Hawaii adjusts testing requirements for travelers
When Hawaii launched a program in October allowing visitors to bypass its 14-day coronavirus quarantine by showing proof of a negative coronavirus test, thousands of travelers took advantage of the offer.
Hawaii’s statistics show that 594,628 visitors arrived in the state from Oct. 15, when the bypass program took effect, to Dec. 31.
Now that the bypass program has been in effect for a couple months, Hawaii has made some adjustments. The most notable is that travelers must upload a negative test result before they depart the mainland. Previously, you were covered as long as you had the results when you landed.
Here’s what to know if you’re flying to Hawaii.
You need a negative test result
Hawaii requires proof of a negative coronavirus test before you take off in order to avoid the 14-day quarantine. Before your flight, you need to make an account with Hawaii’s Safe Travels site and register a negative coronavirus test that was taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
You can get a test kit from American Airlines, United Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Passengers are responsible for the cost of the test, which is $129 at American and $119 at United and Hawaiian. In addition to at-home options, several airlines, including United and Alaska, have partnerships with health care providers for on-site testing before travel to Hawaii, but make an appointment in advance given strong demand.
Quarantine or bubble
Kauai had zero COVID-19 deaths and just 59 cases before the quarantine-bypass program was launched. Now the island, which has just nine ICU beds, has opted out of the program after seeing an increase in cases traced to both visitors and residents.
Kauai had 70 new cases in the six weeks since it started participating; 57 of those cases were related to travel.
In a Nov. 30 address, Mayor Derek Kawakami said Kauai would opt out of the bypass program temporarily. That means that all arriving travelers, regardless of their coronavirus test status, must quarantine for 14 days. Visitors have to stay in their hotel rooms and get food delivered unless they are staying at an approved “resort bubble” hotel.
On Tuesday, Kauai started allowing those staying at resort bubble hotels who present proof of a negative test upon departure and receive another negative test three days after arrival to be released from quarantine.
Resort bubbles, or Enhanced Movement Quarantine properties, give you a little more freedom than quarantining in a hotel room. These properties allow visitors to leave their rooms and enjoy the pool and other resort amenities as long as they don’t leave the property.
A second test
The county of Hawai’i requires a negative coronavirus test result before departure as well as a second test upon arrival at an airport. The second test is free.