Sunbathers ignore coronavirus warnings to flock to Hawaii beaches – locals tell tourists to GO HOME

Angry locals tell tourists to GO HOME as sunbathers ignore coronavirus warnings and duck under police tape on Hawaii beaches

  • Beach-goers armed with rubber rings and surf boards disregard police tape 
  • Crowds of people are gathering at the shoreline of closed beach parks 
  • ‘We are hoping that as we go forward, people will begin to realize the the significance of the spread of this virus,’ Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said
  • Outraged residents have blamed tourists for the state’s 37 COVID-19 cases 
  • Honolulu Councilman Ikaika Anderson tells companies catering to tourists from ‘who knows where’ to ‘knock it off’ and ‘stay out of our communities right now’
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Hawaiian beaches are still packed with sunbathers despite social distancing advice, outraging residents who blame tourists for the state’s 37 coronavirus cases and are telling them to leave the islands. 

Beach-goers were seen crowding the shorelines yesterday and crossing the yellow tape surrounding closed areas, armed with rubber rings and surf boards.

Beach parks in Honolulu have been closed but Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he was struggling to enforce the shutdown.    

Beach-goers in Waikiki, Honolulu, were seen ducking under police tape yesterday to get into the closed beach parks

Crowds of sunbathers gather on the shoreline today in Waikiki despite warnings to social distance to prevent the spread of coronavirus

Crowds of sunbathers gather on the shoreline today in Waikiki despite warnings to social distance to prevent the spread of coronavirus

‘We’re pretty much hunkering down in the City and County of Honolulu,’ Caldwell said in a press conference yesterday. 

‘We don’t want to have large gatherings. We don’t want any gatherings anywhere in any private or public facilities.’

‘People continue to not follow the order. We are hoping that as we go forward, people will begin to realize the the significance of the spread of this virus.

‘Beaches below the high water mark are open to the public and controlled by the state of Hawaii and DLNR, and we don’t have control over that.’  

'People continue to not follow the order. We are hoping that as we go forward, people will begin to realize the the significance of the spread of this virus,' Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said.

‘People continue to not follow the order. We are hoping that as we go forward, people will begin to realize the the significance of the spread of this virus,’ Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said.

A beach-goer armed with a rubber ring heads for the beach in Waikiki yesterday morning

A beach-goer armed with a rubber ring heads for the beach in Waikiki yesterday morning

Though people are still technically able to cross the beaches to enter the sea, overstretched emergency services have urged the public to stay out of the water.         

‘We want the public to know there are no lifeguards in the towers. We ask that you stay out of the water if possible and away from the shorelines,’ an Ocean Safety spokesperson said.  

Shops, restaurants and city parks have also been ordered to close by Caldwell as the US tries to stem the spread of the deadly virus by following social distancing guidelines.    

Locals have complained that tourists are to blame for the spread of Coronavirus and have urged them to fly home.     

 The state’s Department of Health has moved to dispel the perceived animosity against visitors. 

‘I have been informed that there are residents of Hawaii who believe the COVID-19 positive cases here are all visitors to the state, and unfortunately, there is stigma developing against visitors in Hawaii,’Department of Health Spokesperson Janice Okubo told Hawaii News Now.

A Honolulu police officer informs beach-goers that the park is closed and they must leave the area in Waikiki

A Honolulu police officer informs beach-goers that the park is closed and they must leave the area in Waikiki

‘I am asking the media to help the public understand that of the 37 positive test results to date, 32 of them are the result of traveling residents. The majority of cases are residents who returned home after traveling.’   

Hawaii Gov. David Ige has been urged by state leaders in the House and the Senate to enforce stricter quarantine procedures for travelers entering Hawaii.

There have also been calls for him to follow the lead of states such as California and Illinois by issuing a shelter-in-place order.

Cases of coronavirus have soared across the US, with Hawaii suffering 37 cases to date

Cases of coronavirus have soared across the US, with Hawaii suffering 37 cases to date

A shelter-in-place order would restrict residents from leaving their homes unless it is for essential travel such as to buy food or medical supplies.  

Residents have complained that tour buses are continuing bring tourists to beaches despite the pandemic.

‘City beach parks are closed. So if there are companies that are doing that, knock it off,’ Honolulu Councilman Ikaika Anderson said.

‘Stay out of our communities right now, particularly, when you are bringing visitors from who knows where into our residential communities to mingle with our residents’ 

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