03-23-2020, 12:02 PM
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/03/24...ses-swell/
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The governor issued a sweeping “stay-at-home" order for the state Monday in an aggressive push to stop the spread of coronavirus in the islands.
Gov. David Ige said the order goes into effect Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. and continues through April 30.
It’s in addition to the mandatory, 14-day quarantine for all incoming visitors and returning residents #8213; which is set to go into effect Thursday.
Ige said that taken together, the measures will decrease tourism to the islands #8213; a state whose major economic driver is the visitor industry #8213; to functional zero.
“These actions are extreme but necessary for us to flatten the curve and lay the groundwork for our recovery,” he said. “The threat of COVID-19 is unprecedented.”
He said the order would be enforced initially with warnings, but fines could follow.
“We do understand that a stay-at-home order has never been implemented in our communities,” Ige said. “We do know that enforcement will be a challenge. I would like to say that when we first announced these actions the compliance has been overwhelming.”
Also Monday, the governor announced that the filing deadline for 2019 income taxes was being extended to July 20. Taxpayers don’t have to file for the extension.
Under the stay-at-home order, the definition of “essential” is broad, allowing for daily activities from grocery shopping to car repair to continue while cracking down on any large groups.
Oahu and Maui have already issued similar orders.
The governor said discrepancies between the state and county orders would be ironed out in the days ahead. And he said that there was also a process for businesses to seek “essential” status.
His announcement comes as the number of cases of coronavirus in Hawaii continues to swell.
On Monday, the state reported 21 new cases of coronavirus in Hawaii, in the highest one-day total in the state since the pandemic started.
The new cases bring the statewide total to 77.
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The governor issued a sweeping “stay-at-home" order for the state Monday in an aggressive push to stop the spread of coronavirus in the islands.
Gov. David Ige said the order goes into effect Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. and continues through April 30.
It’s in addition to the mandatory, 14-day quarantine for all incoming visitors and returning residents #8213; which is set to go into effect Thursday.
Ige said that taken together, the measures will decrease tourism to the islands #8213; a state whose major economic driver is the visitor industry #8213; to functional zero.
“These actions are extreme but necessary for us to flatten the curve and lay the groundwork for our recovery,” he said. “The threat of COVID-19 is unprecedented.”
He said the order would be enforced initially with warnings, but fines could follow.
“We do understand that a stay-at-home order has never been implemented in our communities,” Ige said. “We do know that enforcement will be a challenge. I would like to say that when we first announced these actions the compliance has been overwhelming.”
Also Monday, the governor announced that the filing deadline for 2019 income taxes was being extended to July 20. Taxpayers don’t have to file for the extension.
Under the stay-at-home order, the definition of “essential” is broad, allowing for daily activities from grocery shopping to car repair to continue while cracking down on any large groups.
Oahu and Maui have already issued similar orders.
The governor said discrepancies between the state and county orders would be ironed out in the days ahead. And he said that there was also a process for businesses to seek “essential” status.
His announcement comes as the number of cases of coronavirus in Hawaii continues to swell.
On Monday, the state reported 21 new cases of coronavirus in Hawaii, in the highest one-day total in the state since the pandemic started.
The new cases bring the statewide total to 77.
