* Today marks the start of the new travel restriction that requires travelers to have their negative test result before the departure time of their final leg of travel to Hawaii as we reported on Friday. The test must be taken within 72 hours of the final leg of departure by a testing partner approved by the state of Hawaii. If a traveler does not have their result prior to the departure of their final flight, the traveler must quarantine for 14 days even if a negative test result is received afterwards. Per a Star-Advertiser article, this rule change has already resulted in Hawaii travel cancellations. For further information on this and other restrictions see this link to HawaiiCOVID19.com/travel.
* Hawaiian Airlines has expanded their pre-travel COVID testing options to include testing options in the Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle areas per KHON.
* The mayor of Kauai has proposed a new rule for travelers to Kauai. He’s asked the governor to approve a mandatory post-arrival test at least three days after arrival on Kauai with a mandatory quarantine until a second test can be confirmed. This proposed requirement could require travelers to be in quarantine for a very minimum of three days and most likely at least four, five or even more days. Here’s the mayor’s most recent update for your reference.
* Our annual Waikiki Thanksgiving Guide has been updated. This year is going to be much more subdued with less restaurants open, less events and the annual parade cancelled.
Sheila Beal
3 comments
As of this time ,CVS reportedly cannot guarantee test results within 72 hours and Quest Diagnostics suspended their trusted partner agreement this weekend because of demand.
There are going to be a number of very stressed and unhappy tourists as they sit in a room for 14 days.
I HOPE that Hawaii will end testing and quarantines for those who arrive with proof of vaccinations after the vaccines become available next year.
We live in the Midwest, northern Wisconsin. Mayo Clinic is in our area and they are doing Covid tests with results in 24 to 36 hours. Not a trusted partner but would make life for those in the Midwest a lot easier to get to HI. Sure do wish the powers to be would work on a better way. The suggestion of take a test on arrival and be quaratined until the test is negative would work too.
Hawaii is doing everthing they can to stop the tourists which is the livelihood for a lot of the Islands.
I agree having more testing partners that guarantee results in 24 to 36 hours would be the way to go.
We all have different tolerance levels for how long we will accept the length of quarantine time. For myself, at spending over $500 per night for a hotel, or condo and having to quarantine in a room for a couple of days is a deal breaker. In addition, I am concerned about false positives, which do happen, and which may lead to being quarantined for my entire stay. I travel to Hawaii to experience its beauty and culture, but more importantly to spend time with my close friends and extended Ohana who live there. If I am quarantined I lose that quality time with my “loved ones”, so until it is safe for all and quarantines are no longer “on the table”, I will not travel.
(I follow various Hawaii news sources daily for a number of reasons including the changes in travel policies and how their policies affect tourism. I find it interesting to read the various opinions of residents and travelers about testing and quarantine.)