Details on latest 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, even with negative test results.
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366 thoughts on “Breaking News: Kauai To Shut Down Effective December 2.”
Details on latest 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, even with negative test results.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Jim, I agree 100% I’ve had lots of friends and family get it and all got over it. I want to live where you live. It is a flu that a bunch of rich guys saw a way to control us.
LOREEW…
Tell that to the hundreds of families in morning and the thousands of folks who will live with the after affects for probably all their lives – dizziness, loss of smell/taste months later, “brain fog” months later. This isn’t the flu, baby!
Hi everyone.
I had to cancel our family trip after the latest round of mayor shutdowns.
This would have been our 14th trip to our home on Kauai. My state went another way, no shutdowns. Schools and Restaurants open. Life is normal. After a workout at the YMCA five of us went to good restaurant and talked about the covid. Three of the five had already had it, all are fine. If you listen to the news we are all dying. Not true. It’s less than the flu, we were over it in 4-10 days and back to work. Unknowns are scary but so is not working for a year. When I call over there and talk to friends the desperation in their voice is heartbreaking. I pray for all on Kauai and hope you get better leadership. Corona is not a death sentence it’s just another strain of flu. We are entering herd immunity at home and we still have all our small business intact. The death rate in our state is less than last year. Having lived with it for a year it is starting to feel like a War Of The worlds Con, so some billionaire can make a trillion off a new flu shot.
Merry Christmas. I wish we were there.
I missed what state you said you’re from. For many it’s just like any other flu, but for the 300,000 dead and their families it is a big deal! Mele kalikimaka!
Talk to the family of the dead in the beginning … pre-existing complication or heart attack or car accident or cancer marked as Covid. Those are the ones I know of. They wanted those numbers high to scare the flock into submission. I for one do not want aborted babies injected into me. Sorry no kool aid drinking sheep over here.
Jim H. I have to agree with most of what you said. We, too, had to cancel what would have been our 14th and 15th trips. We, too, have had family members contract and get over Covid-19 much as one would the flu. One cousin just returned to work 2 days ago. Many people do get very sick, but the vast majority of those have co-morbidities that make it much worse for them. That is far from the norm. One acquaintance tested positive but had absolutely no symptoms and never got ill.
Yes, 300,000+ people have died that had Covid-19. Every person who dies now gets tested. That does not mean Covid-19 killed them.
Cases are way up where we live, but life goes on. Schools are open, restaurants are open and gyms are open. People are traveling. We’ve taken 4 flights since September. Airports are getting busier.
I feel sorry for the people of Kaua’i who are being ruled by a tyrant. He’s still getting paid while he’s forcing thousands to lose their jobs. Mahalo.
JIM H…
You and your friends are lucky! I’ve known at least 12 folks who have had Covid and not a single one has come out unscathed even when they’ve had mild symptoms. Months later they can’t breathe properly, have dizziness and “brain fog”. One is now having to see a cardiologist after only having had loss of smell/taste for a while. Please do not base your opinions of the virus on the fairly unique experience you and your friends have had! Your experience(s) was not the norm!
Give us more facts , otherwise we will know what your Agenda is 😎
I agree with you totally ! Right on! We need to keep our liberty and stand up for it.aloha!
If you cancel your flight you’ll lose $1,500 but gain a dislike for Kauai. No refunds.
The island of fear will never recover. Only the super rich and the massive numbers of homeless will live here. Let’s cut the salaries of all elected officials.
Claudia, what you are failing to account for is the mental health toll this is taking on the residents who are unable to work or provide for their families. When the “cure” is worse than the “disease” then how is the Mayor caring about health more than dollars??? It will be interesting in the future to really see the mental health toll these lockdowns have had in comparison to those who unfortunately succumbed to the Virus.
Don’t blame the Mayor for a shut down. Blame your fellow residents and people that are not following protocol to be safe, therefore infecting others.
Wearing a mask is a major part of the “protocol”. U.s.c. 21says masks do not eliminate the risk is any disease or infection, not reduce the risk of any illness or death. Nonsurgical masks have not been fda cleared or approved. Masks have been ‘authorized” by fda for use during the vobid-19 panic declaration
I’m blaming ignorance, the belief that wearing masks equals protection, when scientific studies, federal guidelines
published admit that cloth and paper masks provide no protection. Virons pass thru like a fly through a cathedral!
Kauai is being destroyed by the Mayor. There are plenty of places to house covid unit beds. Plenty of travel nurses who would love to come to the island & help if needed. There is no reason to shut down kauai travel. The people who are suffering and dieing from this are local businesses & people who work in tourism. Which is 90% of Kauai. The mayor of Kauai is killing Kauai. Not saving it.
The thing is…it’s been shown that the virus spread is not caused by tourists but instead by returning residents, and also locals who keep up with the “leid-back” attitude of the islands. Stop blaming tourists.
Absolutely ridiculous. CDC data confirms the infection fatality ration for Covid-19 is LESS than seasonal flu. In 2018 Hawaii had 831 people die from seasonal flu – remember the shutdown then? No, neither do I.
The leadership in this state is AWOL.
Canceled my flight for December 3rd. Can’t get any work completed on my condo if I am unable to go to any building supply company. Also, would be unable to do any Christmas shopping at the local businesses and shops. Had my Vault test ready to go but won’t use it now…hopefully it will be good for when the Mayor decides to open up the island…again… and again…and then close it again…
“Canceled my flight for December 3rd.”
Don’t know what airline your were booked on, but highly likely your flight was canceled entirely, or will be. I assume all NS flights to/from Kauai will be canceled, and people will have to transfer through HNL or OGG (until Maui also shuts back down). The people who are on island now, or make it by tomorrow night’s deadline, will not have their original NS flights back to mainland. Airlines have been kept on life support by government bailouts, and don’t want to send empty jets on 6+ hour flights just to pick people up.
What is an NS flight?
DUH! Non-Stop!
I just cancelled our trip to Kauai slated for February. With the latest testing policy, prior to Kauai’s shutdown, I didn’t feel confident in our ability to avoid the quarantine. Being in Arkansas, we only had access to one of Hawaii’s testing partners (Walgreens). There are only two Walgreens in the state advertising testing turnaround times of less than 3 days. I just couldn’t get passed the idea of getting negative testing results 5 minutes after departure and still being quarantined for 14 days (if Kauai even reopens by then).
I just booked travel to St. Maartin instead. I will be able to use our neighborhood medical clinic that guarantees results in less than 24 hours. We love Kauai. It hurts that we will miss this year. We traveled in February 2019 just before the lockdown commenced. I am sad when I think about what places we visited last year that will not survive the economic abyss that is Kauai at this point. I pray for the health and economic survival of those living on the island.
Sorry, we traveled in February 2020. It does seem like forever ago though.
Thank you for the up to date coverage of news on Kauai. I am saddened to read that the cases are increasing. We will put our trip on hold and figure out a way to s support the local economy in the mean time. Order Christmas gifts online and hope they arrive on time.. I would be devastated if someone were to become ill because I selfishly went on vacation. So definitely postponing our “coming home”. Praying for better days.
I see the argument that Kauai has limited medical facilities and the population must be protected. I also see the argument that closing Kauao to visitors and Residents alike will damage the economy. My concern is that what has been implemented is the worst of both worlds.
Allowing residents to quarantine at home where their family live so they can spread to other family members does not seem sensible. Unless all family members are made to quarantine, they would then go out and soread the virus further,
Similarly allowing visitors to stay in a resort buble (which is essentially a budget resort taken over by the states could expose visitors and workers to a more concentrated virus risk and end up increasing the virus infection. Will workers be forced to quarantine there too?
It is a shame that the original 3 days isolating from family, other guests, stores, restaurants or bars at your chosen address and then getting a retest was not adopted. I thought Kauai was doing it. To me it was logical and would have given enhanced protection whilst not created infection bubbles or killing the economy. Maybe the Governor and the Mayor can agree a way to move to this over the next week, so as to increase real protection and put people back in work before Christmas.
Rich,
On small little Kauai island, thousands (yes, thousands!) of people have been quarantining at their homes since this sh*t show started last March. But they had no virus on the island. That may pop a hole in your conclusion. The state/county cannot force people to pay $200 a day (minimum) to be locked up in crappy hotel room with no food. No state in the US can do that. People are told to stay in separate room, etc. Who knows whether they do. Plus, if someone does not have symptoms after the first 3-5 days, let alone the first week, is highly unlikely they have it at all, or have enough “viral load” to be able infect someone else. This is a “just in case” paranoid number that someone came up with back at the beginning.
Thanks David.No stranger to Kauai as I have been coming 3-4 times a year except this one since 1994. Got my Hānai Ohana and I understand the issues which is why I raised it. Aside from Zuckerberg and the Hollywood crowd most folks on Kauai be they Kama’aina or Malahini are just regular people so they are not going to pay for hotel bubble. So the proposal is to quarantine at home. We know from previous experience that this does not work 100%. Partly because if there is no cousin to go to the grocery store, people have to eat so they will go. We also know children and teens are the most likely to catch Covid 2 and the most likely to be asymptomatic. Hawaiians are a very tactile society indeed the Polynesian greeting shares breath. So my concern was and remains that this may make things worse for Kauai. We hear from the Governor who is politically supporting the Mayor that the bigger issue is residents returning. Once Covid is brought onto the island it will spread. The only lockdowns that have worked have been real lock downs where a traveler or group of travelers going together have been isolated. This forms an impenetrable barrier to the virus providing airborne and garbage transmission are also stopped. Creating bubbles of potential infection where locals will work (in tropical Hazmat suits?) and potential infection risks at home will not stop it. Sure I am a bit upset it will be difficult to see everyone in the Holidays, I am hoping the political points will have been scored by New Year and I will be able to visit in early January but still not the same. My real concern is that unlike the earlier suggestion which the Governor refused (which is similar to the 2nd test the Lt Governor now proposes) which would have ramped up defense and protected jobs this may do neither, I want to be proved wrong but I have been advised by a Physician here on Oahu to give Kauai a wide berth for now. I hope the Lord protects everyone on Kauai and you all stay safe.
My heart and prayers go out to the residents of Kauai. Tourism is such a big part of our state’s economy and so many people are impacted by the absence of visitors to the state: restaurants, resorts, land, air and sea actives, etc. I imagine a shutdown of all the other islands will occur in time. Is it even possible to stop the spread through isolation and lockdowns?
Interesting that on Maui incoming arrivals from the mainland who have taken tests but don’t yet have test results must quarantine for 14 days regardless of when their negative results come through, but interisland travelers with the same problem only have to quarantine until their negative tests show up. What’s the difference in their cases? Or are we simply trying to keep out visitors?
Hi Carol,
The policy that all incoming travelers must have their negative results uploaded to the safe travels website prior to take-off to the Hawaiian islands to avoid the 14-day quarantine is for all incoming arrivals to the county’s participating in the state’s pre-travel program as of November 24th(this is a change from the previous rules) which until December 2nd at 12:01am includes Kauai.
As of December 2nd, Kauai is opting out of the safe travels program temporarily but Oahu, Maui and Hawaii County are still participating. Kauai’s opting out which actually puts greater impact on island residents both those traveling and those whose incomes depends on tourists. Please note, both residents and visitors alike can still travel to Kauai they just have to do the 14-day quarantine… which has been proven the most effective way to prevent community spread.
Hope that this helps clear things up for you!
As one of the “selfish”, “greedy”, “over indulgent”, “privileged” tourists referred to by individuals like Glenna G, Richard C, David R and others who supposedly espouse the Aloha Spirit, mahalo nui loa for working so hard to destroy my faith in that spirit. You are proof that spirit can be nothing more than hype!
And to belittle us because we have the audacity to think of Kauai as our “second home” – well again, thanks for the aloha which I always understood to mean, among other things, welcome.
All I can say is shame on you for not respecting your own culture!
And Pam M… If someone removes their mask for a minute to take a photo doesn’t mean they aren’t wearing one when not the subject of a photo. Read all the other posts that talk about “tourists” being the more conscientious on mask wearing.
I love Kauai. I try to Live Aloha and what it really means as opposed to what you represent! When I’m on Kauai, I dance hula for a Hawaiian Living Treasure. I respect the culture and try to live by the spirit of Aloha. Apparently more than you all do!
Barb
You got it right it is hype it’s trendy to speak about your Aloha Spirit. It’s the definition of cultural appropriation to talk about your Aloha Spirit.
Now if a native Hawaiian living a traditional island lifestyle compliments you for your Aloha Spirit that has meaning, but when I hear every trendy woke 60 plus mainland regular visitor to the islands telling you about their Aloha Spirit it cheapens the meaning behind it.
It’s like telling people you’re a good person without letting them judge that for themselves.
I’ve been going to Hawaii since 1973 and just here recently telling people about your Aloha Spirit has become a thing. No one cares how Aloha Spirited you are it doesn’t put you into some special category allowing you to circumvent the 14 day quarantine.
Richard C…
Your insult is not only not appreciated but extremely hurtful… As one of those “woke 60 plus mainland regular visitor to the islands” (I’m 74) “telling you about their Aloha Spirit” – “it cheapens the meaning behind it”.
First… 99.99% of the people we interact with on Kauai are either natives (many of them) or very long time residents. We tend to go our own way and find quiet new spots on our own and in doing so, meet wonderful local folks who have accepted us immediately which tells me they feel our sincerity.
Second… “It’s like telling people you’re a good person without letting them judge that for themselves.” Well, we wouldn’t receive that acceptance unless they felt our sincerity.
Third… The most precious compliments I’ve received along those lines is from a dear friend here locally who is a direct descendant of Kamehameha and a Professor of Anthropological Studies who is educating myself and a few others in the ancient traditions, beliefs and ways. If she sees the Aloha Spirit in me, I don’t need to depend on you for that.
Fourth… If it wasn’t for your ungracious nasty comments, I would never have even brought up the concept of Aloha spirit.
Fifth… “No one cares how Aloha Spirited you are it doesn’t put you into some special category allowing you to circumvent the 14 day quarantine.” When did I make that correlation?
In closing… How many descendants of Kamehameha consider you family? How many Hawaiian Living Treasures call you by your Hawaiian name (“Kehaulani”) and ask you to dance hula for them when they only see you twice a year? How many total strangers have invited you to their child’s wedding after having only known you 1/2 hour and know you are a tourist? How many people have gifted you 5 pounds of salt from the Salt Pond where their family has harvested for year with a blessing?
I want to say is “how dare you insult me like that” but what I will say is “how dare you hurt me like that”
I think this is a good time for all of us to take a breath and and think about one another. Not as red states or blue states but the United States, that all have individual needs. Each state has a right to do what they think is best for their constituents. It’s not an easy job but I think the majority of our elected officials want to do what is best for their state. If we can turn me into we
we can beat this thing by working together. Pointing fingers and blaming one another is not productive and won’t help us slow the pandemic until the vaccine is rolled out. It appears it’s only a matter of months before they start giving the vaccine. When we stand together we can do anything.
We are American strong!
Flu shot only give 30% of efficacy,and it has been around for more than 40 years ,and I talk to 45,000 people in 15 years 80% said they will not take a flu shot again
and I am a RN for 40 years in the package insert stated there is mercury formaldehyde and detergent in it.and colvit 19 vaccine is going to be 94% efficacy.it will not take a rocket scientist to figure it out,think before you take it.aoloha from the bottom of my heart.
Hi guys!!
I have a question. After all that we’re trying to do to get people back to the islands and revive the economy, why are the visitors flagrantly posting photos on social media without masks in numerous places like it’s cool?
We that live on the Islands have to do what’s required but others think they’re so privileged that they flaunt it?
I’m tired of the regulations as well, but getting sick to death of the selfishness.
Please do the right thing people.
Mahalo
Mahalo Pam! I am also sick of anti maskers! I don’t care if they come from the mainland or mars! When I came back on October 9th to visit family and friends I quarantined for 14 days and continue to wear a mask when I’m anywhere close to 6ft near my fellow man. If we want businesses to stay open then we need to protect the people that will shop in their stores. Please show Aloh friends and wear your mask!
Although the pandemic presents few easy choices, Mayor Kawakami’s results speak for themselves: thanks to a strict lockdown this spring, the island eliminated community spread of the virus, experiencing zero new infections for weeks before lifting the quarantine requirement. We dodged a bullet. Although our geography allows Kauai to control spread in ways other communities never could, our remote location also vastly increases the consequences should we fail to do so. With nine (9) ICU beds at Wilcox, even a small outbreak threatens to overrun our limited healthcare infrastructure. We simply cannot afford that.
It’s flattering to see many visitors anxious to return. Nothing is fair about the predicament we find ourselves in, and there is no question the situation devastated businesses and livelihoods. No one wants to ruin your vacation, prolong unemployment, or keep businesses shuttered a moment longer than necessary. However, we must do whatever necessary to protect our community. I am thankful for the courage shown by Kawakami and Ige in making the tough choices required to make that happen.
Aloha Jeff,
I fully agree with you. Lucky us to have a mayor who cares more about our health than dollars. Yes the struggle is a reality but one that we will go through and recover. I am way more ok with people having a really hard time financially right now than dying…..
Claudia
Agreed Claudia!
Completely.
Mahalo for the words of wisdom.
When you say “ having a really hard time financially” ,is this you? We have to be honest with ourselves; ,if /when we have a “ really hard time financially “ will we still have the same humanitarian outlook?
I continue to believe that the mandatory 14 day quarantine for Kauai is drastic; that the covid numbers on Kauai could have been mitigated by moving to tier 3 or 2, and that covid management in Hawaii has less to do with the needs of individual counties,but more about political posturing.
One died and 14 commit suicide is that protecting ?build your immunity up ,live a healthy lifestyle.flu kill more people each year in Kauai check your record.
Shutting everything down is not the answer and does more harm than good.
What is their plan the next time there’s a virus or some other illness going around?
They’ll shut everything down again destroying everyone’s life again.
It’s corruption and abuse of power and quite simply the wrong thing to do.
Illness and death are parts of nature by design.
You cannot avoid them.
Right on, good smart thinking!! It’s the flu people I have had several friends and family members tested positive and all survived at home with the flu. We have to take our country back and stop this fear. My job is called living in a Petri dish 10+ hours a day, and I see hundreds of people daily I haven’t got it.
You have been very blessed so far Loree!
I wonder how the families and friends of the 267,000 dead people in the United States feel today? Count you blessings and remember there are many people suffering from the havoc the Coronavirus has caused. Aloha!
That number is way over done! I had two friends both had been tested NEGATIVE days before died and both had Covid as cause on death certificate but neither had Covid. So I trust none of it!
I agree with you totally ! Right on! We need to keep our liberty and stand up for it.aloha!
Past time to recall Ige and Kawakami.
Everybody knows neither of them actually care about the people of Hawaii.
Anyone ignorant enough to think they can stop a virus from spreading through society is in fact a total moron.
Not only can you not stop a virus from spreading throughout society but if you lock down and quarantine everyone like Democrats are doing you are keeping it in society for longer periods of time which increases exposure to everyone. That includes people that already had it many months before. They are now susceptible to getting it again.
That means they are likely to spread it again to others.
COVID-19 is no reason to shut down society.
The fatality rate is <2%.
Out of that 2% by far most that die were very ill or elderly and would of died from the regular flu or another illness.
Shutting everything down for an extended period of time is destroying millions of lives financially.
Destroying everyone financially and controlling them is the Democratic agenda.
Vote Democratic if you want to be a slave.
If they had opened everything up and never shut anything down then the virus would of been gone by now.
So true!!!!
Thank you for the update. We were planning on visiting the end of February but I don’t think it’s looking too good.
I guess I don’t understand why the mayor didn’t even give time foe the new negative test before arrival to take affect. It just started a few days ago. According to the article there are no Covid hospitalizations. There is a safe way to accomplish travel. The lazy way is to close the doors. More people will suffer other things because of this. Mayor K Please reconsider on this. Follow the Governors recommendation of negative test for all before they step foot on the island. That’s seems like a very reasonable requirement
Kauai has been part of the pre-arrival negative test program since Oct 15. It will have lasted a total of 40 days. Kawakami says he would agree to go back on it in the future, but I don’t see the point. The inevitable moment some more positive tests start happening, the pants-sh*tting starts back up, and he’ll close down again. Most businesses can’t just stop-start-stop=start like a light switch. There already have and will be a lot more financial casualties and resulting health and family problems, divorce, etc., but there are a Lot of old (and unhealthy) people on this island, many of whom are very scared/emotional about this. They assume the worst and project the worst. These people along with the anti-tourist, anti-vacation rental in general people are Kawakami’s base.
Maybe Ige will now allow Kawakami to implement his “post arrival” 3 (or 4 or 5) day quarantine + another test plan. That would at least make life better for returning residents, as long as they can afford the tests or Kauai pays for them. Plus, at least some tourists would do it if they have the time/$$ and plan to stay on the island for several weeks, especially since there will be so few tourists to compete with.
Kawakami also had that “resort bubble” proposal for a couple of high end resorts, but the uber-wealthy probably aren’t into wearing monitoring bracelets like criminals, and there are plenty of high end resorts in other places that do not require them. Plus, they do nothing for any other island businesses, restaurants, etc. and only benefit the resort.
I’ve read too many comments (including many in this forum) that shame tourists – e.g., they “don’t wear masks”, are “selfish” ”spoiled”, “vain”, “stupid”, “disrespectful”, “privileged”, and “greedy”. That’s one view. Here’s a different perspective: It’s easy to spot tourists who have come to Kauai since October 15. Yes, they are driving rental cars; they often wear colorful and skimpy clothes (even when locals are dressing in long pants and hoodies); And they wear masks. Astriking example: In Waimea Canyon at the end of the October, we watched people driving into the parking lots at the overlooks. It was the tourists who were donning masks before getting out of their cars and practicing social distancing. How do I know that? Because they were the ones who went straight to the pay stations and dutifully depositing their $10 parking fee that visitors are required to pay (it’s free for locals). Same thing on the hiking trails – tourists were wearing masks, and locals were much more lax about taking precautions.
I concur that tourists in general are more disciplined mask wearers from observation over the past several weeks. I personally think masks are not useful on a hiking trail beyond virtue signaling or appeasing someone else’s paranoia. The odds of somehow infecting someone else outdoors by passing by for a few seconds would likely be zero. I have yet to hear of any infection anywhere being conclusively traced to someone that passed them on a hiking trail.
If you want to be extra cautious, stay out of restaurants, shops, church service, Costco, Walmart, Safeway, and the like. You have a much better chance of catching this virus at one of those places than on a hiking trail.
Yeah, well, that’s just like, my opinion, man.
Aloha Margaret!
I have to agree with you. A couple of weeks ago, Kona had the largest amount of new COVID-19 cases on all of the Big Island, and it was a.l spread within our community. I also work in the tourism industry and I was furloughed in late March and laid off in August. It’s hard for everyone with the shutdowns, but to point fingers at one group of people, tourists, for not wearing masks is irresponsible. I chose to limit my visits to department stores and supermarkets because local people are just as guilty for not masking up properly: masks half way down their faces or their nose is sticking outside of the mask.
Mainlanders need to quit whining about their interrupted travel plans to Hawaii and Kauai. This pandemic has been going on for almost a year now and you’re still acting like entitled spoiled brats.
Also quit with the fake concern about small businesses failing on the islands let Hawaiians worry about that. You should be focused on your local small business owners and supporting them with your unspent vacation dollars.
For Kauai residents be careful what you ask for. Over tourism of the islands was made possible by poor planning and the addiction to easy tourism tax dollars. A much has been said by Maui’s Mayor Mike Victorino in an online interview back in April.
Theirs a group on Kauai that would love to turn back the clock by 30 years back to the good old days. Problem is the good old days always look better in the rear view mirror. Convenient shopping like Costco, reliable energy, infrastructure improvements and improved education all came do to tourism.
You need to quit vilifying tourist remember you invited us with mainland advertising and we came. Now you want to place all the blame on your invited guests.
As always I hope everyone comes through this pandemic wel
I think it’s worth noting that some mainland states are also requiring 14-day quarantines for visitors or residents returning to those states (such as New Mexico), and some will accept proof of negative covid test alternatively. People have been commenting as though Hawaii should have national pariah status because of any quarantine or testing requirements. We’re in a horrible pandemic – face it. It’s perhaps also worth noting that the CDC recommended no travel over the holidays, and I don’t understand why so many people – millions – think that recommendation doesn’t apply to them. It also annoys me to hear people talk about how Hawaii is their “second home” because they go there every year for a week or two or even a month, and so they really really need to travel there. That is not a second home. No matter how accustomed you’ve become to a vacation spot because of repeated visits, and no matter how much nostalgia you have for Hawaii, it’s not your second home. Until you live there for at least 6 months of each year, pay local taxes (not timeshare taxes), participate in local government or other community involvement besides patronizing restaurants, have kids in the local schools, etc., it’s just not your home, and you really can’t speak for Hawaiians – who certainly don’t all agree on everything happening, just as not all on the mainland agree. Stay home. Give the money you would have spent on a very privileged vacation to your local food bank, or better yet, to a Hawaiian food bank,
Glenna G…couldn’t agree more. Again, it’s the sense of entitlement that too many mainland residents have in regards to being able to freely fly into our state because they can travel on the cheap right now($200 round trip from most West Coast cities), paid for a Covid test, are using Hawai’i to escape the Covid chaos of whatever city they live in and consider it their ‘2nd home’. What rubbish…I spend the equivalent of 7 1/2 solid months a year at my job in total hours worked…that DOESN’T mean it’s my 2nd home tho. Stay home, stop whining about our rules and protocols and feel free to visit when it’s safe and prudent. We neither need nor want the kinds of tourists who vacation on the cheap, disrespect our A’ina and our culture and do very little to support our local businesses. Florida has plenty of room for people like you…and you don’t need to worry about rules or mask mandates
Wow! Well said!!!
Highly-effective vaccines are now coming, which will get the island back on its feet very soon. So calm down, get a grip, act like sane adults in the meantime. Only nitwits are traveling these days – they are high-risk covid-spreaders than those who believe in science and are restricting non-emergency travel while covid remains out of control.
It’s time to impeach Kawakami. He has shown us that he definitely is not in this together with us.
Please reconsider this decision. Why can’t you have testing before the flight and three days after? This does not seem like a reasonable decision to me. This will destroy kauai tourism.
That’s what we wanted Ron, and the Governor said “no”. That was the Mayor’s original plan, and had the Governor approved it we would not be shutting down right now. Email Governor Ige, the more he hears from travelers who want this plan the more chance that he will approve it.
I think you should stop all air travel. Protect your people. Have rules and hope for the best.
Tanya
Mahalo Al! Please don’t lump all visitors in one group! Many of us feel like Kauai is our second home and we treat the Aina as our own with love and respect. If I had a citation book I would be the first to issue tickets to everyone that violates the mask and social distancing laws of the State of Hawaii. Every state has it’s own right to set laws to protect it’s citizens. Anti maskers should go to Florida or a state that doesn’t require a mask. There are plenty of visitors that will come back to Kauai because they care about protecting people first. Aloha!
We don’t lump all visitors together Nani, and love visitors like you! I have made many friends who have traveled here and respect the island. Please come back when the time is right and we will welcome you with open arms!
Mahalo Doug!
No no no please no!!!! I have been waiting a lifetime to get married on this special island while my momma is still alive! I want my daddy to walk me down the isle. This has been my families dream! However, I do want the island to stay safe so I cannot be selfish. Stay safe Kari
This decision is truly baffling. According to the state’s website, the unemployment rate in Kauai County increased 25.5 percentage points from 2.7 percent to 28.2 percent. Do people not know that depression, suicide, alcoholism, and other truly terrible health conditions are caused by high unemployment?
A very sad day for Kauai. One wonders how long it will be before the Mayor asks for State or Federal Funds for the Disaster he is making as the Kauai economy will crash with lots of people being let go just as we approach Christmas. My friends on Kauao are not convinced locals can quarantine if they are living with their family members. At least their is no worry about having to be off work for 14 days and it looks like there will not be too many jobs. I hope it is not all politics, as some I have talked to have said. The Mayor appears to be a dvisive figure, not that that would be the first time in Hawaii politics. Let’s see how long it lasts.I guess folks on Maui, the Big Island and Oahu will be rubbing their hands with glee as all the extra business comes their way.
As someone from Maui, we will not be “rubbing our hands with glee”. Most of us respect Kaua’is mayor for making this decision, and wish that our mayor would do the same. Our numbers are growing exponentially and it needs to stop before it’s out of control. Restaurants have already closed due to employees contracting the virus and most of us in the tourism and hospitality industry feel it’s only a matter of time before that happens to us and our loved ones. This is not the time to be vacationing.
Mahalo Mark K for your words of wisdom!
Thanks Mark. I think you misunderstand me. I do not believe anyone in the ISlands will take pleasure from the scary rise in infection rates. I was just observing the commercial reality. Closing restaurants or hotels or any other business during the pandemic is bad enough with staff not getting wages but many are close to going under for good. When Larger businesses like Hotels and Restaurants go out of business it has a domino effect and Hawaii like many other states and countries could be in serious difficulty next year. Hawaii is particularly vulnerable as outside Oahu it is very visitor dependent. My worry is that if the line is crossed and companies close, appoint receivers, go bankrupt a bad situation will suddenly become even worse with a virus and poverty. My other worry is getting Residents to quarantine at home where their family are or putting Visitors into compound bubbles where they can mix with all the others will both actually increase the infection rate. I always liked the MAyor’s first idea of Safe travel negative. Isolate in your accommodation for 3 days and pay for a second test. I think that would have actually made things safer, especially as Residents and Locals would not have to pay for the second test, as the Governor says this is the bigger problem. I hope neither visitors, malahinis or kama’ina think that having quarantined for 14 days they do not need to wear a mask, keep 6ft distant and do all the other things designed to cut virus infection. Stay Safe and I hope Maui sees some relief in the rate soon.
My family and I have traveled to Hawaii every year for the past five years. We have been to Kauai more than any other place as a family. We are a family of seven. We were planning on going to Kauai in June, but our trip was canceled. We were looking at going the week between Christmas and New Years this year, but that is not a possibility any more. My hear goers out to the people of Kauai. This mayor’s actions has cost the livelihoods of the entire island. He should feel ashamed. I saw in the Honolulu SA that Kauai had 16 deaths from the fu last year and has had only 1 death from Covid this year. I am not sure if that is accurate, but, if it is, this shutdown has no justification. This mayor should be vilified for generations to come.
We want to understand why Kauai is doing this…but they are acting like all tourists are evil sick human beings. We travel to Kauai very often and love Kauai, this Christmas and New Years was going to be our first Christmas on Kauai with our family all together for the first time. We have relatives that live on Kauai but we haven’t been there altogether. We have planned this for over a year, spending 2 weeks on Kauai. But now we had to cancel everything, from our rental condo in Princeville (hopes that we get our money back), our two nights at the Marriott in Lihue, our car rental, and our flights to and from the island. We had our covid testing all set and willing to test again on Kauai if need be. We will not go back to Kauai now for a very long time now as we feel so unwelcome. We were able to instead rebook our flights to Oahu, find accommodations and we have relatives who were going to meet us in Kauai who live in Oahu. So Oahu will get us instead along with relatives in Kauai..it is not a terrible compromise at all, but still disappointing.
I have been going to kauai for 25 years and I missed 5 weeks there this year, we love this island. But it’s there chose to keep there island safe and I respect that. The island will still be there when all of this is over. Than I will be back.
We will now begin other plans…. so the mayor wins…
I think people need to realize I it effects everyone differently. Just because you had covid and you’re fine doesn’t mean everyone else will be too.
I have so many friends with different stories. Some recovered, some showed no symptoms and some died – between ages 34 and 45.
Covid is not a joke to take lightly. If someone dies it’s a lifetime of suffering especially if you leave family members behind.
Sorry to hear about the loses…Are the ones who passed in that age group? Was covid their initial and only cause of death?
I applaud Mayor Kawakami. Yes, not everyone is going to agree but, #’s Dont Lie. You”re doing a Great job.
So, let me make sure I understand… Kawakami’s first logical and intelligent proposal, four days of quarantine and a second negative test upon arrival, goes unapproved by Ige. Yet, imposing the over the top 14 day quarantine, effectively ruining the Christmas holiday for thousands of locals and visitors alike is ok, and “our Mayor’s choice”? It sounds more like bureaucratic punishment for Kawakami’s out-of-the-box pro-active thinking. It would seem, the people on Kaua’i still support our Mayor. We’re going to remember which leaders led with practical knowledge and took appropriate action that supports our community, come election time…
Tyranny. What a moron. Do you do this for influenza?
These decisions to shut down will have, not only a short-term, but also a long-standing effect on the economy, particularly on tourism, which is a significant contributor to Hawaii’s economy. I can see no reason for this decision and feel strongly the testing prior to travel is the wisest decision in protecting the mental and physical health, welfare and financial stability of the island residents. Thank you.