For starters, when do you wear a mask in Hawaii? Read further for details.
182 thoughts on “Lack of Visitor Information Already Resulted in 5,000 Police Warnings/Citations”
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I think the implementation of an educational required video is a good step in communication. However, it needs to start before that. It would be useful for all airlines that serve Hawaii to have a required statement that you are agreeing to comply with Hawaii health mandates when you purchase your airline tickets.
The fact that you don’t feel the need to wear a mask should not be excused. You might not have brought it into Hawaii, but you certainly can spread it by being exposed to infected locals.
Visitors may have a negative COVID test but it could be too early to detect the virus. Also without a mask you could catch COVID from someone and spread it. Masks will be around for a long time so just wear it. I postponed my Feb 2021 trip until Feb 2022 so I can hopefully enjoy the Big Island the way I have in the past. Aloha, mask up and stay safe.
Jean S
Myself and my family are having trouble finding a place to test. Most places
say they need 3 to five days to get the results and no one on the list is willing
to give POC or Rapid test. We only have Walgreens here or 100 miles away CVS.
We would appreciate any tips you could give that will help with our testing.
Mahalo
Hi Jean.
As other comments have suggested, try using mail-in testing through Vault.
Aloha.
The State publishes an Agricultural Form for arrivals; visitors or residents or Kama’aina. How difficult is it to publish a piece of paper that says shwen you leave your hotel room, house or apartment, wear a mask. Only exceptions while actually Eating. Children under 5 and those with medical certificates. It is not hard. it is folks being lazy. We have seen stupid people posting social media of themselves breaking quarantine and then being surprised when they are fined and deported. It applies to Locals, Residents and Visitors. You leave the house put on your mask and your slippahs.
Visitors do not appear to understand how little that their pre-travel tests actually guarantee about their virus status. It can take 7 days after exposure for your test results to come back positive, and you can take a test 3 days before arrival. This gives you a period of up to roughly 10 days where you can acquire the virus, still test negative, and bring it to the islands.
Hawaii residents are very aware of this, as these risks were well-debated in the run up to the reopening. The current testing regime is intended to just reduce the case count to a manageable number.
So yes, you need to wear your mask, and for very good reason.
I’m not wearing a mask outside period. Any state I visit. There’s no need to wear one walking outside. When you go up to an establishment, I put it on. But not just walking down the street of shops or the beach or outside on your resort. Hilton waikoloa is huge. Not gonna wear a mask while walking around that place. Or in a state park hiking. That’s ridiculous.
Be prepared to be challenged and fined. You must wear one if hawaii says you have to. You are the very reason we have put off our trip for. Year
Cindy, the rules are:
“Persons over the age of 5 years old must wear a face mask or covering while outside their place of residence (as defined in Rule 1). The face mask or cloth must be worn while in all public spaces, including on public or shared transportation, unless specifically provided for otherwise in these rules.
Masks and other facial coverings shall not be required:
1. at or inside a private residence;
inside a private automobile, provided the only occupants are members of the same household or residence;
3. inside a hotel, motel, or commercial lodging establishment guest room, or inside any apartment;
4. of persons who cannot wear a mask or facial covering due to an existing medical condition;
5. of an individual who is hearing impaired or an individual who is communicating with an individual who is hearing impaired;
6. where federal or state safety or health regulations prohibit the wearing of facial coverings;
7. of persons actively engaged in strenuous outdoor physical activity provided adequate social distancing is both possible and practiced;
8. of persons swimming or engaged in other activities that may cause the facial covering to become wet;
9. while persons are actively eating, drinking, or smoking; and
10. while a person is receiving services that require access to that person’s nose or mouth.
I don’t see anything that says “and if Cindy doesn’t feel she needs to” in the list above. There is, however, plenty of room for some common sense. For example, if you’re out on a hiking trail, all by yourself or with members of your family, no mask is necessary. However, if you come across someone else on the trail, and you can’t maintain that 6 feet of then you need to put on your mask. Personally, when I go out for a walk or run, I wear a gaiter around my neck so that if I come across someone else, I can put it on before i get to close, and then take it off once we pass.
So running/hiking maskless is ok as long as 6′ is maintained(see Joerg’s Rule #7 above)? I normally run with a buff and pull it up when approaching someone
Mahalo for the warning Karen!
Your right the madks are not fullproof its just more oppression from local gov. Known fact the virus lives for hours on your skin and most surfaces that we touch numerous times a day . Are going to wash your hands every time you touch just yourself its ridiculous rules that are not laws
Hello! We arrived on Oahu on 10/15. Overall it has been a great experience. Check in at the airport was a bit slow, but it was also the first day. We had to show our negative covid test from the travel partner, our QR code, the hotel information, return travel itinerary
and drivers license.
We are seeing everything from super cautious people to others who are carefree. My impression is that most of the visitors are wearing masks in public, but not when alone or with their own group.
We see lots of people, who appear to be local, that don’t wear masks.
Check in at the resort was smooth but also slow as each of us had to provide the covid test and drivers license and we got instructions on what is allowed and not allowed.
Many stores, attractions and events are closed. We were fortunate to find a catamaran / snorkel company taking people out on tours. Only selling half capacity. So 12 people were on the ride.
The Kualoa Ranch and Waimea Falls areas are only open on Thursday through Sunday so make sure you plan ahead!
Polynesian Cultural Center, Dole Plantation. Turtle Bay. All luaus are closed. Tons of stores and restaurants are closed, many permanently – it is very sad. Also seeing tons of homeless everywhere.
Every restaurant that we have visited has taken down our information. Name, home address, phone number, some want email and also want hotel information. One took our temperature before allowing us inside.
We also visited the Swap Meet and many vendors asked if we were supposed to quarantine. But we let them know we did all the pre-travel testing so are exempt. Many locals don’t know what tourists have to go through to be here. It was still enjoyable to shop here and we got great deals!
Also visited the AZ Memorial. We made reservations the day before (they only open one day at a time)
Good luck to all who made it over here!
Thank you for doing things the right way
Flu cases and deaths should be way down this year right?!?!?
I mean, the State of Hawaii acknowledged a worse than normal flu season is expected… but, but masks, masks, masks. Hell, why would we even need a flu vaccine this year?
BTW, locals are not wearing masks any more than anybody else. They are just trying to shame the tourists and the tourist industry.
Sorry, that’s not true. Hawaii is #4 in mask-wearing in the country, somewhere between 72% and 85% depending on the county. You can see that on the State website: hawaiicovid19.com.
And how are the statistics being done
If you need to be told about the difference between influenza and CV-19 (a virulent coronavirus), then what I am writing probably doesn’t matter to you. To others less set in their opinions, maybe.
From the CDC: “There are some key differences between flu and COVID-19. COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu and causes more serious illnesses in some people. It can also take longer before people show symptoms and people can be contagious for longer. Another important difference is there is a vaccine to protect against flu. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus. More information about differences between flu and COVID-19 is available in the different sections below. (see cdc.gov).
Aloha Guys
Sorry that I scooped you on this subject, but it is a good topic.
OMG enough with the I’m wearing a mask at all times posts good for you, but it isn’t about you it’s about the 5,000 others on Oahu who aren’t wearing a mask.
And for the others that keep posting why wear a mask if everyone is tested. The one fact that has been true with reopening of a country, state or island is covid cases have spiked each and every time.
Just look at New Zealand, Iceland and Australia all with very strict mask policy all spiked after reopen.
Tensions are high on the islands 5,000 warnings & citations about lack of mask wearing is only fueling the negative view that Hawaiian residents have for tourists.
Hi Richard.
Thanks for being an active part of this!
Aloha.
We’ve discovered in Europe that people travelling on vacation want to get away from the pandemic. So they don’t want to wear masks and social distance. That’s what they have to do at home. They’re on vacation so surely the rules that they live with at home don’t apply?!
And they’re also going to think, that they have a negative test so they don’t have it. Forgetting the test result just shows they didn’t have it on that day and they may still be incubating the virus.
Thanks for keeping us up to date with what is happening. It’s interesting watching from afar and reminds me that there are all these wonderful places to go visit when we all get over this.
Hi Fran.
Thanks. We are both veteran travelers and also look forward to the return of trip-taking.
Aloha.