Shutting down airports in the State of Hawaii would shut down the tourism industry in the Aloha State. Shutting down tourism would mean shutting down the economy of the State.
Not shutting down airports, could it mean Hawaii may become a second Italy or Wuhan?
Hawaii Governor Ige is now faced with 7 cases of COVID-19 on the Islands of Oahu, Maui, and Kauai. Governor Ige confirmed every single case was brought to the most remote place on earth by people who arrived on the islands by air. Most of them were tourists.
Hawaii is the most isolated center of population in the world, at 2,390 miles from California and 3,850 miles from Japan. Luckily, while it’s quite remote (especially the Big Island and Kauai), it’s also home to a big city (Honolulu) and plenty of tourist attractions, hotels, and accommodation.
“Certainly, we are concerned”, Governor Ige said in a press conference today. The conference was crowded with officials and journalists.
CDC guidelines want people to separate 2 meters or 78 inches. The CDC issued a guideline not to have 50 people or more in one place.
Governo Ige said he was concerned about travelers bringing in the virus to the State from the U.S. mainland or abroad.
At the press conference, it was discussed how an Air Canada flight attendant was tested positive for COVID-19. Every day thousands of visitors arrive in the Aloha State on most major airlines on cramped airplanes where separation and space are definitely not an option.
“Close the airport”, was the ongoing demand by viewers of today’s press conference, posting this to social media. When asked, the governor did not say, he was disagreeing. He said, he was concerned, but he didn’t have the authority to close the airport. Such authority is with Federal authorities.
Today President Trump was asked about domestic travel restrictions. The president indicated this may be an option. Maybe such a move is on the federal government’s horizon.
The Honolulu mayor Kirk Caldwell encouraged the public to use Hawaii Shaka as a greeting instead of a handshake. The shaka sign, sometimes known as “hang loose” and in South Africa as “tjovitjo”, is a gesture of friendly intent often associated with Hawaii and surf culture.
Hawaii certainly would not be ready for a widespread epidemic. The health care system in the State is already overburdened and often substandard in normal times. 5 of the COVID-19 positive cases went to an Urgent Care physician and were misdiagnosed allowing the sick to expose more people to the virus.
Experts say to continue allowing visors to come to Hawaii would put not only the visitors but the entire population of Hawaii in danger.
Hawaii Tourism is a big business. It’s actually the biggest business and moneymaker in the state. Hotels run almost full all year long and charge record rates. To give it a 30 day time out may be the best to do at this time. If hotels remain open hotel workers are put in harm’s way. They cannot separate themselves 2 meters from their guests, and rooms need to be cleaned.
In the meantime, entire countries in Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa are closing up.
The head of the Hawaii Department of Health Dr. Anderson did not think a screening at the airport is a realistic response due to the large number of passenger arrivals. He asked passengers not to board if they feel sick.
The Governor asked citizens in Hawaii not to travel to regions where a human to human spread of the virus is known.
eTurboNews earlier today published the finding of the Robert Koch Institute that the main outbreak for a human to human spread of the Coronavirus in the United States can be found in California, Washington, and New York.
San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Ontario in California; Seattle in Washington, and New York City are only a non-stop flight away from Honolulu, Maui, Kauai or the Island of Hawaii.
Visitors brought Coronavirus cases already to Honolulu, Maui, Kauai. All these visitors traveled on commercial airliners including Hawaiian Airlines or United Airlines. Infected visitors stayed in known hotels like the Kauai Marriott or a Hilton affiliated hotel Waikiki.
Every time a person was found positive for COVID-19 State health officials went into action trying to find out who these visitors were in touch with. In fact this would be almost impossible in a sold-out hotel or packed aircraft.
Considering the unknown of this virus, the way it spreads, and the example other countries and the United States set against other countries, Hawaii must close the profitable visitors’ industry for 2-4 weeks. They must do this to save the industry in the long term and to save the Hawaiian people to face an even worse scenario.
All of this may already be too late, but could immediate drastic action minimize what is on the horizon?
As a viewer of today’s press-conference posted, closing airports and the visitors industry in Hawaii may never happen. It won’t happen because of the commercial power and influence this industry has in the State of Hawaii
As this publisher said for 30 years. The travel and tourism industry in Hawaii is everyone’s business, regardless if you work in the industry or not. Hawaii should listen to its people.
What would happen to the visitors’ industry if this was not done?
Shutting down the Hawaii travel and tourism industry for 30 days may be the best investment for a secure future this industry ever made in the Aloha State
eTurboNews was not allowed to ask questions – and there are many more questions.
