Hawaii travel has largely returned to pre-pandemic levels with 36k visitor arrivals in Hawaii last Saturday. With the current COVID emergency proclamation set to expire at the end of November, Governor Ige held a press conference today enumerating new rules starting December 1. Many other people took part in the news conference including mayors, health, and travel industry stakeholders.
Some changes announced were expected, while others definitely were not.
New regulations to take effect December 1.
Current emergency rules expire on November 30. Starting December 1, each county will operate on its own. That means that regulations in terms of capacity limits, distancing requirements, etc. will be up to each mayor. Statewide rules on bars, gyms, and restaurants will end on November 30 and, again, these will become county rules as deemed appropriate. We were surprised to see this change in our state which is so small, interconnected, and reliant on visitors who need consistent rules and messaging.
Each island can have different rules, and the state will no longer oversee these. Ige said, “one significant change is that I will no longer require coordination of county orders and each can provide restrictions as necessary.” Ige said he’d been working with the mayors to arrive at these new regulations.
What will each county decide?
It isn’t clear how closely islands will work together to help offer consistent rules that visitors can understand. We hope that will be the case, but we’ll wait to hear rule changes announced by each of the islands in the next week.
Honolulu, also announced today how it plans to implement its new rules. There will no longer be 6-foot distancing requirements for restaurants, although testing or vaccination will be required for indoor dining. The city will lift capacity requirements for all indoor and outdoor events, which will also be allowed to serve food and drink. Patrons can either be fully vaccinated or present a test within the prior 48 hours. No contact tracing requirements for event attendees. Gyms will be able to operate at full capacity with masks.
What won’t change on December 1: vaccination, testing, indoor masks, Safe Travels.
Most importantly for visitors, vaccination or testing, as the two options to avoid quarantine, will remain in effect, indefinitely. Safe Travels will remain Hawaii’s web portal for proof of these, and that too is here to stay, perhaps for a very long time.
The Hawaii indoor mask mandate indoors will continue, with the governor stating, “I think it’s the one thing we will continue to have in place.” Hawaii is currently one of just a handful of states that have retained masks for indoor settings for both vaccinated and unvaccinated.
The governor said that there are no longer any metrics upon which the state can rely for any further changes to COVID rules. At one point he had said that at 70% fully vaccinated (which has been achieved), the state would eliminate Safe Travels.
Where are Hawaii’s current COVID problems coming from?
It is clear that COVID cases associated with travel are almost completely unrelated to visitors. Instead, they result from Hawaii residents returning to the state and subsequent community spread.
What else is Hawaii planning? New uses for Safe Travels.
The state is planning to use Safe Travels on a long-term basis. It is investigating transforming the platform to better manage tourism. Also, we continue to hear that the current State Department of Agriculture declaration will be moved to being electronic via Safe Travels. The governor also mentioned that earlier this week.
Troubles looming.
With COVID cases nationally at a weekly average of around 100k a day and more than a thousand average COVID deaths every day for months now, it seems clear that the US is not in a controlled phase of COVID.
Seemingly, talking directly to Hawaii, people like Dr. Fauci and Scott Gottlieb are saying that we need to be extremely mindful in lifting restrictions, as they may otherwise soon be reinstated. So while Hawaii is doing well at the moment, and today reported only 52 new COVID cases statewide, a COVID wave is still active on the mainland. And what we all know is that what happens on the mainland, and particularly in California, always proceeds what occurs in Hawaii.
That is a reminder of how difficult the pandemic is for the US healthcare system. Hawaii will always be in a much more precarious situation due to its physical isolation, small population, and other factors, which is one reason why the mask mandate will stay.
How do you think a plan for different island-by-island rules will work?
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From BOH: “The governor said that there are no longer any metrics upon which the state can rely for any further changes to COVID rules.”
Translation: I’ll change the rules when I damn well please.
Hello PAUL L
Governor Ige is well versed in government.
“The first law of bureaucracy is to guarantee its own continuance.”
― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
We are currently on Maui. We have no problems with the rules currently in place. One tip I would give would be to get your safe travels wristband at the airport of departure. Your only dealing with one airline. If you wait until you arrive at the Islands you will be dealing with many airlines. The line can be long and time consuming. Aloha, guys.
Hi Roy.
Thanks. Enjoy your time on Maui.
Aloha.
Can anyone on here legitimately explain FL then? Had their wave, like every State is about to.
No masks, no mandates, and currently the best Covid stats in the country in real time.
One would think, “sure their spike reduced a bit, but to have it reduce that much and stay reduced that much” it should be something every State looks at. Well it’s being completely ignored.
Perhaps because FL has had 61,157 deaths to Hawaii’s 999? Do the math, far greater per capita death rate in FL than HI….simple as that. Florida prioritized business over life. Hawaii prioritized life as being more important then money. You can recover from a bad year or two in business, you can’t recover from death. Also keep in mind that for every death their are countless loved ones left behind that have lived through a devastating tragedy.
Aloha Jeff! Sounds like Florida is your go-to vacation spot! If you don’t want to mask up, get vaxxed, or practice social distancing, then Hawaii is not for you. Also, Florida his averaging over 1500 new Covid cases per day — nothing to brag about. Mahalo.
Hi BOH GUYS,
Please elaborate
I am confused you guys, and others keep indicating that it seems its the locals coming home spreading covid or driving up the numbers. Do they (the locals) not have to follow the same rules the rest of us do to get back home to Hawaii? IE Being vaccinated or tested prior to arrival? It makes no sense to me unless they are exempt from the testing requirements because they live there? Please elaborate.
Hi Paul.
Testing and vaccination are options to avoid quarantine. They are not required and quarantine is still acceptable without these. Quarantine obviously doesn’t work for visitors.
Aloha.
Quarantine isn’t working for locals either!
Hi Colleen.
It may not be working but it remains available. Happy Thanksgiving to you guys.
Aloha.
Thank you. You guys enjoy too. :0) Hoping to be back in 2023
That makes total sense
First, there is still that ‘Safe Travels’ does not have anything to do with International Travelers, who’s own Tests, not part of ‘Safe Travels’ are acceptable, American Citizens have a more difficult protocol to observe. Do the approved Vendors for ‘Safe Travel’ pay the State a %? To the closing, “Keep it simple stupid” over-rides Ige giving Mayor’s free-reign while travelers are forced through Oahu for connections in most cases!
The vaccine isn’t 💯, its public knowledge Both unvaxxed & vaxxed spread the virus IF THEY AREN’T practicing Covid protocols: (get vaxxed)/mask up/6ft/don’t touch your face/cough into your elbow(even w/mask on)/wash hands/limit public places &last but not least, stay home. But if vaxxed get Covid, it reduces the severity. Unvaxxed gets the worst of Covid & isn’t that why we’ve been on lockdown,To avoid that? We weren’t ever getting out from under this w/out a vax.
Wow people really going off still in this forum against one another. I wonder how many have actually travelled or looks like they all have been staring at their computers for too long and are frustrated. Go out for a walk or just slow down for a moment and let your self breathe.
Hi Rob and Jeff. Hope you two are enjoying the holiday season now upon us. Interesting news update. I can see where each island may differ on requirements as there are different quotas of visitors coming to each island.Kinda hard to predict how much enforcement is needed. The basic regulations should definitely be kept intact until 2022 is here. I know, only a month away. Good to keep the Safe Travels site happening. So what ensures that a protocol is followed. Be there again next week. Aloha
Hi Debra.
Thanks for your many comments and please enjoy your time in Hawaii. And Happy Thanksgiving.
Aloha.
It’s all a bit too much…..forget Hawaii!
My husband and I returned to Southern California on November 4 after 3+ weeks in Princeville. The Hawaii mask mandate didn’t bother us as we were accustomed to using masks in public areas of CA. The individual Hawaii mayors will soon have an opportunity to apply their common sense regarding their county’s Covid regulation needs. Great idea. Specifications must be simple are clear. Hopefully worded in a similar fashion for each county.
As a resident of rural Hawaii island I think the ability of the mayors to make their own decision works well. The rules for crowded Oahu and rural Hawaii don’t need to be the same.
Is this confusing for anyone else? What kind of half crack direction is this? Soooo it’s the residents spreading covid “community spread” and travels. Hmmmm, you might think that perhaps they took it home after working w/the tourist? And in the same breath they say we will follow suit after california w/their high covid? Huh? But it’s the residents spreading it..right? Ugh!!
Hey Guys. Somehow I’m not getting your emails anymore. I looked in my Junk Folder and they are not there. 🙁
Hi Rae-Marie.
On checking, you are subscribed to emails, but it looks like you only signed up today. In any event, you should get them from now on.
Aloha.
Nope. There goes any reason for visiting an ever changing landscape. Sianora, we’ll take our vacation $ elsewhere. With reservations made we’ll in advance and each island tyrant changing rules maybe daily? No Thanks for your inhospitality!
Keep this up and you’ll soon be a third world country. See how long you can last when the free money runs out!
So true Rich. I limited my work travel (should have been 4-6x) and never wanted to visit HI for personal ever since the ‘15 days to slow the spreed. Mexico has been a great alternative over 4x since this this drama, nicer hosts/people who want you to visit, better value and no ever changing rules,
So why are you here on this site? Go find a Mexico site to pump up. I’ve been twice June and a couple of weeks ago. Rules are clear. Not sure you all seem to miss that.
Its not a right to be able to visit Hawaii its a privilidge and we should all look at that way. I dont care what it takes to get there. Just pay attention – the rules will be clear
Clear as mud :0(
What’s not. Lear to you exactly!? When you get there there are signs everywhere.
It just all depends how bad do you want to be in Hawaii. Personally I don’t care what the restrictions are. We live with restrictions in our lives every day. It’s not that hard
As one who has postponed our Hawaii trip 3 times now, I am watching BOH regularly. We now have reservations planned for April 2022, to visit Maui and the BI. It’s going to be interesting to see what each island is going to require. I sure pray by April there will be answers for Inter-island visitors!!!
Glad to hear others agree. This is ridiculous and boarder line becoming a dictatorship. If people wanna wear masks the rest of their lives let them. Those of us that chose not to shouldn’t. Those that don’t want the jab shouldn’t. And enough about thinking of others…that argument doesn’t hold water when you look at the statistics. Natural immunity should be recognized.
“And enough about thinking of others…that argument doesn’t hold water when you look at the statistics. Natural immunity should be recognized.”
That is the very reason this virus is still with us. PS there is NO natural immunity. NONE
What????? No natural immunity????
nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/lasting-immunity-found-after-recovery-covid-19
Natural immunity should be recognized.
It is all just soooo crazy.
I understand that many are afraid of the vaccine but that doesn’t change the fact that it saves lives. I wish you well and hope your immunity serves you well because hospitals everywhere have staffing shortages.
“Each island can have different rules, and the state will no longer oversee these”
How many Hawaii’s are there?
If there are Hawaiian phrases for “taking command” and “being decisive” would someone please send them to the Governor. We potential visitors would very much appreciate it.
In the meanwhile, best of luck to Hawaii and its tourism businesses trapped aboard this powerless contraption of state government drifting without a rudder on a sea of confusion and befuddlement.
Lol ever heard of counties? Cities? All have different laws and rules
Yes I have. We have 159 counties here in GA. And we are a heck of a lot bigger and more diverse in many respects than Hawaii.
We have a Governor that understands he governs all 159 of these counties and holds himself accountable to the entire state – not just a county here and there as he might wish. Conflicts? Sure. But the Governor steps up and makes the call – for all Georgians.
Piddly little traffic law differences don’t concern us.
GA doesn’t allow hide and seek politics.
I think the whole process is not neccessary. We were there in September 2021 and the regulations were not being enforced and everything was fine. We need to stop the fear and get back to living.
With all the money wasted on “Safe travels”, Hawaii could have provided monoclonal centers. Obviously safe travels isn’t working if its returning residents who are supposed to have a negative test or the jab spreading covid? Once again, none of it makes sense and we are left with numerous empty promises such as dropping all restrictions at 70% vax rate. If he still has an emergency declaration, why did he open our state to international travelers who don’t have to use a trusted partner?
Coming from Florida where we have “do your own thing” regulations and forbidden mandates, 65,000 dead and who knows how many with ‘long COVID’, it was actually a pleasure to visit your beautiful state and feel safe with the protocols that are in place. We appreciated how seriously every establishment took the vaccination and masking rules. While the masks are a bit of a pain, it was all really ok. This was our only opportunity to come and it was lovely overall. Mahalo and Aloha.
Hi Peggy.
Thanks for sharing your experience of visiting Hawaii from Florida.
Aloha.
What I don’t understand is it has been proven that alternative therapies have reduced dramatically the covid case count, has brought healing to a large percentage of population world wide who secured covid. Why are we so hesitant to permit these effectice solutions to be released on the market? Why??? This in and of itself will significantly reduce morbity, sickness. tourism here world come back to normal without masks without treating without vaccination. Let’s get real!
Still, no accommodation for those who have natural immunity, which has been proven to have better and longer lasting protection than the vaccines. But Hawaii should not be criticized for this, as they are following guidelines from the CDC and FDA, who have themselves ignored natural immunity. But as more breakthrough cases emerge among those vaccinated, and compared with the almost zero repeat cases of those with natural immunity, maybe natural immunity will finally be accommodated.
What are your sources for this statement?
Hi Peggy,
See my response to Lambert C below. Aloha
There have been 130 research studies on natural immunity and how long lasting and effective it is.
What is your definition of ‘natural immunity’? Someone who has had Covid? Or someone who has an intact immune system? I don’t know of any quantitative studies published to establish that ‘natural immunity’ gives better immunity than the approved vaccines.
At the current time (at least on the mainland) a large majority of the hospitalizations and deaths have been unvaccinated patients. Do you assume that they did not have ‘natural immunity’?
Lambert C.
Natural immunity is the term used to indicate what results when you successfully recover from COVID. Maybe a better term is “acquired immunity”, which Heyward B uses below. As for sources for natural immunity being more effective than vaccines, since links are not allowed here, google “Cleveland Clinic natural immunity”. Lots of data there. Also, google “Israel Study natural immunity” where you will find “natural immunity is 13 times more effective than vaccines in protecting individuals.”
Rob elected government officials and big pharma are only interested in paid for immunity. Natural immunity does not buy them an estate on Kauai.
It’s all about money and ego, not science or, in many cases, common sense.
Hello Rob L.
Acquired immunity is an anathema to the politics of vaccine mandates. As such it must be placed aside.
Ironically, given the very long timeline of human interaction with viruses and other disease causing factors, it is acquired immunity that is probably the single most significant trait that permits us to be present today so that we may deny it works.
There is no $$$ in natural immunity. Sad, but true.
Let’s get real for a moment. If most covid cases are generated from Hawaii residents returning from their travels, why has it become so difficult for government officials to acknowledge and maintain some consistent protocol to keep each island safe?
Masks don’t work. Read the disclaimer on the box. People will say “they help”- where is your proof?
And now it turns out vaccinations don’t work either- you can get it and spread it…and not only that, many hospitals report their patients with CoVid are vaccinated.
The only solution is to let people have their freedom. If you don’t want CoVid, avoid people. Take care of your immunity with exercise, good food and vitamins- stay strong.
Stop with all the mandates, now.
Agree. Also, CDC quietly changed their definition of “vaccine” in October, removing the word “immunity” and replacing it with “protection”, thereby acknowledging that the vaccines do not prevent COVID.
BOH should please moderate nonsense posts like this. Mahalo.
Hi Paul.
There is nothing in her comment that would require us to moderate it. https://beatofhawaii.com/comment-policy/
Aloha.
Nothing to moderate if you don’t feel the need to moderate false information.
We should agree to disagree. People have opinions. We should be free to express them respectfully.
And yet, here I am, forced to wear a mask 9 hours a day, just to make a living here on Maui. Maddening. Freedom means nothing to dine in charge, it seems.
Jennifer W…Wow! We will be Covid free if we keep our freedoms! I didn’t realize that’s all it took for this state/country/ world to achieve to get rid of Covid (be Covid free)! So it’s not a medical condition at all! Gotta look into this!… And maybe I can also get my money back from the medical school my son got his medical degree from!
The mandates are the reason Hawaii has one of the lowest per capita infection, hospitalization and death rates in the country!
Yeah. **Jennifer**. I totally agree. I traveled for pleasure every 2-3 weeks during COVID and did exactly what you said. Thank God for common sense. A 70 yr old retired building contractor living the dream. That’s my motto..Tom Petty. “Don’t back down”**
Exactly. There’s a reason why a vaccine has never been successfully created for coronaviruses, which essentially, in laymans terms are a cold. The Covid is never going away, as its always been here, just under different alias’.
Jennifer. A lot of misinformation in one post. Most of the hospitalized are not “The vaccinated”. The unvaccinated are the ones filling up hospitals. Yes the vaccinated can sometimes still get sick from COVID, but the severity of the sickness is a lot less. Vaccinated chances of catching COVID are greatly reduced. Not quite 100%, but very close. Mask by themselves don’t work. Ask a medical professional about the “Swiss cheese” method of dealing with infectious disease.
Jennifer did not say that most of the hospitalizations are vaccinated. She said “many hospitals report their patients with CoVid are vaccinated.” That doesn’t mean that most of those patients are vaccinated. I have friends who had breakthrough cases, one hospitalized with 102 fever. Sick for three weeks. I had COVID last November, only wear a mask when in a medical facility, haven’t had a recurrence or been sick at all for that matter.
Throw in the fact that when (it’s rare) a “vaccinated person does get hospitalized, the average stay is 3-4 days , an unvaccinated patients is 3-4 weeks.
Almost all the COVID deaths now are unvaccinated….it’s also true that the vaccinated are less likely to spread Covid then the unvaccinated.
Bottom line is if everyone got vaccinated that could we wouldn’t be having this discussion. A lot of misinformation being spread by the anti vax side of the argument.
COVID is simplistic in mission. Persistent, evasive, and quick to adapt to success or failure. It remains true to the most fundamental workings of nature.
Conversely, our COVID responses are complex, sluggish, unwieldy, self-inflicting, and divisive. They contemplate no definition of success. We are conflicted as to our science, our processes, our materials, and even the meaning of our words.
It is not surprising that two years on we remain relegated to be hunted; rather than be hunters.
Heyward, you are right. Covid got politicized and truth became a casualty. Somehow we have devolved into country that accepts lying, name calling and misinformation as an acceptable discourse, The result is “personal freedom” is more important then what is best for all. We have become a country that some won’t even wear a mask for a little while to possibly save a life.
Jennifer, this isn’t about the people that have the chance to fight Covid with “good food, exercise and vitamins “, it’s about everyone. I agree lifestyle is a factor, but it’s way more complex then that. It’s not just about you, it’s about everyone you encounter on a day to day basis.
So it looks like Hawiians will live the rest of their lives with masks on the guv gets his way. Doesn’t Hawaii have recall elections? If they don’t they should.