It seems we can barely get through even 12 hours in the Hawaii travel news cycle without some out of left field change. And this morning is no different. It is being widely reported that Big Island Mayor Kim has decided the island, including its massive Kona and Kohala Coast resorts, will remain closed at this time. And Honolulu’s mayor is contemplating something we’ve been suggesting for months.
Did Governor Ige give the option to islands to remain closed?
Yesterday, the governor apparently told county mayors they could opt out of the pre-travel testing quarantine waiver while at the same time telling Kauai (and others) that a second required test following arrival with a shorter quarantine, would not be permitted. After that, Kauai indicated that it would comply with the pre-travel testing program as opting out was “not a viable option.”
The Big Island has seen significant recent COVID outbreaks, largely related to the Hilo Veterans Home and The University of Nations clusters on the island.
Mayor Kim and Governor Ige on Will interisland quarantine be lifted on October 15?
Mayor Kim said he believes that the current interisland quarantine will remain in effect through the end of October, although we are still awaiting word on that from Governor Ige. That 14-day quarantine is currently in effect when traveling outbound from Honolulu to the neighbor islands as well as between neighbor islands.
The interisland quarantine and updates on the pre-travel testing program are to be addressed by “midweek” per Governor Ige’s statement yesterday. Kauai Mayor Kawakami said, however, that “If the state has a plan, we don’t have clear guidance on what that plan looks like for interisland travel. Oftentimes conversations happen without our input.”
Honolulu could announce an on-arrival testing option.
Moving in yet another direction, Honolulu’s mayor indicated he may have an on-arrival testing program for those who don’t participate in the pre-travel testing. He has asked for 30,000 additional tests to begin such a program, although he said Honolulu hasn’t “taken it to the next step of how we roll it out.”
Perhaps Kauai could move in the same direction. That given that it has already obtained 15,000 test kits.
Beat of Hawaii.
We concur with Lieutenant Governor Josh Green when he said yesterday, “If people want to not open Hawaii, if that’s what some of the mayors are saying, they should just say it and we’ll have that discussion… Then we’ll find out what we have to do to support people on very long-term unemployment… If we continue to remain shut, I think you’re going to see massive numbers of people finally saying I can’t even fathom listening to the rules that are out there. Then you’re going to have a lot of spread.”
Any quarantine, whether 3-day or 14-day, means essentially that Hawaii will remain closed, and that there will be no tourism. Regarding interisland travel, those transiting via Honolulu also cannot be expected to endure any quarantine.
The idea proferred by Honolulu Mayor Caldwell makes good sense, is worthy of pursuit, and is something that we have been mentioning for months.
Moreover, the lack of direction and communication from the governor with Hawaii residents, the traveling public, travel stakeholders, and obviously with the mayors, is an abysmal failure.
More updates coming soon. As always, we welcome your input.
Beat of Hawaii © photo at Sleeping Giant on Kauai.
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As someone who grew up on a very small island, has recently appreciated tourists shut out of some of my favorite places where I live now, and having studied biology at UCSB with a top virus scientist, I have to wonder what the end game is for the Big Islands Mayor. There are viruses that scientists cannot decide if they are living or non-living things – that’s what we are dealing with here. It will not be out-waited, or go extinct, unfortunately. An island can choose to isolate itself, but it will have to do so – For Ever. The number of tourists could be limited I suppose to try and control exposure “load”, but a virus must hi-jack the genes of a host human or other animal to replicate itself, and it will continue to do and mutate, and it is not going to go away, even if the sands of an island are a nice place to stick your head. Again, unfortunately, it’s a very difficult situation for everyone.
Thanks, Scott
Hi Scott.
Thanks for commenting.
Aloha.
The hawaiicovid19.com website indicates that a CLIA approved test site can be used for travel.
Yesterday Lieutenant Governor Green confirmed that only specific trusted partners test results will be accepted. “The test has to come from a trusted partner.” These partners are those companies that have already worked through the details with the Department of Health.
So does this mean that the previous CLIA certification (it is still listed on the website as an approved requirement) required by the State of Hawaii no longer applies? if so, why? Thank you.
Hi Daniel.
Our take is that it is simply one of many areas that need to be “cleaned up” on that web page. Green has repeated this many times. Ony the trusted partners will be accepted at this time.
Aloha.
hospitalizations and death should be the focus. Not positive tests!! We are not going to eradicate this virus!we have to open and live with it! Protect the elderly and vulnerable and get on with life!
Mahalo,
I had plans to visit Hawaii in November, I guess I’ll need to take my business elsewhere. Gladly with this kind of ambiguity.
I’m wondering why as owners of a STVR in Mauna Lani, can’t travel to our rental to do repairs even if we get tested for Covid-19 72 hours prior to our arrival & then be tested again when we land in a Hawaii so, we won’t have to quarantine for 14 days? We would also be okay being tested weekly & follow protocol with wearing mask, social distancing & washing hands or use hand sanitizers, after every enter action with grocery store cashiers, bar tenders, waitresses, sales clerks
Etc!? If you haven’t had travelers for over 4-5 months then, that makes it perfectly clear that Hawaii residents aren’t following the Health guidelines for Covid-19?
70% of the residence of Hawaii are unemployed & get state help every month!! One main reason why they can’t get employment is because, they can’t pass the drug test!!
This makes me believe that some of the residence getting high together will pass Covid-19 by passing their joints & glass pipes back & forth to each other not giving it a second thought just because they want to get high!! Think about that Kim!!
This is ridiculous!! Set a plan & reopen before it’s to late for all the business owners in Hawaii that can’t keep their doors closed any longer!!
I have been a full time quite a resident for over 20 years. Beat of Hawaii’s opinion on Kauai opening to travelers without double-testing is far afield of the consensus that you find throughout our social media right now. Readers of your forum should know that people who live here are VERY upset by the Governor’s refusal of our proposal. I am a medical consultant who is often consulted about epidemics and viral spread. I have been working with clients on the issue of cauvet 19 since November 2019. Single-testing is far from effective at catching enough infections to significantly limit viral spread. Current data is showing that people are most infectious when they are asymptomatic and and likely to test positive. It can take an average of 4 to 10 days before someone who is contagious will test positive. Single-testing is a very dangerous step for Kauai.
Please excuse the dictation typos in my comment above.
Hello Kathleen,
Dr. Fauci is less concerned about tourists bringing the virus than locals who are already spreading it. Let’s listen to the experts, wear the masks, and get back to work.
Appreciate the update. We scrambled to change our travel arrangements from Big Island to Kauai for next couple weeks. We were grateful for the news reporting that the Big Island would remain closed. Also grateful that the airline and resort were accommodating such late changes. We did have to throw more money at the issue with adjustment to airfare, but it was either that or lose our initial investment in resort and airfare. We love the Big Island and visited last November. We may be hard pressed to visit the Big Island again. We will have to wait and see. The decision was such a last minute by the mayor. Maybe it would have been better to open the Kona coast side and keep the regions that are experiencing the larger numbers of cases restricted? I appreciate the caution for your dear citizens, but at what expense? People are only free when they have the ability to decide. Thanks for letting me speak my mind. Robert
Hi Robert.
You should not assume that the mayors have the final word on this, as they do not, and that is up to the governor. There should be an update on his decisions, we’d hope no later than tomorrow or Friday.
Aloha.
Thank you for the clarification. I understand this is a fluid process but it’s causing those of us who have rescheduled multiple times a great deal of anxiety. I think now I feel that my my Maui trip scheduled for Nov 1st will actually happen. As long as I’m COVID free obviously.
Regards,
Bryan
Hi Bryan.
That is the sense that we are getting as well. Thanks.
Aloha.
Appreciate the update. We scrambled to change our travel arrangements from Big Island to Kauai for next couple weeks. We were grateful for the news reporting that the Big Island would remain closed. Also grateful that the airline and resort were accommodating such late changes. We did have to throw more money at the issue with adjustment to airfare, but it was either that or lose our initial investment in resort and airfare. We love the Big Island and visited last November. We may be hard pressed to visit the Big Island again. We will have to wait and see. The decision was such a last minute by the mayor. Maybe it would have been better to open the Konami side and keep the regions that are experiencing the larger numbers of cases restricted? I appreciate the caution for your dear citizens, but at what expense? People are only free when they have the ability to decide. Thanks for letting me speak my mind. Robert
I am scheduled to fly to Honolulu on the opening day of October 15th and what a crazy adventure this has been. My son graduated from Boot Camp last December and we have not seen him since. He recently received new orders and was lucky to get sent to Hawaii for a 3 year plan. However…he is going to deploy to Thailand in January. We have been trying to come see him since August 1st and have changed our flight plans and accommodations 3 times. We are one week out from the opening date and I am super stressed and worried that this will all fall apart…again. As for the 72 hour Covid free test, I totally get it. The only problem is making sure that I have those test results before I fly. CVS Pharmacy is supposed to have a new plan this Saturday, Oct. 10th but not one local pharmacy in Minnesota has a clue as to what this plan entails. Again…ugh. One thing I do know, I will do anything to hug my young 19 year old son.
Signed,
#getbusyliving
Just saw this: HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii Island Mayor Harry Kim said he plans to opt out of the state’s pre-travel testing program, and Maui and Kauai appear to be considering a pullout, too.
I guess it is back to the drawing board.
This update is very informative and I thank you. I have plane and hotel reservations For the end of October, so I am in hopes Honolulu iwill be open. The plan is to get the 72 hr test before departure. I feel bad for the various mayors as it sounds like there isn’t constant communication with the Governor’s office. Our AZ governor was giving almost daily briefings along with the Dir of Health Services which kept everyone well informed as to what was taking place daily.
I feel so bad as Hawaii‘a people and its businesses have taken and continue to take a huge economic hit. My granddaughter lives there and she and two of her roommates have been unemployed since March. Let’s hope the numbers go down and stay down.
Hi Karen.
Hope everything works out for your planned trip. Let us know how it goes.
Aloha.
Miss visiting Oahu and Maui. Hope it will be soon when I can return for relaxation, sun and fun with the locals. I look forward to your updates.
Thanks!
Coming to the islands and staying at family home in Oahu. Will I need to quarantine or not? That is the question? Very confusing.
I read and feel all the frustrations. When Gov. Ige made the announcement that travel was opening I read the announcement, followed the terms to travel to KOA and ordered two approved home test kits. Now Gov. Ige says…let each Mayor make the decision to opt in or out at the last minute. Really? We all our confused at the planning and policy enforcement by all Hawaiian Officials. Maybe this will lead to change in leadership that Govern and recognize the importance of Public Health, Social Health and Economic Health are all part of this equation.
Those running the state of Hawaii are destroying their citizens lives. Typical for liberal, socialists!
Honestly, why would anyone ever visit your state again?
I never will…..
I planned a 3 week family vacation to Hawaii before Covid for December and I still have no idea if it’s going to happen or not. I just want a clear answer so I can plan something else and try to reschedule or get my money back. I feel like there is a different story every week.
We’re in the same boat! It’s so frustrating!
This is embarrassing that our hawaiian government can not come up with a solution. I live on Maui, work on Lanai and I can not go back to work interisland but others can fly from afar to enjoy a vacation. Why are the answers not coming?
We have been trying to schedule a vacation to Kona since July. Twice our tickets have been refunded on AA due to reopening postponement. We were really hoping to be back to enjoy the beautiful island and relax. Originally we were planning two weeks vacation and now had extended the planned stay for 1mo- two weeks vacation and two working there. Spending one week in Maui. Now awaiting to see if the 2wk quarantine will apply for inter island travel.
Now this latest news about Hawaii potentially opting out :-S. Sigh. Hoping we can fly on 10/17 as originally planned. What a nightmare.
Thank you Beat of Hawaii for keeping us up to date. I’ve followed your site for years, and this is my first time posting.
Hi Julieta.
Thanks so much for being a regular reader and a first-time commenter. Much appreciated.
Aloha.
Once again, each island has a King, who presides over his subjects.
Gov Ige does not want to be Gov Kamehameha, and rule over the united islands.
Sorry folks, I prefer democracy. Aloha, Hawaii.
This feels like prison sentences. Enough is enough!
Aloha Guys
Here’s where I think most people are over looking when it comes to covid and reopening of the Hawaiian islands.
The Governor and Mayor’s on Hawaii have close family ties to citizens they serve. When 200 or 300 Californians die in a day from covid there’s a good chance our governor will not know or be related to any of those citizens.
On Hawaii that will not be true.
When tourism begins covid cases will rise along with covid related death. The Governor and Mayors will be blamed and have blood on their hands from killing auntie and uncle.
The citizens are ok with dealing with suicide, alcoholism, domestic abuse and crime related to shutdown, but when auntie and uncle start dying of covid that won’t stand.
That is why mayors are creating so many hurtles and delaying when it comes reopening the islands
Hi Richard.
Thanks for your more than 50 comments.
Aloha.
More than 50!
I’d better slow my roll wouldn’t want to wear my welcome out.
Aloha Guys
In this case it means good buy
Hi Richard.
Thanks for the levity. And good night.
Aloha.
We’re coming to Maui for two weeks, and are supposed to fly from Maui to Molokai for two days, then back to Maui for our return flight home. Can you please tell me if you have any idea if we’ll be allowed to do that?
Hi Gayle.
We expect an update on the interisland quarantine later this week. Until then, we don’t have any further details.
Aloha.
Wow. We had booked tickets to Kona, several weeks ago, on what *sounded* like the assurance that this was finally going to be the “reopening” that Hawaii has needed. By last week, with airlines announcing travel testing programs and the Hawaii Tourism Authority publishing pretty clear guidance on how to do our testing, we felt confident and ready to go. Now, just over a week before it’s supposed to happen, the infighting and indecision of local and state government is screwing things up again. We’ve visited Hawaii many times and always gone out of our way to be as respectful (and safe) as possible, but now that we’ll have to cancel our trip and hopefully claw back some money from now-useless airfare, it’s just the last straw. Hawaii won’t be on our list of places to return to this year, next year, or for quite a long time.
Please add me to your list.
Im supposed to visit my son and grandkids dec 7th. Im supposed to land in kona rent a car and drive to mountain view. This is all so confusing. I already had to cancel in aug. I don’t even care if I have to quarantine when i get there but I’m not even sure I will be able to rent a vehicle or stay at a hotel overnight so Im not driving alone at 10pm from kona to mv.
This is beyond absurd. I have been trying to plan a two month stay, one month on the Big Island and one month on Kauai. One minute it looks like I can finalize plans then the next minute they contradict themselves. How can I commit to spending $10,000 + when I can’t get any confidence I will be able to travel? I feel bad for the people who rely on tourism for their livelihoods. Not only is their no end in sight they are scaring off future travelers.
Having rescheduled my flight 4 times, this is crazy. How does a mayor think they have the capacity to test 5,000 people a day, monitor tourists and do enforcement locally? How can the business community stand by and let this destruction of the local economy continue? Thanks for the updates but Hawaii has lost all credibility with travelers.
Beyond frustration with mayor Kim. We’ve been trying to visit our freshman daughter at UH-Hilo. We couldn’t go to drop off (she quarantined for 2 weeks by herself in a dorm room), planned for September, rescheduled to October 15, and now 9 days out, told it’s not opening. We have hundreds of dollars we won’t get refunded and we’re left with a bitter taste. We understand protecting islanders (although even that he’s failed at, even with all his quarantines their numbers are spiking); it’s the fact that after 6+ months nothing has been done to prepare for visitors. I’m sad for us being apart from our daughter and sad for the businesses relying on visitors.
According to what I just read, Mayor Kim has not made a definite decision to opt out of the October 15 pre-travel testing program. This is according to West Hawaii Today who reports Kim will decide this week some time.
Can this situation get any more surreal?
You have been suggesting the on-arrival testing for months now. Let’s hope they finally adopt it (or at least Honolulu to start).
Hi Mike.
Yes Kim has said he opted out and that is what was picked up by multiple other sources. Who knows what the truth is. We just have the definite sense that we have not heard the last word. Before it is all done, we think the governor will make some statewide decisions. Hawaii is a small place and having each island work differently just isn’t possible.
Aloha.
What are the name of the covid test that one can take at home 72 before leaving that Hawaii will except
Oh my… I am exhausted.
LOL
I am also concerned (as a future traveler in 2 weeks) the outcry of the local community and how they will treat visitors.
Thanks for your fast updates. What would we do without you?
Hi Joan.
We understand your concerns. This is definitely an evolving and complicated situation. Thanks.
Aloha.
I don’t know why anyone would want to go to Hawaii now unless it was to visit family or go for an extension stay at your own vacation home that you own, like for a few months. It isn’t worth it. The expense, the hassles, the limited things you can do on the islands, and most of all how the citizens treat the visitors. Not well is what I’m guessing. I am delaying for 2 years at least. Maybe never.
I think locals have a new appreciation for visitors. And I think a real return of Aloha will occur. Have no family there, only two years total time in the Islands. Can’t wait to return…only a quarantine will cause me to delay.
It is like they want to invoke as much pain possible on those of us who have yet to give up. Back and forth. Let’s tease everyone a little more.
I spent hours on the phone last night with Hawaiian Airlines convincing them to honor our original booking which was cancelled and to book us thru code share partners from the east coast thru Honolulu to Kona. Finally thought this long struggle and the related stress would be over…two rentals booked, air booked, rental car booked and testing options lined up and clarified. But no, that would be too ‘easy’. Let’s just close the big island. But let’s not be direct about it. We can keep people guessing right up until the last minute. That way when we pull the rug out the tourists will never want to come back. Just so frustrating.
Mahalo. Appreciate the update.
Hi Kyle.
Thanks and sorry about the frustration. We will be learning more – this won’t be the end of this discussion.
Aloha.
I’m from Big Island. Trying to find anywhere where it states Kim’s end to the opt out of the pre-testing program? Is it TBD at this time?
Any Mayor who is promoting the continued shut down of tourism needs to know two things.
1. The President and Congress ain’t going to pass a stimulus bill before the election. That is another month from now, give or take a couple of days. The earliest that any money could come in would be sometime in December provided that the current occupant is re-upped for four years. If it’s the opponent than good luck figuring out when that bill will pass Congress especially if Congress is still divided after the election.
2. Taken the LG’s position even further, I would be asking these Mayors what is your plan, right now, to deal with the unemployed? I would want them to think long and hard about how much money needs to be dolled out just to keep people fed, sheltered and healthy during this time. There is not enough CARES money that any of these counties got that could keep people going, especially after 12/31, when the bank account vanishes in the federal FRED system for states to request funding from.
Kauai Mayor Kawakami said, however, that “If the state has a plan, we don’t have clear guidance on what that plan looks like for interisland travel. Oftentimes conversations happen without our input.”
This sounds like the VERY SAME complaining Democrats make about the Trump Administration and Democrat Governors… except with the shoe on the other foot.
The State like the Federal Government has a hard time (legally) mandating policies across political jurisdictions.