HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – In a decision that was largely expected but nonetheless will be a major blow to thousands of shuttered Hawaii businesses struggling to stay afloat, the governor has extended the statewide stay-at-home order along with the mandatory quarantine for travelers through May 31.
“We are not out of the woods yet,” said Gov. David Ige, in a news conference Saturday, pointing to alarming COVID-19 clusters on the Big Island and Maui. “We still need to remain vigilant.”
He added that Hawaii — which has one of the nation’s lowest infection rates — has made significant progress in stopping the spread of coronavirus. But he said lifting restrictions too early could drive up cases quickly.
A handful of other states have already taken steps to reopen their economies, but those decisions have proven controversial and public health officials say lifting shutdowns too quickly could trigger a second wave of illness.