Governor Ige and his group introduced some main new modifications/additions to Hawaii’s pre-travel testing program. Earlier than we get into the main points of these information objects, we’d wish to say mahalo to Angie Palmer for supplying right this moment’s pretty Aloha Friday Photograph.
—
Final night time, November 19th, the governor held a prolonged press convention saying a few vital modifications/additions to the pre-travel testing program:
- Vacationers will need to have check outcomes previous to the departure of the ultimate leg of their flight itinerary so as to keep away from quarantine.
- Hawaii will welcome Canadian guests once more beginning mid-December with pre-travel testing.
You possibly can watch your complete press convention here. We’ve summarized every of these bulletins under.
Beginning November 24th, vacationers desirous to bypass quarantine will need to have their pre-travel COVID-19 check outcomes earlier than departure to Hawaii.
Planning a visit to Hawaii will turn into only a bit extra dangerous with the brand new coverage change that vacationers will need to have obtained their check outcomes previous to the departure of their last leg of journey. In any other case, the traveler should quarantine for 14-days or the length of their keep, which ever timeframe is shorter. This new requirement goes into impact November 24th.
Right here’s an excerpt about this coverage revision from the governor’s information launch:
“Gov. David Ige introduced right this moment that beginning on Nov. 24, vacationers wishing to bypass the 14-day necessary quarantine will need to have their COVID-19 check outcomes – from a trusted testing associate – previous to departure for the State of Hawaiʻi.
If check outcomes will not be accessible earlier than boarding the ultimate leg of the journey, the traveler should quarantine for 14 days or the size of the keep, whichever is shorter.
“We’re taking this added security precaution now in response to the dramatically growing variety of COVID-19 circumstances within the continental United States and all over the world. The well being of our residents and guests is our major concern, particularly as extra individuals journey to Hawaiʻi to have a good time the vacations,” mentioned Gov. Ige.
The brand new coverage applies to home transpacific flights and worldwide flights departing from areas wherein the State of Hawaiʻi pre-testing applications are in place.”
The governor said that to date, 94% of vacationers who’ve taken half within the pre-travel testing program have obtained their check outcomes previous to departure. So if that fee continues, that might imply that 6% of vacationers wouldn’t have their checks leads to time (previous to departure of ultimate leg of journey) and could be topic to quarantine in the event that they select to fly to Hawaii.
For the reason that begin of the brand new Protected Travels program on October 15th, 273,020 vacationers have come to Hawaii by means of the Protected Travels software. Nearly all of these vacationers are guests — some 68.5%. Of the whole vacationers to Hawaii, 243,140 vacationers have certified to be exempt from quarantine, primarily by means of the pre-travel testing program. No less than 44 vacationers obtained optimistic check outcomes after arrival. Despite the fact that 44 of the whole vacationers is a comparatively small quantity, Hawaii has chosen so as to add this further layer of safety to require a destructive end result earlier than departure so as to be exempt from quarantine.
For extra details about the Protected Travels and pre-travel testing applications, see HawaiiCOVID19.com.
Canadian pre-travel testing program to begin mid-December
The governor introduced that vacationers flying from Canada could also be exempt from quarantine if they provide a destructive COVID-19 check taken inside 72 hours of departure by means of labs recognized by WestJet and Air Canada.
Right here’s an excerpt from the governors press launch.
“Gov. Ige additionally introduced that starting in mid-December, vacationers flying from Canada to Hawaiʻi could bypass the state’s necessary 14-day quarantine in the event that they take a COVID-19 check from labs recognized by Air Canada and WestJet. The check should be taken inside 72 hours of journey to the State of Hawai‘i, and a destructive check end result should be obtained previous to departure. Vacationers with out proof of a destructive check end result previous to boarding their flight to Hawai‘i shall be required to self-quarantine for 14-days or the size of keep, whichever is shorter.
“Many Canadians love to go to Hawaiʻi through the winter months to flee the chilly climate, so the timing for this works nicely. Hawaiʻi has essentially the most rigorous pre-travel testing program in the USA, and we’re grateful to Air Canada and WestJet for making it accessible to their passengers,” mentioned Gov. David Ige.
Air Canada and WestJet shall be figuring out testing entities in Canada, with the Hawaiʻi State Division of Well being’s approval, for functions of the pre-testing program. Canadian residents ought to look to those Canadian-based carriers for the testing choices of their nation.”
Air Canada plans to begin service to Hawaii starting December 17 per their press release. We searched, however couldn’t discover any data on the testing companions and procedures with Air Canada. Examine instantly with Air Canada for extra data.
WestJet will start service to Hawaii beginning December 18th. The airline has a helpful webpage with particulars on their testing program for journey to Hawaii.
The governor went on so as to add that Canadian nationals touring overseas are nonetheless topic to a 14-day quarantine upon their return to Canada. Journey restrictions on U.S. journey to Canada stay in place. The 2 airline representatives famous that there’s a pilot program operating in Calgary (YYC) that permits arriving, worldwide passengers to check and have diminished quarantines with destructive outcomes.
—
As an attention-grabbing apart from the press convention, a query posed by a media member, and I’m paraphrasing right here, principally requested who’s extra chargeable for the unfold of COVID-19 in Hawaii — guests or residents. The governor said that the “overwhelming majority” of circumstances are the results of residents. In the event you’d wish to view that a part of the press convention, quick ahead to in regards to the 59-minute mark of this video. Sadly, guests have taken a really undeserved dangerous rap.
—
On a last word, completely satisfied Aloha Friday!
