One of the keys to corralling the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has been strict quarantining and social distancing. In Hawaii, state officials credit stringent travel restrictions, reducing the flow of visitors to a trickle, with keeping COVID-19 cases to a manageable level — so far.

Even so, the number of cases globally has surpassed 2 million, and the coronavirus is not under control. So it’s natural that local residents would be leery of 25,000 military personnel from all over the world descending on Hawaii this summer.

But so far, that remains a strong possibility. The biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the largest international maritime exercise in the world, is scheduled from late June to early August in Hawaiian waters. The Navy says it is exploring ways to conduct some version of the exercise — considered critical for military readiness and coordinated security and disaster relief — without endangering participants, their families and Hawaii residents.

It’s a tall order to carry out, especially in uncharted waters. Conducting such an exercise under current conditions would be dangerous; other smaller exercises scheduled for this spring, including Exercise Balikatan 2020 and the 2020 Marine Rotational Force, have been canceled.

But two months from now? Perhaps conditions will have improved enough to allow a modified version of RIMPAC, although it is hard to see that from here. The tools for successfully managing the virus — comprehensive data from extensive testing and screening, effective treatments, a vaccine — are more than two months away. Moreover, recent experiences aboard naval vessels are not encouraging.

More than 600 crew members of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday. And roughly 1,000 French sailors from the Charles de Gaulle carrier group — nearly half the total number of crew — have tested positive for the virus. (France was one of the 25 countries that participated in RIMPAC 2018.)

Presumably, the Navy will make its decision based on national security requirements, as it should. But if RIMPAC goes ahead, the Navy must ensure that effective restrictions are placed on shore exercises and other shore activities — and that those restrictions are clearly articulated to the general public. Gov. David Ige, who says he is talking with the Navy about the exercise, needs to be a forceful advocate for ensuring the safety of Hawaii residents.

The state normally welcomes RIMPAC, as it provides an estimated $50 million boost to Hawaii’s economy, something we sure could use right now. But these are not normal times, and they won’t be two months from now.