No leis, luaus, or alohas right now for Hawaii. What happens if you do go to Hawaii and can you travel between islands?
Hawaii was to reopen on August 1st, then September 1st and this new delay is due to the latest surge in cases. The Governor also converted the ballroom at the Hawai‘i Convention Center into a contact tracing center to ramp up tracing efforts.
In addition, the pre-travel testing program has also been postponed and will not begin until October 1 (subject to change). This program requires all out-of-state travelers to get a valid COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) within 72 hours of boarding their flight to Hawaii. Proof of a negative test result will then be required upon arrival at the airport to avoid the 14-day quarantine.
What Happens If You Go to Hawaii – Now?
- There’s a mandatory 14-day quarantine required for all passengers (visitors and returning residents) arriving into the state of Hawaii on or before September 30.
- Vehicles cannot be rented to any person who is subject to a 14-day traveler quarantine order unless an exemption is granted.
- People who are required to self-quarantine for 14 days must designate a hotel or motel as their designated quarantine location.
- No person who is subject to the mandatory self-quarantine is allowed to stay in a short-term or vacation rental.
- Facial masks are required on all islands.
- Every adult traveler (including officers and crew members) flying from the continental U.S., and international must complete the Mandatory Travel Declaration Form and the revised 14-day Order for Self Quarantine Form. (DO NOT sign this form ahead of time. An Airport Agent, at your destination, is required to witness your initials and signature.)
This all means that visitors would need to remain in their rooms for most or all of their vacation – so, travelers are strongly urged to postpone any trips to Hawaii.
What about traveling between islands?
Well, no!
Visitors and residents that are in their 14-day self-quarantine are not permitted to fly to another island.
If you have a lot of flexibility and finish your two-week quarantine then the partial inter-island travel quarantine will apply. This means you will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine, which continues through Aug. 31, unless it is terminated or extended by a separate proclamation.
Hawaii’s Department of Health also launched “Not Taking Chances.” A new social campaign to address and help curb the high number of reported cases with initiatives about the importance of wearing a face mask and avoiding large groups and gatherings. First phase ads via tv, radio, print, social, etc., will go through the end of September with a second phase planned for October through the end of 2020.
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