Well, it’s “official-er” that Hawaii’s new pre-travel testing program is set to begin October 15, 2020. After a few delays, at least this time, the pre-travel testing program with a start date of October 15, 2020 has made its way into official state documentation. The pre-travel testing program was signed by Governor Ige yesterday, September 23, 2020, in a new supplemental proclamation. This new program allows visitors to be exempt from quarantine if they provide an approved, negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of their travel to Hawaii.
You can read the full document here. The sections related to travel are on pages six through eleven, plus Exhibit B.
One of the most important paragraphs for travelers by air to Hawaii is on page six, under the heading “B. Self Quarantine for Travelers to the State”
“… all persons entering the State of Hawai‘i shall be subject to mandatory self-quarantine as provided in the Travel Rules, except those persons entering the State … who, upon entry into the State, provide written confirmation from a State approved COVID-19 testing facility of a negative test result from a test administered to the traveler within 72 hours from the final leg of departure. The negative test exception shall become effective on October 15, 2020.”
Previously, it had been unclear that the definition of the 72-hour period, but that statement clears it up, as it is the 72-hours prior to the final leg of departure. So, for example, in our case, we fly from RDU and typically connect in DFW on our way to Hawaii. (If you didn’t already know, we live in North Carolina.) The departure time of the DFW flight would be the end of our 72-hour window. Therefore, as we understand it, we would need to take into account the hour-difference in the timezone for when we would take our tests.
On pages nine and ten, the topic of “Enhanced Movement Quarantine” is addressed. That’s the “geo-fenced” or “resort bubble” concept that we’ve talked about in recent weeks. It appears that there may be a possibility of beach access, if allowed by the individual counties.
We encourage you to read through the three pages of Exhibit B of the proclamation, which is towards the end of the document. It outlines more aspects of the pre-travel testing program. Most of Exhibit B has already been provided in previous press conferences and previous articles, but it’s now made official in this new proclamation.
A final noteworthy section to highlight from the proclamation is on page five, under the heading of “Safe Practices.” It says,
“All persons must wear face coverings in compliance with county orders, rules and directives approved by me pursuant to Section I. All persons shall comply with applicable hygiene and physical distancing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as State, county, industry and regulatory requirements for safe hygiene and physical distancing practices to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including standards adopted by and requirements issued by Hawaii Department of Health (DOH).”
—
Today, United Airlines announced a pilot testing program. Passengers headed to Hawaii can take rapid tests at San Francisco International Airport (SFO.) Here’s an excerpt from their press release:
Starting on October 15, customers traveling on United from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Hawaii will have the option to take a rapid test at the airport or a self-collected, mail-in test ahead of their trip.
The rapid Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test – administered by GoHealth Urgent Care and their partner Dignity Health – provides results in approximately 15 minutes and will be available to United customers on the same day as their flight departing from SFO. The mail-in test option will be administered by Color and it is recommended that customers initiate testing at least 10 days prior to their trip and provide their sample within 72 hours of their trip.
The airline worked closely with Hawaii officials to ensure that any United customer – both visitors and Hawaiian residents returning home – who tests negative on either test would not be subjected to the state’s current 14-day quarantine requirement. United currently offers more flights to Hawaii than any other major network carrier including daily service between San Francisco and Honolulu (HNL), Maui (OGG) and Kona (KOA). The carrier plans to increase service to Hawaii on October 15, including the resumption of service between San Francisco and Lihue (LIH) and additional flights between San Francisco and Maui and Kona.
See more details about the testing options in the press release.
So, that’s an interesting option for United passengers passing through SFO on their way to the Hawaiian Islands. We’ll be looking for more information on this alternative.
Sheila Beal
8 comments
Thank you for reading and highlighting some important details I really appreciate it.. Great information.
I’m going to wait until after Oct. 15th and probably not until 2021 to finalize booking so I can learn how the State progresses after the opening, and to read about public reaction.
I am eager to learn about “tracking and tracing” of the virus and how it may impact me if I happen to be in contact , or in the vicinity of an infected person. Will I be contacted by the State and have a mandatory quarantine for the rest of my trip ?
I checked with a travel insurance company that will cover illness from covid, but not quarantine, so I want to be secure in knowing that once in Hawaii I will not be quarantined unless I am sick. I won’t book until I find that answer.
I will also have to locate that “15 minute result test” in my area before I commit .
There’s definitely going to be a learning curve for a while, so that makes sense to give the process some time to work out the kinks before booking a new trip.
What if your flight has a mechanical and is delayed and you now fall outside of the 72 hour window?
I’m sure there will be many “what if” scenarios that pop up, including the one you raised. Hopefully they will be specifically addressed.
I would hope that they would be reasonable and consider that a person took their test based on the available schedule and then an issue popped up beyond their control. But, that’s just my wishful thinking and not an official response.
Keep checking the FAQ page for any additions: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/#travel-FAQs
Maui beaches are not open to anyone who is in quarantine. People staying at resort ‘bubbles’ are not allowed on the beach. $5000 fine.
Not worth the hassle. There are so many other places to travel that don’t require these ridiculous rules. Hawaii just lost a devoted traveler
I spoke to a travel Insurance company today that will cover covid. However, testing positive is not enough for coverage with this company. You will have to actually be ill, so you would need to get medical diagnosis within 72 hours to be eligible for coverage.
This company does not cover quarantine, just illness.
With this company ,If you have a fever and are not allowed to fly you won’t be covered. You need to get a diagnosis from a doctor that you are too ill to fly.
I have checked with a # of travel insurance companies since Hawaii became so strict and found that different companies had different “rules” for coverage. I won’t travel without travel insurance and ask A LOT of questions. I may make mistakes, but I try to cover different situations that may prevent me from traveling, or interrupt my trip.
Thank you for sharing what you’re finding out!