With Coronavirus Spreading, Hawaii Cracks Down on Tourism: What Does It Mean for Airlines?
The global COVID-19 pandemic is spreading at a rapid rate, threatening to overwhelm many regions' healthcare systems. As of Monday evening, there were more than 40,000 confirmed cases in the United States, up from a few thousand just a week earlier.
Hawaii occupies an unusual position in the context of this pandemic. As an island state, it is uniquely well positioned to contain an infectious disease outbreak like COVID-19. On the other hand, as a tourist mecca, it is extremely vulnerable to imported cases, as tourists who seem healthy can unknowingly carry the disease into the state and spread it widely while visiting crowded places.
With this in mind, Hawaii is implementing severe restrictions on tourists and residents in the hope of stamping out COVID-19 in the state before it's too late. That includes a recent order mandating a 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the state, starting on Thursday. This will accelerate the plunge in air travel to and from Hawaii, adding to airlines' woes -- especially Hawaiian Holdings (NASDAQ: HA).
Source Fool.com
