Maui Wildfire Disaster updates for Aug. 21: HERE. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit Maui today, to observe the impact of the Maui fires and join the state in mourning the devastating loss of life and land that has occurred across the island, as well as to discuss next steps in the recovery efforts. While on the ground, the President, First Lady, and Governor Josh Green, M.D., will meet with first responders, survivors, and federal, state and local officials.
The American Red Cross and their partners continue to work tirelessly to get disaster assistance to wildfire survivors as quickly as possible. At this time,
Hawaii enacted some of the strictest travel measures in the United States in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A mandatory two-week quarantine was enforced in March 2020 for all travelers arriving to the Hawaiian Islands; this quarantine applied not only to out-of-state visitors, but also to local interisland travel. As a result, a majority of hotels and resorts suspended operations. In October 2020, a Safe Travels program was introduced, easing the quarantine for inbound travelers contingent upon a negative COVID-19 test result within three days prior to arrival. This policy, in addition to the outdoor living and lifestyle of the islands, contributed to Hawaii being perceived as a safe haven from the pandemic.