USA TODAY International Edition
Hawaii visitors soon can skip quarantine with negative test
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Wednesday that starting Oct. 15, travelers arriving from out of state may bypass a 14- day quarantine requirement if they test negative for COVID- 19. Travelers will have to take the test within 72 hours before their flight arrives in the islands. Ige said drugstore operator CVS and health care provider Kaiser Permanente will conduct the tests as part of an agreement with the state.
Ige had planned to start a pre- travel testing program Aug. 1, only to have to postpone it as COVID- 19 cases spiked on the U. S. mainland and in Hawaii. A shortage of testing supplies also forced delays. Another start date for Sept. 1 was also canceled. Airlines are expected to help inform travelers of the requirement.
The quarantine began in March, meaning much of the year had been wiped out as few visitors want to be confined to their hotel or vacation rental.
The announcement comes on the heels of Gov. Ige authorizing a “resort bubble” program for Kauai.
“We understand the need to address the economic hardship facing our tourism- based community, while also preserving the safety of our residents,” Kauai Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami said in a statement. “The resort bubble program is an added tool to reopening our economy while we learn to co- exist with this virus. It’s not a replacement or the final solution, and we will continue to keep our community updated as we make progress.”
Hawaii leaders are hopeful that pretravel testing will encourage people to return to Hawaii in a way that keeps residents safe. Tourism traffic to the state has plunged more than 90% since the pandemic began, forcing hundreds of hotels to close and pushing many people out of work.
On Wednesday, the state Department of Health reported Hawaii had an average of 118 cases per day for the past seven days. That’s down from a sevenday daily average of 255 on Aug. 28.
As for interisland travel during mandatory quarantine, the state calls the program an “enhanced movement quarantine” that each county can develop to give residents and visitors the ability to travel between islands without a 14- day quarantine.
If counties opt to establish these programs, they can work with resorts or hotels for housing these travelers in question. Travelers who enroll must stay in specific geographical areas and limit their contact with people not under selfquarantine restrictions. Travelers who participate must sign waivers saying they voluntarily chose to participate, as well as allow electronic monitoring and access to their health information. All are required to pay for associated costs.
Hawaii’s government also requires travelers to fill out its online “Safe Travels” application in an effort to keep its residents and visitors healthy during the coronavirus pandemic.