Exasperated by the growing trickle of visitors and daily reports of new arrivals violating a mandatory 14-day quarantine, Hawaii officials are implementing new measures, from airports to accommodations, to crack down on scofflaws.
Through the first half of May, an average of 256 visitors arrived daily in Hawaii. That's a far cry from the 30,000 daily arrivals at normal times, but it's more than double the average of 125 daily visitors who arrived in Hawaii airports from March 26, when the quarantine went into effect, through April 30. Gov. David Ige this month extended the quarantine order through June 30.
After deplaning, a visitor's contact information and address while in Hawaii is verified while they undergo medical screening, including temperature checks. Recently, officials added new questions to an agricultural form all arrivals fill out, including the nature of the visit and expected departure date.
At both the airport and their hotel, visitors are required to sign forms acknowledging they are aware of the quarantine mandating they may only leave their room for "medical emergencies or to seek medical care" and prohibiting access to fitness centers, restaurants or other public areas.
Quarantine violators are subject to arrest, a $5,000 fine and imprisonment for up to a year. While some have been brought before a judge and sent home, the flow of arrivals continues.
Officials have fielded regular complaints of quarantine violators and now look to bolster enforcement, including a newly launched system to monitor the movements of hotel guests.
"Despite these efforts at the airports, we have been receiving consistent reports from members of the public," the Hawaii Senate Special Committee on Covid-19 wrote in a letter to Honolulu mayor Kirk Caldwell dated May 12. "They have observed … travelers blatantly violating the quarantine orders. This is particularly frustrating for members of the public who are complying with the stay-at-home/stay-safe declarations imposed by the state and county in good faith. All the while, watching others flaunt their noncompliance with complete disregard for not only our laws but the health concerns behind these laws."
Ige had on March 15 pleaded with visitors to postpone Hawaii vacations and business trips, following up a few days later with the quarantine measure. Since mid-March, the majority of hotels have closed, vacation rentals have ceased operations, beach activities have been extremely limited and all but essential businesses have shuttered.
At the outset of the crisis, the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) launched a media campaign telling prospective visitors to stay home until the Islands are ready, and the agency has been funding return flights for visitors unable to quarantine.
Additionally, the HTA requested that airlines and OTAs notify customers booking Hawaii travel of the quarantine at purchase, after confirmation via text message or email, and during airport and mid-flight announcements. The HTA has also discouraged media and trade publications from promoting the Islands for now.
The HTA is working with 91 hotels that have remained open during the crisis, some of which are housing National Guard and essential workers, to sign them up for a "single-use key" program. Guests receive room keys that work only once. If they leave the room, they have to contact the front desk for reentry.
The state attorney general's office is also examining the legality and viability of other enforcement methods, including designated quarantine sites, ankle bracelets, facial recognition and GPS tracking.
State employees call new arrivals for spot checks to confirm quarantine compliance, but during a May 7 meeting of the Senate Covid-19 committee, officials acknowledged most of the contact numbers are for mobile phones and that physical checks might be needed.
During a two-week period starting in mid-April, after the DOT stepped up enforcement, 27 visitors were forced to leave Hawaii for quarantine violations or lacking proper lodging, and 330 arrivals were referred to law enforcement.