121 thoughts on “Updated: Hawaii Plans to Eliminate COVID Tests | Phase 1 Starts June 15”
Markr
I truly believe in the KISS system, keep it simple stupid! My choice, your choice to get vaccinated. Don’t make me get tested 72 hours before my flight if I got vaccinated. Those who choose not to get the shot need to follow the travel restrictions to visit the islands. IGE says 70% to ease restrictions, just another way to keep his proclamation factory coming and moving the goal posts.
Thanks for reading my little rant. Hope to visit Maui on Thanksgiving.
Michael
Once Hawaii reach 60% would we still have to upload our van card into the safe travels website? Also, will the clear and CommonPass no longer be an option?
Rickesh P
I won’t travel anywhere if I need to have a vaccine passport. Guess I will just put my money into my stock portfolio instead
Michael S.
I’d be willing to bet that you will need to upload Vax cards at least through 2022 and possibly 2023. The supposed herd immunity number is 70% but no one knows if that will actually eliminate it plus with variants. I think this is gonna be new normal for immediate and short term future
sean
Florida will take ya… better wildlife, nicer people, more to do.
Lee S
Glad to hear that changes will be made in the testing policy. Unfortunately it will not apply to us when we fly during phase 1, but it will when we return to the islands in November. Hopefully with high levels of vaccinations we won’t see a resurgence of the virus in the Fall.
Mahalo
For keeping us up to date on the changes!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Lee.
Thanks for being part of this, and your nearly 70 comments.
Aloha.
Jan J
Leaving for Hawaii July 8 from Chicago at noon arriving Hawaii at 4 pm. Does the 72 hours start from when we land or the beginning of our last flight? Not sure how this works. Thanks for any help.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Jan.
Test must be within 72 hours of the scheduled departure of your trans – pacific flight. Hope that helps.
Aloha.
Fred H
I suspect that those who chose not to get vaccinated also are not in favor of increasing tourism.
to make us mainlanders hostage to hawaii non vaccinated people is not a good plan ..but what can you expect from the Control freak Ige.
sean
Chose not to get vaccinated, nor the kids, because it is not medically necessary given their ages and all of our overall health.
A year at a restaraunt, I don’t eat at, isn’t going to entice me either.
A virus so deadly they have to offer rewards for people to take it.
Some people are just blind I suppose.
Barbara M
SEAN… Two things… Since you are such a Florida devotee, why are you on this site? And second, on behalf of all us “blind” folk, may I sarcastically thank you for not contributing to the herd immunity that will give you back your freedoms as well as giving us back ours!
Casey
Agreed Sean, love Hawaii but won’t visit again until the restrictions are gone, no vaccine for my family either. Nothing should be forced on people for freedoms we already possess, and free movement is one of this rights.
Clarita R.
There is no mention about children under 12 who are ineligible for vaccine. If such children are traveling from the mainland to Hawaii, do they need pre-travel testing?
Katherine M
Thanks so much for this information. My family is vaccinated and travelling to the Big Island on June 17. Wish that we could avoid paying for Covid tests.
Robert H.
This is good news, will airlines pre-screen everyone when they check you in and provide you a wrist band. To allow you to avoid the long lines in the arrival hall? If not this could be a disaster upon arrival.
Mark M
Hawaiian was pre-screening at Oakland airport. Get there early, a line will build at the mainland airports, too. But WOW, what a time saver, the line in Honolulu upon arrival was a two hour wait.
Julieta d
Thank you for your continuing updates and latest crisp information. It is great to see Hawaii continue to protect itself and ensuring that tourism can come back in full force AND also not affect its residents negatively.
Hawaii has already been affected immensely since the start of the pandemic, so I am sure all are as eager to go back to ‘normal’ as quickly as possible.
Having been to Hawaii two times during the strict protocols, it was a very small price to pay to go to Paradise. We will be going back two more times this year :-).
Your continuous update have been our one source of current and factual information we rely on.
Thank you!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Julieta.
Thanks for your many comments. We wish you great travels on your upcoming trips to the islands.
Aloha.
CSTom
Please don’t listen to Rand Paul. He’s not a medical doctor and barely an eye doctor (he had to start his on certification board to get certified – you can look that up). I won’t argue with science but please get it from an expert.
Don K.
Seriously!? In order to be an “eye doctor” you do have to go thru medical school! Duh! And after the Faucimeister emails being exposed I would say that the “science” has had very little to do with anything. And yes, I do have a degree in Microbiology!
Rickesh P
People believe what is easiest for them to digest/ Science has been turned into a religion and now it has lost its meaning partly.
Casey
Agreed Don! He is an actual MD, only naive people spewing false narratives would say otherwise.
Ed. C
CSTOM – Rand Paul is a medical doctor specializing in ophthalmology with a degree from Duke University, where he graduated in 1988.
You can look it up.
Rob L.
Off topic, and maybe more appropriate elsewhere, but I have a word of caution for those so eager to get back to the islands. Our daughter and her family, including a 2 year old and a 4 year old, went to Kauai mid-May for 10 days. They had a four door mid-size reserved through Avis since March, but when they got to Avis at Lihue, they had to wait 3 1/2 hours to get a car because there were none available. And when they finally did get a car, it was a Mustang convertible. Ever try to get two adults, two minors, suitcases for the four of them, plus car seats, into a Mustang? When they left Avis, there was still a very long line of people waiting to get to the counters! They did exchange the Mustang for a Jeep the next day. So, be prepared. The rental car experience, at least on Kauai, is currently horrendous.
Richard C
Reaching the 70 percent vaccination rate is going to be difficult.
In our area most seniors and individuals with underlying health factors have been vaccinated.
The recent falloff of the vaccination rate is do to folks in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s who understand for the most part covid is not deadly, so why get vaccinated?
The death rate for under 18’s is almost zero.
I have children in their late 20’s and 30’s they and their friends are choosing not to be vaccinated nor are they getting their children vaccinated.
Like I said getting to 70 percent is going to be difficult.
sean
And this is how it should be.. Those susceptible took the vaccine. ( or had plenty of time to do so)
Those unvaccinated are no danger to a vaccinated person. Case closed. Dragging mandates out is just a money grab, power play, and political angling for 2022 and 2024.
Mickey
Yes exactly! Just like those that still are fearful should wear masks, the rest of us should not!
J.T.
Richard, Sean and Mickey, I totally agree. Covid accines should be a choice, like any other vaccine. It’s not our governments job to be promoting and rewarding the vaccine. Isn’t it about time we let people decide for themselves to do whatever they please as long as they don’t harm others. Those who decide to get ANY vaccine, fine. Those who do not, fine. The choice is ours, not the governments.
Joerg H.
I agree, getting to 70% is going to be difficult. Mainly because we have politicized the decision. Instead of people realizing that it’s not just about protecting yourself, but that getting to 70% (herd immunity really) is about protecting those people who are vulnerable AND can’t take the vaccine for medical reasons. Also, your comment about children not getting sick from COVID is a bit off. According to the CDC “While children have been less affected by COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and some children develop severe illness. Children with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness compared to children without underlying medical conditions.” So, again, it’s about the “WE”, and not about the “ME”. So, I don’t blame Hawaii’s leadership for choosing the metrics that they have. If the “ME” attitude prevents the islands from reaching 70%, then other protections will need to be kept in place.
Yury
Any word about Canadian vaccine cards being accepted at the same time with the US mainland vaccine cards?
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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I truly believe in the KISS system, keep it simple stupid! My choice, your choice to get vaccinated. Don’t make me get tested 72 hours before my flight if I got vaccinated. Those who choose not to get the shot need to follow the travel restrictions to visit the islands. IGE says 70% to ease restrictions, just another way to keep his proclamation factory coming and moving the goal posts.
Thanks for reading my little rant. Hope to visit Maui on Thanksgiving.
Once Hawaii reach 60% would we still have to upload our van card into the safe travels website? Also, will the clear and CommonPass no longer be an option?
I won’t travel anywhere if I need to have a vaccine passport. Guess I will just put my money into my stock portfolio instead
I’d be willing to bet that you will need to upload Vax cards at least through 2022 and possibly 2023. The supposed herd immunity number is 70% but no one knows if that will actually eliminate it plus with variants. I think this is gonna be new normal for immediate and short term future
Florida will take ya… better wildlife, nicer people, more to do.
Glad to hear that changes will be made in the testing policy. Unfortunately it will not apply to us when we fly during phase 1, but it will when we return to the islands in November. Hopefully with high levels of vaccinations we won’t see a resurgence of the virus in the Fall.
Mahalo
For keeping us up to date on the changes!
Hi Lee.
Thanks for being part of this, and your nearly 70 comments.
Aloha.
Leaving for Hawaii July 8 from Chicago at noon arriving Hawaii at 4 pm. Does the 72 hours start from when we land or the beginning of our last flight? Not sure how this works. Thanks for any help.
Hi Jan.
Test must be within 72 hours of the scheduled departure of your trans – pacific flight. Hope that helps.
Aloha.
I suspect that those who chose not to get vaccinated also are not in favor of increasing tourism.
to make us mainlanders hostage to hawaii non vaccinated people is not a good plan ..but what can you expect from the Control freak Ige.
Chose not to get vaccinated, nor the kids, because it is not medically necessary given their ages and all of our overall health.
A year at a restaraunt, I don’t eat at, isn’t going to entice me either.
A virus so deadly they have to offer rewards for people to take it.
Some people are just blind I suppose.
SEAN… Two things… Since you are such a Florida devotee, why are you on this site? And second, on behalf of all us “blind” folk, may I sarcastically thank you for not contributing to the herd immunity that will give you back your freedoms as well as giving us back ours!
Agreed Sean, love Hawaii but won’t visit again until the restrictions are gone, no vaccine for my family either. Nothing should be forced on people for freedoms we already possess, and free movement is one of this rights.
There is no mention about children under 12 who are ineligible for vaccine. If such children are traveling from the mainland to Hawaii, do they need pre-travel testing?
Thanks so much for this information. My family is vaccinated and travelling to the Big Island on June 17. Wish that we could avoid paying for Covid tests.
This is good news, will airlines pre-screen everyone when they check you in and provide you a wrist band. To allow you to avoid the long lines in the arrival hall? If not this could be a disaster upon arrival.
Hawaiian was pre-screening at Oakland airport. Get there early, a line will build at the mainland airports, too. But WOW, what a time saver, the line in Honolulu upon arrival was a two hour wait.
Thank you for your continuing updates and latest crisp information. It is great to see Hawaii continue to protect itself and ensuring that tourism can come back in full force AND also not affect its residents negatively.
Hawaii has already been affected immensely since the start of the pandemic, so I am sure all are as eager to go back to ‘normal’ as quickly as possible.
Having been to Hawaii two times during the strict protocols, it was a very small price to pay to go to Paradise. We will be going back two more times this year :-).
Your continuous update have been our one source of current and factual information we rely on.
Thank you!
Hi Julieta.
Thanks for your many comments. We wish you great travels on your upcoming trips to the islands.
Aloha.
Please don’t listen to Rand Paul. He’s not a medical doctor and barely an eye doctor (he had to start his on certification board to get certified – you can look that up). I won’t argue with science but please get it from an expert.
Seriously!? In order to be an “eye doctor” you do have to go thru medical school! Duh! And after the Faucimeister emails being exposed I would say that the “science” has had very little to do with anything. And yes, I do have a degree in Microbiology!
People believe what is easiest for them to digest/ Science has been turned into a religion and now it has lost its meaning partly.
Agreed Don! He is an actual MD, only naive people spewing false narratives would say otherwise.
CSTOM – Rand Paul is a medical doctor specializing in ophthalmology with a degree from Duke University, where he graduated in 1988.
You can look it up.
Off topic, and maybe more appropriate elsewhere, but I have a word of caution for those so eager to get back to the islands. Our daughter and her family, including a 2 year old and a 4 year old, went to Kauai mid-May for 10 days. They had a four door mid-size reserved through Avis since March, but when they got to Avis at Lihue, they had to wait 3 1/2 hours to get a car because there were none available. And when they finally did get a car, it was a Mustang convertible. Ever try to get two adults, two minors, suitcases for the four of them, plus car seats, into a Mustang? When they left Avis, there was still a very long line of people waiting to get to the counters! They did exchange the Mustang for a Jeep the next day. So, be prepared. The rental car experience, at least on Kauai, is currently horrendous.
Reaching the 70 percent vaccination rate is going to be difficult.
In our area most seniors and individuals with underlying health factors have been vaccinated.
The recent falloff of the vaccination rate is do to folks in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s who understand for the most part covid is not deadly, so why get vaccinated?
The death rate for under 18’s is almost zero.
I have children in their late 20’s and 30’s they and their friends are choosing not to be vaccinated nor are they getting their children vaccinated.
Like I said getting to 70 percent is going to be difficult.
And this is how it should be.. Those susceptible took the vaccine. ( or had plenty of time to do so)
Those unvaccinated are no danger to a vaccinated person. Case closed. Dragging mandates out is just a money grab, power play, and political angling for 2022 and 2024.
Yes exactly! Just like those that still are fearful should wear masks, the rest of us should not!
Richard, Sean and Mickey, I totally agree. Covid accines should be a choice, like any other vaccine. It’s not our governments job to be promoting and rewarding the vaccine. Isn’t it about time we let people decide for themselves to do whatever they please as long as they don’t harm others. Those who decide to get ANY vaccine, fine. Those who do not, fine. The choice is ours, not the governments.
I agree, getting to 70% is going to be difficult. Mainly because we have politicized the decision. Instead of people realizing that it’s not just about protecting yourself, but that getting to 70% (herd immunity really) is about protecting those people who are vulnerable AND can’t take the vaccine for medical reasons. Also, your comment about children not getting sick from COVID is a bit off. According to the CDC “While children have been less affected by COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and some children develop severe illness. Children with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness compared to children without underlying medical conditions.” So, again, it’s about the “WE”, and not about the “ME”. So, I don’t blame Hawaii’s leadership for choosing the metrics that they have. If the “ME” attitude prevents the islands from reaching 70%, then other protections will need to be kept in place.
Any word about Canadian vaccine cards being accepted at the same time with the US mainland vaccine cards?