A US judge will not prevent Hawaii from imposing quarantine on arriving travelers, saying in a ruling that the emergency mandate is reasonable during the public health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of residents of Hawaii, California and Nevada attempted to stop the quarantine by filing a lawsuit alleging that it is unfair and unnecessary. They argue that it violates the fundamental right to travel freely.
The quarantine mandate, which applies to out-of-state travelers and residents of Hawaii, does not prevent people from traveling and the plaintiffs “have chosen not to travel, either to or from Hawaii, because they do not want to be placed in quarantine”. US District Judge Jill Otake said in a ruling issued Thursday night denying a request for a temporary restraining order.
An attorney representing the people challenging the quarantine did not immediately respond to a request for comment today. A spokesman for the Hawaii attorney general’s office also did not immediately comment.
Hawaii “imposed quarantine to prevent the import and spread of COVID-19 and to avoid overwhelming the health care system, which is overriding state interests,” said Otake.
As of Thursday, the Hawaii health department reported a total of 946 confirmed cases and 18 deaths since the outbreak began. The number of infections is believed to be much higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest that people can become infected with the virus without feeling sick.
Hawaii has been able to keep infection rates low due to emergency restrictions, state Attorney General Clare Connors told Otake in a hearing Thursday.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that disappear within two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia and death.
Harmeet Dhillon, representing the group that filed the lawsuit, said it is not known whether low rates can be attributed to the quarantine and that the state could have enacted less restrictive measures earlier.
Governor David Ige announced that beginning August 1, travelers will be able to avoid quarantine if they test negative before arriving. Ige has not yet announced all the details, but said the test plan is similar to that of Alaska.
“Although the right to travel within the United States is constitutionally protected, that does not mean that a temporary quarantine cannot be instituted in certain areas when evidence shows that unlimited travel there would directly and materially interfere with the safety and well-being of that country. area”. Otake said.
