Two couples from Hawaii being quarantined at a military base in California for the new coronavirus say workers who give them their meals or take their temperature never touch them directly and always wear gloves, a face mask and a long face shield — making them “over-protected.”

A government whistleblower filed a complaint alleging that some federal workers did not have the necessary protective gear or training when they were deployed to help Americans, including at least four from Hawaii, quarantined at Travis Air Force Base who were evacuated from a cruise ship in Japan during the outbreak of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

Meanwhile, a woman from Solano County in California, where Travis Air Force Base is located, tested positive for the highly contagious coronavirus and is believed to be the first person in the U.S. to contract it without traveling internationally or being in close contact with anyone who had it.

It is not clear whether the whistleblower allegations and the possible spread of COVID-19 are related, but Debbie Pagan, 58, from Ewa Beach, who is quarantined at the base, said she has observed adequate safety precautions.

“The quarantine does work, and that’s what I want people to know: that CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is very strict. … How can people catch it?” said Pagan. “When we walk outside we’re over 6 feet away from someone. They got their mask on, we got our mask on. We have gloves, too.”

Pagan and her husband Eric, 64, have been quarantined at Travis Air Force Base since Feb. 16. A chain link fence was put up around the building they are being housed in, providing a communal yard for everyone quarantined. She estimated a lap within the fence to be about a third of a mile long.

Irene Tokuda, 68, of Kaneohe said she is required to have a mask on when she answers the door.

“Well, basically, everybody has masks on. When you open doors and stuff, you have to have your mask on at all times, anytime you’re interacting with people,” she said.

Tokuda is quarantined at the base along with her husband, Eugene, 73. The Pagans and the Tokudas were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship during an outbreak of the coronavirus. Both couples have tested negative for the virus.

The Pagans and the Tokudas are arranging their flights back to Hawaii. The Pagans are set to leave Monday, while the Tokudas might get to fly back Tuesday. The quarantine officially ends after Sunday, they said.

Irene Tokuda said she has her temperature taken twice a day, but there is no touching between her and the workers.

“Everyone has their own thermometer. … They look at (the temperature) from several feet away,” she said.

She said workers in teams of two come by to take her temperature, and teams of three or four deliver each meal.

Debbie Pagan said orange tape was put about 6 feet from their door to remind workers to keep their distance. The workers never enter their unit, and nothing she touches is taken back. She said sometimes food will be left on a chair outside their door, but sometimes workers will take a step over the tape to hand them their food directly.

On Friday both couples took an “intensive” nose and throat test for the virus. Pagan said she and her husband had to leave their rooms to take those tests, and those who administered them wore hazmat suits.

Both couples said workers have used protective gear since the Diamond Princess passengers landed at Travis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.