The day after Gov. David Ige extended the mandatory 14-day travel quarantine until Sept. 1, 2020, two people who recently completed their quarantines describe their experiences in detail. Both Cari Pang Chen and Kevin Barnard are from California, and while it is not required yet, both and Barnard’s brother, got COVID-19 tests before flying from the mainland to Hawai‘i.
Pang Chen spent quarantine in a hotel with her 12-year-old middle-schooler. The family elected to have Cari’s husband and son stay home, to better accommodate their own work and school schedules. She said that was a difficult decision, but they’d hoped to have the entire family together in Hawai‘i after August 1st. That plan was scuttled by the delayed introduction of the pre-travel testing program until Sept. 1st.
A lot of mother-daughter bonding can happen when holed up inside a hotel for two solid weeks. Pang Chen said, “We tried to keep a bit of a schedule most days…we tried to exercise, read, or do other personal development activities each morning, while the afternoon was usually a time to check-in or connect virtually with friends and family in Hawai‘i or on the mainland. Evenings, we usually did something together like playing a game, watching TV, or more catching up with family and friends.” She says for people in quarantine it is important to stay in touch and to stay as mentally and physically active as possible. Cari took a lot of photographs to preserve the memories of their quarantine and even produced a short video, titled, Quarantine Adventure.
21-year-old Barnard and his 23-year-old brother Liam took up residence in a family home in Waimea on Hawai‘i Island. He is a recent college graduate and is spending the summer doing research work prior to entering a graduate program either in-person or virtually this fall. Barnard says the only real qualm they had was making sure they had enough resources, like food, on hand for their 14-day-long lockdown.
He describes a typical quarantine day as, “I wake up. I get on my laptop, start to work away, go to a couple of virtual meetings, video chat, make meals in between, and that was about it. It’s pretty boring.”
Both Pang Chen and Barnard have strong words for those who have violated the State’s quarantine rules or are contemplating doing so. Pang Chen commented, “It’s disappointing to see the people who are not following quarantine and end up getting arrested. Typically, these folks have generally been obvious in their efforts. The system greatly relies on honesty and appreciation for quarantine’s importance in keeping everyone safe and healthy.”
Barnard said, “They’re not helping the situation. Particularly on the Big Island, the rules are really important to ensure we’re minimizing coronavirus cases because the hospital bandwidth on the island is not big enough to handle cases…that’s when it really gets dangerous.” Barnard also encourages young people, in his age group, to listen to the science and to medical experts. He added, “I feel like people my age, generally, just want to enjoy themselves and selectively ignore things that allow them to enjoy themselves. But even if you don’t see it firsthand, even if you don’t know someone who has coronavirus, it’s very real and very dangerous. So, it’s important to do preventative measures.” Since completing their mandatory quarantine, the Barnard brothers say out and about on Hawai‘i Island they’ve never seen anyone without a mask. Kevin believes that has a lot to do with the Big Island’s relatively low COVID-19 case count.
When asked what it felt like the day quarantine ended, Kevin said, “It was great. It was very bright outside.”
RESOURCES
(Images/video, courtesy: Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center, unless otherwise noted)
HD Video – Kevin Barnard interview (July 17, 2020):
(transcription attached)
Video – Cari Pang Chen Quarantine Adventure (Courtesy Cari Pang Chen):
Photographs – Kevin Barnard and Waimea Home (July 17, 2020):
Photographs – Cari Pang Chen & daughter quarantine (Courtesy Cari Pang Chen):
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INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION –
KEVIN BARNARD QUARANTINE CHRONICLES
:03-:33
The only real qualm was making sure we had enough resources, you know food, just things to live with. So, no major qualms, my brother and I got tested before we came out here as well. I know that wasn’t required for the 14-days, but we thought it would be nice to do, in case anyone had any concerns. So, yea, no major qualms because again I’m luck enough to have family out here, so they’re able to help us out a lot.
:34-1:24
So, I’ve been doing all my research remote for the last three months. So, it’s just kind of been the same. I wake up, I get on my laptop, start to work away, go to a couple of meetings, video chat, make food in between the day, that’s about it really. It’s pretty boring. (Stay inside the entire time?) Stay inside the entire time. (I guess you can go into the yard?) We didn’t even really go into the yard. We were ensuring about whether that was allowed or not, so we we’re saying better safe than sorry. (We’re you checked on by the state?) No, however we did have to fill out an online form every single day, sort of in the morning, and said are you feeling any symptoms? Have you remained in the location, so that’s about all the check in we did.
1:25-2:22
(Kevin, what do you make of people who fly into Hawaii,obviously know that we currently have the 14-day mandatory quarantine and thumb their nose at it, after you were complying. What do you think of those folks?) Not helping the situation. I mean, I think particularly this island, is important to ensure we’re minimizing coronavirus cases because the hospital bandwidth is simply not big enough to handle things like on the mainland. So, I’d say those people really should be following it. However, I do acknowledge that it’s not as easy for some people. I’m privileged to have family here who’ve been helping me out the 14-days, so that was great. But again, you know we really don’t want to exceed the hospital bandwidth…that’s when it really gets dangerous.
2:25-2:50
Just listen to the science really. I feel like people my age, generally, just want to enjoy themselves and selectively ignore things that allow them to enjoy themselves. But even if you don’t see it firsthand, even if you don’t know someone who has coronavirus, it’s very real and very dangerous. So, it’s important to do preventative measures.
2:51-3:22
(What was your feeling the day you were released?) It was great. It was very bright outside. However, the first day we actually had to go to the DMV to register that car, so that was a little bit of a downer, we’ve gradually been getting around the island, it’s been really nice.
But I did notice when I got out, people are following things a lot more here than they are on the mainland, especially in California, so that was interesting.
3:25-3:38
Short-term, I’m continuing to work remotely. My brother is starting work as a tutor online and we’re just going to continue to try and get out and explore the island and go to the beach every so often and also fix up the house, however we can.
3:39-3:45
Pretty much everywhere you go I see people with a mask. I don’t think I’ve seen somebody without a mask out and about.
3:46-4:35
Shots of Waimea house
Waimea Quarantine
Video:
Photographs:
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Q & A WITH CARI PANG CHEN
1. When did you and your daughter arrive in Hawaii?
We arrived in the afternoon on Thursday, June 18, so we were in quarantine through Thursday, July 2.
2. Can you provide some thoughts on how the health checks, quarantine rules explanation, etc., went at the airport?
The United Airlines staff was very good and clear about what we should expect as we were about to exit the airplane.
In addition to the usual Visitors Bureau form, they explained the additional quarantine form we needed to complete and be ready to turn in. They also noted that there would be someone from the national guard taking everyone's temperatures as we exited the airplane.
After the temperature checks, there was someone to direct us to the tables where staff were set up to review our quarantine forms. The staff person who reviewed my form called my cell phone on the spot to confirm the number matched what was on the form so that they could reach me as needed to check in and confirm that I was still in quarantine. I had already reviewed and registered for the safe travels website prior to flying to Honolulu, so the process was fairly smooth.
Once we turned in our forms, it did feel a bit like we were on our own from there. We knew the State already had basic information about our plans and how to reach us, and it was up to us to follow-through on those plans. Luckily, we'd planned ahead so we proceeded to the next phase of our plan to get to our quarantine location in Waikiki.
In addition to the daily check-ins that we did through the safetravels website, we received two calls during quarantine - one during our first or second night, and one on our last night. The people who called were very nice - they asked how we were doing, and thanked us for following the quarantine rules. For the call on our last night, they thanked us for completing the quarantine period and reminded us of the mask rules and ongoing need for continuing to keep ourselves and those around us safe and healthy. I wasn't sure if this was the normal # of calls - I was guessing I was considered lower risk for breaking quarantine since I was going to be staying in Honolulu for several weeks after quarantine.
3. What mode of transportation did you use to go from the airport to your lodging?
We were originally going to use lyft, but my sister suggested that it was better if she picked us up since she had our groceries and wanted to know how to reach us and drop supplies off as needed. We followed all the same guidelines as would occur when using a ride share - using hand sanitizer and clorox wipes, wearing masks, sitting in the back, leaving the windows open. As an extra precaution, my daughter and I changed out of the masks and clothing we used on the plane and stored them in a plastic bag, wearing another set of clothing and masks by the time we were going to sit in my sister's car so that we didn't bring anything we might have brought from the plane/trip over to Hawaii into her car too.
4. Can you provide some thoughts on what was going through your mind, coming to Hawaii knowing you'd be stuck inside for 14 days? Did the mandatory quarantine give you any pause at all from making the trip?
We always look forward to spending 1-2 weeks with my family in Hawaii each summer, and we honestly weren't sure at first if we were going to make it this year if a 2-week mandatory quarantine were in place since that would have meant being in quarantine for our entire visit. However, as more and more of our summer activities were cancelled due to COVID-19, my daughter and I suddenly found ourselves with flexible schedules. Being in quarantine for 14 days so that we could spend 21 days with our family in Honolulu seemed a better way to spend our summer than continuing to shelter in place at home in California. Leaving my husband and son at home was also a difficult decision, but logistically we all agreed it would be easiest for them to remain in California so they could remain in the same time zone for their own work and school activities. They hoped to come to Hawai`i in early August when the pre-travel testing program was supposed to be in place (and we considered staying longer so we could all be together in Honolulu), but they are no longer going to be able to make it since they cannot commit so much time to being in Hawai`i.
As a sidenote, I proactively tested for COVID-19 three days before I was to fly to Honolulu and had received a negative test result as I was about to fly out, so I did reach out to the state to ask if I could be released earlier from quarantine when I saw the State was going to implement the pre-travel testing program but at the time I was told the state still had to work out details for the programs.
5. A sense of how you spent your day’s? Was it a good mother-daughter bonding experience?
We tried to keep to a bit of a schedule most days, typically building our schedule around any scheduled events/webinars/meetings that my daughter or I had scheduled online. When there was not a scheduled event/webinar/meeting, we tried to exercise, read, or do other "personal development" activities in the morning, while the afternoon was usually a time to check in or connect with friends/family in Hawaii or on the mainland. In the evenings, we usually did something together - played a game or watched TV together, and we spent time catching up on the day with the rest of our family at home in California. We did watch a lot of the news and local programming that my family would recommend to us (three nights of Na Palapalai & hula on TV, PBS Hawai`i shows, etc.) to help get us more familiar with what was going on in the islands, in addition to keeping up with what was going on back home in California.
My daughter is a 12-year old middle-schooler, and she was heartbroken about the prospect of missing our summer visit to Honolulu this year because of COVID-19. Instead of being bummed about all of our summer plans changing or being cancelled, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to spend more time with our family in Hawai`i. Seeing the COVID cases surge on the mainland as well as locally provided clear reminders to us about why it was important for us to do our part to help keep everyone safe by following the quarantine rules.
Up until the end of April, I worked full-time and never felt like I had the quality time I wanted to enjoy with my children and my family in general. The silver lining of COVID-19 has been having more time with my children and my family in general. We were lucky enough to realize in our months at home together that it was important for each member of our family to have our own time and space so that we could also enjoy our time and space together too. Being in a small studio together for 14 days definitely created new challenges for us to find ways to achieve this balance, but we found ways to make our little space work for us and we tried to make the most of our time together in quarantine. Knowing the kind of busy schedule our family maintained pre-COVID, I focused on making the most of this very unique and special bonding time with my daughter, and it was easier for both of us to accept as our responsibility to help keep our family and the larger community safe and healthy.
6. What words of advice or wisdom would you have for other travelers who face quarantine?
Decide if this is really the trip to be making right now - There really does not seem to be a point to coming to Hawai`i unless you are able to make your time in quarantine worth the time that you get to spend outside of quarantine. We also had to keep in mind that things would still be different once we were out of quarantine because of COVID-19. We thought a lot about things we could only do in Hawai`i that made the trip worth it - enjoying meals in person with my family in Hawai`i and being able to go to the beach or other favorite places,
Finding a good location to quarantine really helps - It actually was a little difficult to know what all of our options were for acceptable quarantine locations. Having an approved list from the State/Island would have been really helpful. Some factors that we kept in mind that eventually led us to pick the condo-hotel that we stayed in were: (1) kitchenette to prepare meals; (2) free wifi for us to stay in touch and have activities we could do from our computers; (3) easy way for groceries to be delivered (ie finding a place with free and accessible parking so my sister could drop off groceries/supplies). Additional factors that we didn't look for initially but that made a difference for us in the end: (1) outdoor balcony for fresh air and ideally a view to remind us of how lucky we were to even be in Hawai`i); (2) air conditioning really helped keep us cool and comfortable; (3) easy communication with the condo-hotel (including good photos of the room and a list of what was included) to know what was included in the room so that we could plan for what we'd need to bring with us or have delivered to us during our quarantine.
Plan ahead for your quarantine meals and activities - what will you need to have with you, and what will you need to have delivered to you? I worked with my daughter to find online classes/activities that aligned with her interests, while I had plenty of meetings and webinars to join online as well.
Set aside time to stay in touch with family and friends - We hosted an online "happy hour" with friends shortly after we arrived, Sunday "facetime" with my sister in Arizona as well as my parents and sister in Honolulu, and nightly online "hangouts" with my husband and son who were still on the mainland. In between, there was time to virtually catch up with other friends or family along the way. We also used our time and experience connecting with others to plan a virtual "cousins' reunion" for the 4th of July since our in-person cousins' camp had to be cancelled this year due to COVID.
It's important to put together a schedule to stay mentally and physically active during quarantine. It can be really easy to become negative about having to be in quarantine - as soon as either of us started going down that rabbit hole, I would suggest that we get some fresh air on the balcony, call a friend or family member, or do something fun together so we could keep our attitude positive and pro-active. We tried using the time in quarantine to catch up on reading, e-mails, conversations, or tasks that we typically didn't have the time for - there was actually plenty for us to do if we thought about it and focused on figuring out how to do those things that were important to us. Having a schedule really helped ensure each day had a good pace of activities mixed in. I had pre-scheduled a lot more for us in the first week, keeping in mind that the first week in quarantine would feel a lot longer and lonelier than the second week! I also set daily physical activity goals for myself (walking 2.23 miles and getting 10,000 steps per day, even if it meant walking back and forth in our little studio while listening to podcasts) and encouraged my daughter to have at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day (in 10-15 minute increments, which she usually accomplished with video workouts that she preferred to do on the balcony or in front of the couch).
7. Any impressions of those who are not following quarantine and end up getting arrested?
It is disappointing to see the people who are not following quarantine and end up getting arrested, typically because these folks have generally been so obvious in their efforts to break quarantine that there is a clear case for their arrest. The quarantine system greatly relies on the honesty of those involved and an assumption that those in quarantine understand and appreciate its importance in keeping people safe and healthy. Unfortunately, COVID-19 seems to be bringing out the best and worst in people with regards to how they value there own personal needs/interests over others, and that also is reflected in how people accept and adhere to quarantine as well.
8. Anything else you'd like to add?
I'm a strong believer that people will do the right thing when you make it easy for them to do the right thing.
It would have been great to have a list of "quarantine-approved" hotels/condo-hotels that have kitchenettes (with more than just a microwave and refrigerator, but actual cooking supplies and appliances), wifi, and other basics that make staying inside for 14 days doable. With so many hotels closed, it actually took a fair amount of research to know what our options even were, ideally with a bit of a price range from affordable to luxury.
Having more information in one place about what visitors should expect and plan for regarding ride-share/transportation to their hotel following proper COVID-19 practices, as well as what to expect and plan for regarding standard expectations and guidelines regarding check-in/monitoring by the hotel and by the State would also have been helpful. I tried to read through the guidelines where I could find them and tried our best to do the right thing along the way, but to be honest I wasn't always confident that we were doing everything right or in the best way possible.
Suggestions for ways to keep informed and learn more about what's going on around us and on the island would also have been great. I was glad that my family let me know about local shows that were going on - it was a great way to connect with island culture while we were in quarantine - especially for my daughter, since she was born and raised on the mainland.
Since you have a captive audience with people in quarantine, it's a great opportunity to promote education and awareness of important and relevant issues in the islands, while also recognizing and thanking them for doing their part in helping to keep everyone in this very special place safe and healthy.
Quarantine Adventure:
Photographs:
Video:
MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Dennison
Lead Public Information Officer