Whereas we await the small print of Hawaii’s pre-travel testing, many questions stay. Listed here are the newest updates from Hawaii’s officers together with questions lots of our readers have.
Hawaii is experiencing document excessive COVID-19 circumstances
For 3 days in a row final week, Hawaii recorded new document excessive numbers of COVID-19 circumstances. The best every day quantity thus far is 73 circumstances recorded on July 25th. By July 28th, Hawaii has recorded 1,757 circumstances with most of these (1,429 circumstances) being on Oahu.
“Journey bubble” between Japan and Hawaii a step nearer
Hawaii has been in discussions with Japan to open a “journey bubble” between the 2 locations. With each areas having comparatively low COVID-19 an infection charges, they really feel that it’s protected to open a journey hall between them with destructive pre-testing and with out quarantines. No timeline has been established. Learn extra about this subject here.
In a Facebook Live chat hosted by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday, July 28th, Lt. Gov. Inexperienced shared that Japanese vacationers are fascinating as a result of though they characterize someplace between 15-20% of vacationers to Hawaii, they produce 30% of all of the financial exercise. Moreover, he mentioned that the Japanese are a “respectful, considerate and meticulous tradition about these form of issues.”
Is Hawaii going to open to U.S. vacationers with pre-travel, destructive COVID-19 checks on September 1st?
The September 1st reopening of tourism with a destructive pre-travel COVID-19 take a look at is likely to be on shaky floor. As we mentioned last week, Hawaii (Massive) Island Mayor Kim doesn’t think that Hawaii will be ready to reopen to vacationers on September 1st. The mayor of Maui wants to re-enact the 14-day quarantine for inter-island travelers.
One big hurdle that’s not directly associated to reopening tourism is the beginning of the brand new college 12 months. Presently, Hawaii is planning to open colleges on August 4th, however many are involved that’s too quickly.
With regard to reopening tourism with different states in September, in a Facebook Live chat hosted by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday, July 28th, Lt. Gov. Inexperienced mentioned,
“September 1st, from a sensible standpoint, we’re going to must see what occurs first with the colleges and with these circumstances. I do know that’s what the governor and Basic Hara and everyone seems to be pondering. We don’t need to open up simply to, you realize, the form of vacationers that we don’t need, that are irresponsible vacationers that come for the most cost effective of flights that really feel invulnerable. That’s what we drew some consideration from after we talked in regards to the preliminary reopening and we’re nervous nonetheless in regards to the variety of circumstances in a variety of totally different elements of the nation. So, I believe it’s going to be Japan first.” (If you wish to watch this part of the chat, it roughly begins about 22 minutes into the video.)
I’m unsure how Hawaii’s leaders may have presumably gathered the kind of information that they’ll conclude that once they began speaking about opening tourism, they drew the eye of “irresponsible vacationers who come for the most cost effective of flights that really feel invulnerable.” How does one even conduct a survey to assemble that kind of subjective information?
From our viewpoint, our readers have expressed that they’re respectful of the foundations and have certainly complied with them. 1000’s have canceled or rescheduled their journeys. Some have rescheduled a number of instances. Many have expressed their willingness to pre-test to make sure their very own and the group’s security. Many had deliberate special day journeys reminiscent of weddings, honeymoons, milestone birthdays and anniversaries. These journeys aren’t low-cost.
We all the time share with you the exact same recommendation that we might give to our personal family and friends. Frankly, we’re involved in regards to the continuous vilification of tourists from the U.S.
When the pre-travel testing program opens, how can I get a take a look at?
When the essential idea and timeline of the pre-travel testing program was introduced, many individuals began to seek for locations the place they may get examined, with little luck. That’s as a result of this system has not began but. In the identical Fb Stay chat we’ve beforehand referenced, Lt. Gov. Inexperienced shed some mild on this situation.
“CVS, Walgreens and Kaiser will permit anyone from any state to get examined in the event that they’re touring. There’ll be a journey provision of their protocols… We haven’t launched this system and folks say “Hey, I went to CVS they usually instructed me ‘No, I haven’t heard about this but.’” Nicely, that’s as a result of it hasn’t began, however that’s the contractual provision that now we have with our companions that they might take a look at. Now, if it’s taking 5 days to get the take a look at outcome again, it’s too lengthy, however you get the take a look at and when you get the take a look at outcome and you’re destructive, you’d exit of quarantine.” (If you wish to watch this part of the chat, it roughly begins about 30 minutes into the video.)
