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division continues to manage Hawai‘i’s commercial ports–the lifeline for Hawai‘i communities for food, medical supplies, clothing, household goods and more. There have been no interruptions to the supply chain as a result of COVID-19.
Who should be tested?
Most people who are sick do not need to be tested. There is no specific medicine to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, management of your illness will be the same.
Individuals who are not sick should not be tested even if they have been exposed to COVID-19.
Individuals who are sick with respiratory illness (e.g., fever and cough or shortness of breath) AND who are at a higher risk for severe respiratory infections (e.g., older people, those with chronic medical conditions including immunosuppression) should call their usual source of healthcare to discuss whether they should be tested for COVID-19 and/or other infections such as influenza.
- A provider’s referral is required to receive testing.
- If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or community clinic in your area.
Anyone having difficulty breathing should seek medical care immediately. If possible, call your healthcare provider first so they are prepared to receive you.
Other people with mild illness should help protect our most vulnerable and conserve our precious supplies by practicing social distancing measures, monitoring their illness, and calling their healthcare provider if their symptoms worsen or persist.
Social Distancing:
COVID-19 recommendations are changing the rules on how much physical distance individuals should keep from each other. Cancelling events that do not allow attendees to be at least six feet apart—the equivalent of two arms-length—and avoiding unnecessary physical meeting with others are proven strategies to mitigate the spread of the virus. The effectiveness of these initiatives largely depends on the cooperation and compliance from the public.
11 New Positive Cases on three islands
As of March 21, 2020, noon, there is a total of 48 confirmed or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. New positive results were received today for eleven individuals on three islands. Nine are Hawai‘i residents and two are non-residents. One person is hospitalized in intensive care, another person required a brief one-day hospitalization. Five people have a history of travel and six are pending investigation. In total, 41 cases are residents and 7 are non-residents.
COVID-19 Summary of Numbers as of March 21, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. HST
Total Number of Positive Cases Statewide 48
City & County of Honolulu 35
County of Maui 7
County of Kaua‘i 3
County of Hawai‘i 3
Definition of Community Spread
Community spread is defined as cases that cannot be traced back to a traveler and have absolutely no travel related or involved connection with travel. We have been informed that there are residents of Hawai‘i who believe all COVID-19 positive cases originate from visitors to the state. Unfortunately, there is stigma developing against visitors in Hawai‘i. We’re asking the media to help people understand that of the 48 positive test results to date, 37 of them are the result of traveling residents. The majority of cases are residents who returned home after traveling. At this time, there may be residents returning home from a school that has closed or from other essential travel. It is important for all travelers to monitor their health for 14 days after traveling and to avoid exposing others and stay at home.
Thank you for your assistance in reducing and preventing stigma and increasing understanding during this rapidly changing situation.
Lab Testing
More than 2,200 tests performed for people in Hawai‘i by private clinical labs to date.
The DOH State Laboratories Division has tested 48 Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and 263 sentinel surveillance samples. The 263 sentinel surveillance tests have all been negative. These are representative samples taken from every county from people with flu-like symptoms who tested negative for influenza.
2-1-1 Call Center for Information on COVID-19
The Aloha United Way call center is open daily between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. For information or questions about COVID-19: