When you think of Hawai’i, several images come to mind. For me, I think of volcanoes, pristine beaches and palm trees. After that, I think of the friendly people and then the best sushi I’ve ever had in my life.
What I don’t think about are government lockdowns and arresting guests of the islands if they disobey orders. That is part of the definition of Aloha that I missed.
I understand that in the world of #coronacrapola things aren’t the same as they were before. Hawaii has the advantage of being an island, so they can try to keep out COVID-19 or at least isolate those coming to the island until they’re clear of infection.
Most of the places that haven’t had any cases of the virus are islands in the Pacific Ocean. Their isolation is a buffer from the outside world. Just keep infected people out and you’re protected.
Hawaii is one of the 50 states in the U.S.A. so they can’t forbid people from visiting, especially if you’re a U.S. citizen. But what they can do is subject all people traveling to the islands to a 14-day quarantine. This has even included residents who were traveling between islands.
So no matter how hard Hawaii tries to enforce the quarantine, some people just didn’t get the hint. A New York resident was arrested after posting pictures of his adventures onto his Instagram account. Newlyweds from California were also arrested after repeatedly being seen coming and going from their hotel by staff.
If you’re under quarantine, you’re not supposed to leave your room for any reason.
Quarantine is a state, period, or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed.
In this case, we’re the animals and COVID-19 is the disease and isolation means you’re not supposed to be in contact with anyone.
It looks like Hawaii hotels are now using technology to enforce the quarantine by issuing a single-use key to hotel rooms. I’m sure you might have seen these keys if you’re given access to a day-room to take a shower or just to get your bags after an extended check-out time. It’s a key that opens the door once, and only once.
So giving you a key that lets you into the room once should be sufficient since you’re supposed to be staying there for 14 days, isolated from everyone else. If you don’t want to be subject to these rules, then don’t fly to Hawaii right now.
Hotels understand if you break the rules once. Just don’t do it again.
“Some of our hotels are issuing one-time keys, which allow a guest to enter their room upon check-in, but don’t allow reentry,” he said. “For first-time offenders, our staff will escort them back to their rooms. If they leave again, we call the police.”
So if you want to visit Hawaii and have the two weeks to spend in quarantine, I’m not one to stop you.
Just don’t be a haole and think you can act all kolohe. Hawaiians are friendly people but don’t break the rules and not expect to suffer the consequences.
You don’t want to have to try and reach the Pu’uhonua to save yourself.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
