Questions that could potentially put the kibosh on visitors’ plans.
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202 thoughts on “Could Latest Plans Derail Hawaii Reopening on October 15?”
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Questions that could potentially put the kibosh on visitors’ plans.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
My husband and I had a direct flight from LAX to KOA in November. The airlines have now rerouted us through Honolulu. Will we have to take another test because we are going from HNL to KOA an hour or so later? Thank you.
Hi Mary.
We hope to have clarification on that by next week.
Aloha.
My family is planning a December trip to Hawaii and Maui. We love Hawaii and want to help support the local economy and keep everyone safe. My question is whom is paying for these tests? Us. Who is getting a kick back from these tests and where is the proof that these tests are accurate? Questions need to be answered before we travel. We hope and pray for all the families on the islands for a safe and healthy future. Thank you Beat of Hawaii for all the information you provide daily.
Hi Tammy.
It seems there will be free tests, and probably more than just from Oakland. We don’t have answers to your other questions.
Aloha.
Mahalo
After October 15 they start to realized that there are no visitors!!! Or maybe just 10% more.
Who will want to go to Hawaii and spend Thousand dollars with so much problems, with no money back and stay in the hotel if they tell you that you are positive!!!!
Aloha. As I posted some months ago, tourism has effectively been eradicated in Hawaii. Hawaii just became a fly-over state.
Mahalo
So, you get a COVID test after quarantining for three days after arrival, no sooner than 72 hours after arriving. How soon do you get your results? Another three days? And do you have to quarantine until you get the test results, which could be another three days or more because of their limited testing capabilities? Perfect! People come for a week, spend six days locked in their condos with virtual ankle bracelets. This whole program is ripe for abuse, and a resurgence of the virus.
But thanks BOH. You guys must be tearing your hair out more than us tourists.
Hi Rob.
Thanks for all your comments. We’re just going with the flow, so to speak. And unsure what each day will bring in Hawaii travel news. We thought the same thing of course about the 3-day tests. It simply isn’t feasible to spend half or more of your vacation in quarantine. A second test, without quarantine, maybe. But Josh Green says we don’t have the resources.
Aloha.
My sister had covid and is now symptom free and finished her quarantine. Fear = control. She won’t even leave her house to go get retested because her doctor said she didn’t need another test?
If I arrive from Maui to Honolulu on October 17,do I need to quarantine?
Can I submit the usual document used before at the airport or do I need to get tested before I arrive to the airport?
Where can I get pre tested if from Maui to Honolulu if needed?
Proof positive that Ige is in over his head and is not fit to run this beautiful State. The man is clueless. He has absolutely no business sense. Hey, our Mayor in Maui isn’t much better.
Our Maui Mayor is barely qualified to manage a McDonalds.. oh wait.. he did that already…..
Yeah the whole process has us clueless. We’ve had tickets for the 16th since early in the year and have been bouncing back and forth on whether this trip will actually happen. It was a mess even before what you just reported. All these airlines and airports are offering rapid testing but now I am reading that rapid tests aren’t an option. Also, the car rental issue you bring up is another confusing point. If we don’t rapid test and have to quarantine waiting on the result, how exactly do I get from the airport to anywhere? There needs to be one voice and that voice needs to be offering facts and quickly. I give this trip about a 20% chance of happening.
have been scheduling time on the big island every month since covid hit. every month we joyfully reschedule. between the lack of clarity and cooperation with testing opportunities and the stress to see the results in time to fly we are likely cancelling our efforts for the remainder of the year and going to somewhere out of country with warm water. it’s a real let down, I travel to Hawaii 2- 4x a year and want to be there. I don’t blame “Hawaii” or its’ people in any way. I do blame bureaucracy, inefficiency and medical providers with financial priorities over service.
We just canceled our trip to Maui based on the current plans post Oct 15th. You have to have a negative FDA approved NAAT test from a licensed CLIA certified lab administered from a Hawaii State Dept of Health approved testing location within 72 hours. There are 2 approved locations, CVS and Kaiser. CVS in Oregon are not participating and Kaiser will only perform for members AND results are taking 5-7 days. Soooooo that creates an impossible situation.
@Stacie D.
KP has had rapid turn around 12-24 hours daughter’s have been tested twice, and we had to test for AK last month. KP labs in Portland have had quick turnaround.
This is ridiculous. Pretty soon it won’t matter what you do. Who will want to go there. I’d say you don’t care at all about your islanders the people that make your island so great. The president was tested every day. It happens. Thousands die each year from flu but they don’t shut down the Economy. Look at history.
After November 3rd this will all be cleared up. Unfortunately politicians are not emphasizing the positivity rates, hospitalization reduced recovery times and recovery rates without any medical intervention. Instead they concentrate on positive test results only, without mentioning that with more testing comes more reported cases. Protect the vulnerable and concentrate on therapeutics for those infected. You will never achieve 0 cases. This is not as deadly as some politicians try to make it. If you doubt this try to research the positives..it’s hard to find the information, but it is out there.
Sadly, November will far too late for many small businesses – in Hawaii and elsewhere. So many losing their livelihoods and their life savings in one fell swoop. It will be 40 years before the truth is ever known about any of it. We will all be gone and won’t care.
We feel for the families of those who have died, for the families of those who have been ruined by this pandemic and for all those yet to be ruined by it. Who knows where it will all end. As I have mentioned before, vacationing may be the LEAST of our worries very soon.
There has to be a reason to focus on the number of cases instead above all else. I refuse to even listen to the news anymore. Unless the information is put into some sort of useful context – which it is not at present – the information is useless. Reporting the number of deaths without telling us the ages and then never considering co-morbidity is useless.
Our neighbor, who was dying of cancer, managed somehow to contract the virus even though he had not left his home in 6 months. Did he die of cancer? No. He died of the virus. Even though he had a zero chance of surviving to the end of this year anyway. And on it goes.
I really tire of these “justifications” as expressed above. If you want to view our situation from above rather than in the weeds of detail and supposition, consider the following:
4% of the world’s population and 20% of the worlds cases and fatalities.
Leading the world by far in deaths and cases
CV-19 is now the third leading cause of death in the US
As for co-morbidity arguments: Someone dies in a car accident of both injuries and a heart attack. You decide. Does it matter.
4% population; 20% cases/deaths.
I’ve been patient and supportive of Hawaii’s approach to COVID, but this latest potential news is very disturbing. We’ve scheduled and paid for my COVID tests, our flight, our lodging, and now this …vague and upsetting news. Difficult to stay supportive.
So much uncertainty, confusion, and risk. Who wants to put up a large sum non-refundable either 60 or better 30 days before arrival for a condo not knowing what the rules will be right before departure. We have just recently cancelled our 70 day, early Jan to late March, planned stay in Maui pending further positive developments. Our air flights are paid for but our go no-go decision will not happen till late Dec/early Jan.
So if I travel from Phoenix to Honolulu to Kona spend a week in Kona and then to Kauai by covit test from the start of my trip is not good to travel from these islands? Do I need to be tested at every island?
Yes
The covid is going to do what it does, get people sick,(maybe). That is a given, with or without quaritine, with or without tests.
Mask wearing doesnt stop it, social distance doesnt stop it, sanitizing does stop it.
Travel should be at own risk ,
Businesses should reopen at own risk. Thank you, penny mc
So who would be paying for the 2nd test? and what if you want to visit the neighbor islands for only 3 days or less?
2nd test is okay but it should be for people staying at least 10 days or longer.
Testing capacity is a huge problem. Our state is open for public school, as well as Universities. Since those two things opened, we have seen a wave of Covid unlike ever before. We are doubling numbers at our previous highest rate, and our hospitals are starting to reach capacity, although less than 20% are Covid (which is great news, since our deaths also remain low). We have now gone back to partial closure in a state that has basically remained open the majority of the time. Our public schools are online again and partially closed. Universities remain open for the most part. The problem is until Hawaii can increase testing capacity and fully get schools and universities open, travel seems premature, especially since they seem to close at the smallest amount of cases. Can you imagine Hawaii opening for 4 weeks and closing again for 3 months? It seems that Hawaii is looking for Covid eradication. Keep that in mind when making your trip plans. Mexico opened in waves, possibly Hawaii should try something like that. For those planning trips, you will have to quarantine 14 days before you take your test to guarantee a negative test. With those types of risks, and the potential to lose a lot of money, Hawaii is still in trouble.
Have you ever been tested Holly? I have, 3 times. The test I had last week was back in 18 hours. So you may wanna check your facts before you try and scare people.
JT please, 3 times? The Latino community has been hit the hardest. We are unable to be tested so often. There is a lot of disproportionality there. You are privileged to get tested so often.
Thank you
We want to visit Maui from the 26 Nov-5 Dec. Do you think the quarentine will be lifted by then ?
We are out on our whole Kauai trip for this year. Far too much confusion. Our resort, at which we have owned for 19 years charged us $600 to shove all our time into 2021. This is costing us a lot in terms of maintenance fees for something we couldn’t use, and now additional to use it in the future. I’m not sure about ever returning, we may have to sell, and I am sure would lose money on that as well. Kauai Mayor Kawakami’s comment about not wanting to be a budget vacation destination, but to appeal to only the elite is ridiculous. It may well cost him the economy of the entire county.
My husband and I have moved our reservations for a 2 month vacation, spread out over 3 islands. This would be our 3rd year visiting Hiwaii in this manner.
Our concern is that our favorite places will not be open, or out of business.
Is there a way to track the business and/or attraction? We now will try for Feb 21.
Every Politician In Hawaii Is Nuts
They are ruining the state.
I totally agree. I went to Florida for 2 months….12,000 cases a day. Their mortality rate is 2%, only because of so many having underlying issues. I stand by my conviction: Fear=Control. Hawaii’s government is absolutely ridiculous!
My son is in the Army military base and his family. How do I take the covid test? At the airport when I arrived and do I stay at the airport for 72 hours when I’m negative? How does it work? If I stay with them.
Very confusing, you test negative with NAAT test before you land on the islands. Now saying you need to quarantine for 3 days then retest again. ….. I think our visitors will have to reschedule again. Not worth it for a 7 day vacation.
I’m a Kaua’i resident. It’s very clear to me a 72 hour prior negative mainland test, leaves holes in the safety net and will expose our island residents. A three day after arrival 2nd test while in quarantine is a MUST, be damned what inconvenience it causes. We don’t want a spike in cases swamping our two small hospitals, and people die because our Governor has tourism $$ in his eyes, over resident lives. Let the county mayors keep their residents safe with a second test plan, and if capacity isn’t there yet, well then delay opening until we have it. It’s a simple solution, if you leave tourism profit motives out of the equation.
I urge people to look up the State of Hawaii Department of Health report on the flue for last year. 6.6% of all deaths in the state of Hawaii were due to the flu. (Not Covid) The survival rate for covid is .6%.
People should do the math. This is a “Pandemic” and unfortunately, people will die. We have an abundance of tests and so much more information on how to treat Covid-19 now. Anyone worried about our hospitals being taxed should be asking local mayors how much PPE we have, ventilators, additional beds etc. Remember, the army core of engineers built all those make shift hospitals and NONE of them were ever used. Everyday our governor waits to open the economy, he is slowly strangling our island communities.
Are people really surprised? There are plenty of tests. I took one 5 days after returning home, it was negative, but still had to quarantine. State of Hawaii is totally inept, but what’s new?
Once again the state is lost as our economy plummets. Covid-19 Mortality rate is 1% in Hawaii. Grow brain already.
Again I ask,what about the folks that have had COVID and have been released from quarantine? They can test positive for months after. So they just have to quarantine, despite having immunity?
I was with you until “despite having immunity”. If you read the latest results from examinations of past COVID patients, indications are that the antibodies may only last for a few months. Unless you are suggesting that you would be shedding virus, as opposed to showing antibodies, if you will check, what you suggest (shedding virus)is impossible for that long of a period. Demonstrating the presence of antibodies is a positive test that everyone would wish for.
You expect hawaii residents to quarantine for three days . That’s ridiculous.
Residents of California have been traveling intrastate for some time now without taking any COVID tests. Why can’t Hawaii do the same for intrastate travel?
If people on the mainland want to visit Hawaii, they will go elsewhere if they have to pay $100+ per person for a test. At this rate, Hawaii won’t open up until October 15, 2021!
Julie, stop being selfish for travel here. Hawai’i’s neighbor islands are very fragile for our hospitals being overwhelmed. With care we’ve had very few COVID cases. Please respect our needs over not getting your vacation sooner.
Our hospitals are not overwhelmed on Kauai. In fact, we have never had 1 person hospitalized due to Covid-19. King Kawakami was giving a 1/2 truth when he said that 1 person was hospitalized. They were, but not here on Kauai. I know this, because I know that person. Fear = Control.
“Intrastate” is travel within a state. Perhaps you meant “interstate”.
I have family outside if Honolulu, if I was to be staying with them does the 14 day quarantine still have to happen?
Visitors would quarantine a minimum of 72 hours before obtaining a test. How and where is unknown. Most flights arrive in the afternoon or evening so test might not be attainable until morning of day four. Then the visitor would remain in quarantine until a negative result is received. For an island with limited testing capacity, how soon would results be available? People are saying they would lose three days of their time on island but I’m guessing it would be closer to a week.
Visitors who have pre-tested negative for Covid risk exposure during travel to the islands. Requiring a test 3-5 days after arrival is prudent. However quarantining arriving visitors for an unknown length of time is unappealing. Money spent on policing people under quarantine could be spent on improving testing capacity.
Although I know that this is a trying time for everyone, I think the guidelines need to be clearly outlined rather than so hazy and potentially expensive and disappointing to anyone wanting to visit Hawaii. I’ve only had the opportunity to visit once, and have waited to hopefully come for a visit this year. I don’t want the expense of the airfare of flying to Hawaii from the continental US and be penned up in a hotel room; and not allowed to do anything on the island. I was hopeful when it was stated that if we had a Covid Test that was negative within 72 hours of arrival the quarantine would not be applicable. Now, other issues appear to have changed that idea, and we’re not allowed any inter-island travel. This is sad for tourists and the tourism business folks in Hawaii. It is my belief that the struggle with endless tenchnicalities and possible additional expenses and restrictions will force even the most interested customers into avoiding Hawaii.
Agreed, the goal posts keep changing
Hey Hawaii, keep your people safe.
Get it together already!If I already didn’t pay for airbnb in February, I will not go back to Hawaii ever! Done. WTH?
Well one thing has become very clear to me thru all of this nonsense / mess…the leadership of Hawaii does not really want me and my family to actually come to Hawaii. I mean how else should we take the lack of information, no concrete plans and complete disorganization? With trip number 3 now cancelled…this time due to Hawaiian airlines cancelling our Nov 20th flight…. we have zero reason to have any confidence in any plan that may eventually come actually working.
Throwing in the towel. Enough is enough.
Can anyone else suggest a tropical destination for thanksgiving week?
Mahalo. B of H. Can tell you are equally frustrated with this disaster.
Hi Kyle.
There is another update about to come out and then more updates between now and early next week. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for your many comments.
Aloha.
Cancun is open. So is Cabo San Lucas. My sister is there now.
Florida is open, and we are going for the 2nd time this year.
Our family has plans to go to the Big Island in December but I’m seriously thinking about changing my plans to Mexico. They need to stick with some sort of guidelines and stop changing it. People that already have reservations to stay there can only cancel in a certain amount of time to receive their money back. And I can guarantee you that no one wants to quarantine for 3 days after they arrive…especially if their vacation is only for a week.
Please figure it out Hawaii so I’m not stuck in my Vrbo the whole time I’m there.
There is always Mexico. We LOVE Isla Mujeres – lovely short boat ride from Cancun. We also LOVE Casa Sirena Hotel – wonderful place. Low key. FREE breakfast. Wonderful food choices everywhere on the island. Great Beach. Love it second only to Hawaii. But Hawaii is looking less and less likely for us for a long time. Hawaii may never get their act together.
Hi Colleen.
Jeff used to love Mexico. That was before issues he had there including multiple burglaries and finally an armed robbery on the beach at Playa Azul. That was his last trip to Mexico.
Aloha.
So very sorry to hear of such horrible experiences. We, fortunately, have been to Isla Mujeres 3 times with no untoward incidents. It helps that the little island has a nice police force AND the Army Base there :0) We still love Hawaii and hope to be back when ‘the dirt settles.’ Mahalo for all of your hard work!! Not sure how you keep up with it all.
Hi Colleen.
Always our best to you both! Yes, Jeff has also been to Isla Mujeres and liked that and the whole Yucatan area. That was definitely “back in the day.”
Aloha.
All of this brings up two questions…
1. Does the new rule require COVID testing 72 hours before departure to Hawaii or 72 hours before arrival in Hawaii.
2. Does Hawaii even want US Mainlanders to come back to the Islands. I used to make two vacation trips a year…
We are loyal California to Maui visitors.
Maui doesn’t appear to want us !?
We are scheduled on AA Air. Oct 31.
All these confusing and changing rules …. testing especially, will probably be the reason for our cancelations.
Maybe next year?????? Unfortunately for our condo owner. Mahalo
Hi Marilyn.
There are still updates coming out, so this is anything but resolved for now. Sorry for the confusion it has caused.
Aloha.
It’s not that Maui or other islands don’t want you. Get this straight. We want as priority #1, our residents staying COVID disease free, and until there’s a solid plan that doesn’t have big holes in its safety net, it is better to be cautious than have us die because a plan had holes in it. So don’t think we “don’t want you.” that’s BS. We want safety done right.