With the October 15th launch of the brand new pre-travel testing program simply hours away from implementation, it appears that evidently there’s new information popping out of Hawaii each hour. In case your head is spinning, attempting to maintain up with the final minute modifications and restrictions, welcome to the membership! Our head is spinning, too! Simply attempting to make heads or tails out of the quite a few proclamations, emergency guidelines, press releases and press conferences is completely exhausting. I really feel just like the man within the purple shirt on this Far Facet cartoon.
So, let’s attempt to break down the information into some chew dimension items which are as simple as we are able to probably make them to grasp and digest.
Overview of Governor Ige’s October 13, 2020 Press Convention
As soon as once more, the governor and lieutenant governor and different state leaders expressed confidence within the October 15th begin of the pre-travel testing program. The governor acknowledged, “We’re wanting ahead to launching pre-travel testing on Thursday, as a result of it’s a mirrored image of the progress we’ve made in managing the pandemic to the purpose the place we are able to start taking higher steps to reviving our financial system and strengthening our group.”
You may watch the entire press conference here. The governor and lieutenant governor offered a short overview the fundamentals of the pre-travel testing program. We’re summarizing their overview plus including a couple of items of knowledge that we imagine is useful to incorporate:
- Starting October 15, vacationers who don’t need to be topic to the state’s 14-day necessary vacationers quarantine should take an accredited COVID-19 take a look at inside 72 hours previous to departure from the ultimate leg of journey. (Kids below the age of 5 won’t be required to take a take a look at.) This pre-travel testing possibility is just open to vacationers from the U.S. initially.
- The take a look at have to be performed via one of many 17 trusted testing companions (listed here).
- Detrimental take a look at outcomes could also be uploaded on the Safe Travels Digital Platform, and all vacationers should additionally full the state’s necessary journey and well being type on this digital platform. (Vacationers are inspired to do that step 24 hours previous to arrival in Hawaii. Airport screeners will overview data upon arrival and conduct temperature screenings.)
- If a traveler’s COVID-19 take a look at comes again unfavorable, they are going to be exempt from quarantine. If the outcomes haven’t are available but, the traveler will likely be required to quarantine at their place of lodging till outcomes come again. If the consequence comes again constructive for COVID-19, the traveler and shut contacts will likely be mandated to isolation for 14 days.
- If a traveler doesn’t pre-test, they are going to be required to quarantine for 14-days. There aren’t any choices to check out of state quarantine after arrival.
- For extra data of the pre-travel testing program and necessities, see HawaiiCOVID19.com/travel.
- For extra data on the Protected Travels Digital Platform, see this link.
The governor introduced 4 newly accredited testing companions, which embody American Airways, Alaska Airways, Port of Oakland and Bartell Medication. There are actually 17 testing companions in whole. As soon as once more, you possibly can see the whole record of accredited testing companions listed here.
On the time of publishing, all islands are taking part in Hawaii’s pre-travel testing program for guests to the state. Within the final week or so, there had beforehand been varied discussions, rumors and last-minute hesitations for the implementation of the pre-travel testing program. All islands are opting in. There are some case degree caveats that we’ll talked about within the tier part beneath.
Put up-arrival, second testing necessities range by county
A second take a look at could also be both voluntary or required per particular person county necessities. Right here’s the record of second take a look at necessities by island:
Kauai – requesting vacationers take a second take a look at 72 hours after arrival. It’s voluntary and will likely be paid by the county. A quarantine is just not required between arrival and the second take a look at. Learn this update for presently obtainable data concerning the second take a look at. We might anticipate the county will replace their webpage with additional particulars.
Maui County – requesting vacationers to take a second take a look at between 48 and 72 hours after arrival. It’s voluntary and will likely be paid by the county. A quarantine is just not required between arrival and the second take a look at. Word that the county of Maui contains the islands of Lanai, Molokai and, in fact, Maui.
Hawaii (Massive Island) County – a second take a look at will likely be carried out upon arrival. The price of the take a look at will likely be paid by the county. For extra insights on this testing, see this article.
Moreover, a statewide surveillance testing program will likely be carried out. Roughly 10% of incoming vacationers will likely be examined 4 days after arrival. The price of surveillance testing will likely be paid by the state. This surveillance testing will happen for 60 days.
Choice to pre-test to be exempt from 14-day quarantine for inter-island journey to Kauai and Maui
The governor accredited Kauai’s and Maui’s requests to permit quarantine exemptions for inter-island journey if inter-island vacationers receive a legitimate 72-hour pre-test with a unfavorable consequence. For extra particulars on that information, see this link to Maui News and this hyperlink to this County of Kauai Facebook update. With no legitimate, unfavorable pre-test, inter-island vacationers could also be topic to a compulsory 14-day quarantine.
On the time of publishing, a quarantine is not required for inter-island journey to Oahu from every other Hawaiian Island.
On the time of publishing, a 14-quarantine is required for all inter-island journey to the island of Hawaii, also called the Massive Island. See this link for extra data.
Word that in case you are flying from a U.S. state to Hawaii with a legitimate, unfavorable pre-test and you might be merely making a flight connection with out exiting the connecting airport, that doesn’t set off an inter-island quarantine. Per HawaiiCOVID19.com/journey, they put it this manner, “When you’ve got only a layover in Honolulu then the unfavorable take a look at result’s good via to your closing vacation spot. In case your break in Honolulu is greater than a layover, then you might be captured by the interisland quarantine.”
Some islands might choose out of the state’s pre-travel testing program if case counts enhance
Kauai has acquired approval from the governor to implement a tier system that enables or disallows quarantine exemption with a pre-travel testing program primarily based on their constructive COVID-19 case counts. You may learn that new rule here. To watch Kauai’s case counts, examine their COVID-19 webpage.
Maui has proposed a similar tier system. An summary of this method was introduced within the county’s daily update on Monday. It’s not clear whether or not the governor has accredited Maui’s proposed system or not. Examine the webpage for Maui county for any updates.
These are all of the recognized, opt-out, tier techniques presently.
Guidelines range by island/county
The counties of Hawaii are altering guidelines and rules often in response to COVID-19. Maintaining with the modifications may be troublesome and complicated. (See this Star-Advertiser article, Island-by island COVID-19 requirements and rules could confuse some visitors.) The onus is placed on the vacationers to seek out, perceive and comply with the foundations. It’s not simple to seek out both as most of their guidelines are tucked away in a number of proclamation and emergency rule paperwork. Listed below are the county web sites to examine for his or her guidelines:
Hawaii County (Massive Island) hawaiicounty.gov
Maui County consists of the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai. The web site for Maui County is mauicounty.gov.
Metropolis and County of Honolulu consists of your entire island of Oahu. The web site for the Metropolis and County of Honolulu is honolulu.gov.
Kauai County – kauai.gov
Useful Hawaii Journey Data Sources
We’re record these following official assets to help you with any questions you might have. Please use these assets if in case you have any questions in regards to the present Hawaii guidelines and restrictions:
