Changes are coming fast as Hawaii starts to ease more restrictions.
57 thoughts on “Hawaii Mask Mandate Officially Dropped Outdoors + More Changes Are Coming”
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Thank you so much for all this information. This is all great news. We are planning to do our family reunion in July on the Big Island (postponed from last summer) and we are thrilled to be visiting. Just to put in my two cents about indoor masks. I live in a state that got rid of indoor and outdoor masks altogether. However, I also have 2 children under 12 yo who are obviously not eligible for vaccination. It is overwhelming to walk into stores with them and be surrounded by people without masks, not knowing who is vaccinated or not. Since indoors in the main way that people get covid, I really appreciate the continuation of masks indoors at least until more people are vaccinated (and eligible to be vaccinated). Although individual stores can make their own policies regarding masks, I think it is a huge burden on store employees to try to enforce store mask policies if the state says they are not needed.
This is great news! Looks like with a little luck, by the time we head to the Big Island at the end of August things will be getting closer to “normal” and being fully vaccinated we will be able to breeze through the airport like usual. that’s for the timely updated BOH!!
Hi Joerg.
Yes, good news and that should improve by your August trip to the B.I. Thanks for all of your comments.
Aloha.
Oh you guys, I echo the comments, except Florida John. and thank you so much for the info and the positive attitude. Hoping for October/Novermber. Again thanks so much.
Mary M
Hi Mary.
Thanks! We appreciate our dozens of comments and look forward to your returning to the islands later this fall.
Aloha.
If a mainlander is fully vaccinated, is testing within 72 hours upon arrival still required?
Currently yes. But stay tuned, there is a possibility that us changing in July 🤷🏼♀️
Forever Maskers hit hardest.
Aloha!
We arrived Tuesday at the Kona Airport. Deplaning was pretty quick – people who have been vaccinated had to show their card and were allowed to leave. Those who were not vaccinated had to take a Covid test. You do not self-administer the nasal swab test, but they were extremely gentle & only swabbed the inside of your nose (thank goodness not up into your sinuses). They will only call you if you tested positive.
There was no line to take the shuttle to the rental car lot and no line to get our car. It took less than 15 minutes! (We we’re prepared for a 1-3 hour wait.) It was a lot faster and easier than all the other times we’ve been here.
When checking into our hotel they needed to see the 2 boxes below our Hawaii Safe Travels QR code that states we tested negative. The hotels do not any way to scan the QR codes, so they will need to see the complete screen on your cell phones.
We’re surprised how busy and crowded our hotel and the Waikoloa resort area is. It’s great seeing our hotel employee friends and very happy for them that they are back to work. And we are more than happy we are back on the Big Island!!!
Mahalo again BoH for all your invaluable info! It’s tremendously appreciated!
Hi Mignon.
Thanks. We appreciate your report and hope you are having a great time on the Big Island.
Aloha.
Hi BOH,
First off, thanks for all the updates in regards to all the rule changes covering Covid19.
I just wanted to clarify something….we are currently coming to Oahu next month for 8 days and do plan on getting tested 72 hours prior to arrival. We then plan on flying from Oahu to the Big Island for 4 days. Even though my entire family will be fully vaccinated by then, is it correct that we will still need to be tested 72 hours before our flight to the Big Island (since we weren’t vaccinated in Hawaii), but can avoid an additional post arrival Covid19 test if we show our vaccination cards?? Any info you can provide would be appreciated.
Mahalo!
Hi Eric.
Yes, your understanding is correct all the way around, as of today.
Aloha.
Things are looking up.
Indeed they are S.H.!! I’m planning my life long dream vacation trip to Oahu next year & I’m getting very excited & can’t wait!!♡♡♡
I’m pleased to see the ability to release restrictions. As irritating as masks, social distancing, etc., are, or were, I applaud Hawaii for using a measured, science based approach to getting back to pre-pandemic normal life. It was, and still is, frustrating that the target keeps moving but this has been an evolving situation that none of us has experienced. Because of what Hawaii was/is doing we felt safe when we visited Kauai in March. Thank you!
Your Governor and Let. Governor has single handedly ruined the economy and they economic lives of tens of thousands there. It’s sad that they never missed a taxpayers paycheck through it all. Florida is basically a small island as well and they Governor here made the right call months ago to open up the economy full scale. Maybe your top two idiots there should have went to Harvard as well, but based on their actions these past 15 months, I doubt they would have been accepted, and rightfully so.
John come on Seriously.
WRONG Florida is connected directly to the mainland Hawaii in case you had not noticed is in the middle of the pacific ocean with very few quick resources available and very limited Hospital capacity.
Had Hawaii stayed open and half of its population died it wouldnt matter what kind of economy they have or had. Florida and your governor specifically has actively hidden and skewed the numbers of cases and deaths in Florida. This is a fact. We have had 600,000 citizens die of Covid19. Had the country not locked down the way it did that number would be in the millions and indeed may actually be since many did not go to the hospital when feeling ill.
whats with the name calling of the governors of Hawaii? Totally uncalled for. This has been a very difficult situation all the way around and each state has the RIGHT to make their own calls on how things happen in their state.
Again Please look at a map. Hawaii is in the middle of the pacific ocean and Florida is directly connected to mainland USA so your diatribe here is just that.
For everyone of YOU there are 100 of us who are happy and ready to head to Hawaii. I am planning to spend as much money as I am able to help stimulate the local economy which this is what its supposed to be all about right? Stay in Florida please and leave BOH alone since you obviously have zero plans of traveling to Hawaii.
Bravo, Paul C.
thank you. It gets really old
Paul,
Thanks for being a voice of reason. I’m SO tired of hearing about how wonderful Florida is. If you love Florida so much John and hate Hawaii, don’t go to Hawaii! More room for the rest of us to enjoy the Aloha there. But all this Hawaii bashing is getting SO TIRESOME to have to listen to on a site that’s about traveling to Hawaii.
Thank you for all the helpful info!