A bill just put before the Hawaii legislature seeks to provide vaccinated visitors the ability to come to Hawaii without further testing. Hawaii still has mandatory mask wearing for locals and visitors. You have asked about this repeatedly, and the State Senate wants to put pressure on Governor Ige to act sooner than later.
Senate Resolution 53 says it is “Urging the governor to allow travelers arriving at points within Hawaii, including interisland travelers, to bypass the mandatory ten-day quarantine if they provide proof that they received both doses of a covid-19 vaccine.” (We think they forgot to include the one dose, Johnson and Johnson).
One of the bill’s authors, State Senator Donna Kim, wants to help reopen Hawaii travel safely. The only requirement would be proof of completed vaccination. Kim said, “With over 400,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered statewide, our policies need to be reflective of not just our mass vaccination efforts, but of the medical advice from the CDC. By easing travel restrictions for vaccinated individuals, we can provide a safe approach to reopening our tourism industry and rebooting our economy.”
Governor Ige and Lt. Governor Green, to our knowledge, has not yet commented on the bill, which is intended to allow both mainland and interisland travel exemption for fully vaccinated individuals.
The resolution would not be legally binding by itself but rather is intended to put pressure on the dawdling governor, who has been ruling via his emergency powers regarding COVID in the past year.
Yesterday’s CDC Update omitted Hawaii travel guidance, although both had been expected, and it is slated to happen soon. Governor Ige said yesterday that a change to Safe Travels to include a testing exemption for vaccinated visitors could come as early as May. Previously he’d intimated a timeframe of from spring through summer. For now, there is no assurance of any date for this change to occur. The governor said yesterday that he expects to see widely administered vaccinations by May, which will be his signal to make changes in the Safe Travels program. He said, “That’s about the timeline that we may be looking at changes when the majority are vaccinated, and we don’t see the spread of the virus at the levels we are (at) right now.
I know that this is off subject, but we’re wondering why rental car prices are double what they were for our last trip in 2019. We are planning an August trip to Maui. Do you think prices will come down eventually?
Had to cancel 50th Anniversary trip for this past November. Still looking to get to Maui in May, and both of us will be vaccinated with both doses before then. We will be traveling from East Coast of Mainland USA, and the current pre-flight testing requirement is confusing. Is it 72hrs before we begin our trip, or 72hrs before our final leg that we must test negative? A vaccination passport would make this a lot easier, as the need to get the results before starting the travel will be difficult.
Hi Joseph.
Without any plans for a vaccination passport yet, you will need to comply with testing to avoid quarantine. You need to test with a Trusted Partner only within 72 hours of your flight which goes from the mainland to Hawaii.
Aloha.
I just got the one dose J&J vaccine yesterday. Knowing Hawaii they will not put the J&J people in their no quarantine bill. Hawaii needs to get up to date with science.
Please answer. Will an 18 year old need vaccinations to travel to Hawaii??
Hi Julie.
At present, the exemptions to quarantine are for those tested, and there is no vaccination exemption yet. Having said that, yes, the minimum age for required testing is 5 years.
Aloha.
Hi!
My daughter is 4, how does this policy apply if children are under 5? Do they automatically have to quarantine or does this mean they do not have to take the 72 hour test and will not have to quarantine once on the island? Thank you for clarifying! Also, what is the most accurate website for Hawaii travel information (besides your site of course). I have found conflicting information on the Hawaiian governments’ own COVID webpages.
Hi Linsay.
Under 5 will have no requirements for testing or quarantine at this time. The most authoritative site is https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/.
Aloha.
Thank you so much!
Vaccines are available to 16 and older so yes they would need to be vaccinated.
I’ll be visiting my daughter in Maui in May and I must say your requirements are certainly confusing. I’m fully vaccinated and very healthy. Can you help me?
Dear Marlene, as of right now in order to travel to Hawaii you have to supply a negative covid test result.
Excellent. The vaccine passport is a great idea. We are hoping to come in June and supposedly we will get our vaccines here in oregon in may! Do your part. Wear a mask, socially distance and get that damned vaccine! So we can all get back to normal finally
Darn looks like we will miss the vacciation passport! We will be vaccinated by the time of travel. Interval Int told me that I would lose my two weeks at the Ko Olina Marriott if I didnt use them now. They were already rescheduled from last year which was covid cancelled. So now we are planning on coming on April 24 for two weeks. The resort only lets you use the pool or a beach chair for two hours a day. You have to make the reservation 24 hours in advance.fun times. We will wear our vacay masks and deal but the bigger issue is finding a trusted testing partner in rural upstate NY where there are more cows than people. the only test I could find that promises results in time is in Rochester NY and will involve four hours in the car. ugh I wish I could just go to my urgent care but they arent on the list. Local walgreens says results in 7 days.If I wasnt so averse to losing our vacation weeks, I would just stay home. Crazy time to travel. Are there any restrictions at beaches like Kailua or turtle bay’s beach? If we bring our own chairs will we be able to swim and snorkel like usual?
Aloha
The update is welcome. I , too, wonder about the expiration date of a vaccine. I was led to believe by CDC and Dr Fouchi, that a vaccine would protect a person for a long time- maybe a year or more.
The scientific information is lacking on the timeline of protection a vaccine provides.
Wish we knew more….
Judy R
Aloha🌸 So if you don’t want that poison and experiment Vaccine in your body you need to quarantine for 10 days? What about the PCR test 72 hours is that still going to be good? I hope They are not going to punish people if they don’t want the vaccine. Mahalo
Hi KD.
Yes, testing is the only current exemption to quarantine. That has not changed.
Aloha.
why do you not want the vaccine? Do you not believe in science? I suppose you have never been vaccinated for anything? Seems very unsafe to me
These vaccines are experimental, have only Emergency Use Authotization (EUA) and only a few months of safety and efficacy data. We have no idea what longterm complications there may be. Add to that the fact that the pharm companies are protected from lawsuits under the Emergency Preparedness Act of 2005, and that protection is permanent, I see lots of issues with taking these vaccs. If the J&J vacs looks good in 2 to 3 years, I would consider it, but I will never take any mrna vaccs. Miss Maui and Kauai but I will not risk my longterm health to travel.
Aloha Lynn. Your mostly intelligent observations came close to the anti-vax cliff in your misunderstanding the science and development of mRNA. The idea of introduction diving an antibody alert protein into the spike of the CV has been around since 2000. Your opinions should be heard, just not your complete understanding of microbiology. The mRNA is higher in efficacy because of its approach to defeating the virus.
Thanks James for the information and thanks beat of Hawai’i for this great Hawai’i travel blog , I do think that if you don’t want the vaccine then of course don’t get the vaccine but don’t expect the state of Hawai’i to cater to your beliefs , you will for the foreseeable future need to quarantine or get the pre travel test . With so much of the population deciding on not getting the vaccine the possibility of a third wave of covid as Europe is experiencing now is quite possibly in the USA soon . Hawai’i must protect is vulnerable residents and travelers can come to Hawai’i but don’t expect Hawai’i to adjust their safeguards . This is just a guess but I expect the quarantine to be in place for all of 2021.
Hi Tim.
Thanks. Appreciate the input on vaccine travel and quarantine.
Aloha.
Wasn’t it VP Elect Harris who told us a few short months ago that “she wouldn’t be getting the Trump Vaccine anytime soon”. I wonder how many thousands of people are not getting the vaccine because of her irresponsible statement?
Aloha Curtis. Memories may be short. Context matters. Harris observed Donald’s irresponsible intrusions into vax development in an obvious attempt to juice his failed run for a second term. Personally, if Donald had stamped his approval ahead of the FDA, I would have taken that same action. Would you take his word over the FDA?
no she never said that stop watching fixed news and get some real news, PS this is not supposed to be a political site. Dont like the vaccine or dont want to get it fine by us but stop complaining about it
I’m getting my second dose of Pfizer this coming Monday Paul. I’m a firm believer in vaccines, no matter who is in the White House. Unfortunately, VP Harris didn’t feel that way a few months ago and did a disservice to the American public.
can you source that comment you indicate she made? I did a full search for it and didn’t find anything connotation wise that way?! Good for you on the Vaccine. I cannot wait. I miss my granddaughters most!
Once again let provide the actual contest of her remarks. At the time Donald declared that he wanted to rush the vaccine out of production. What Harris said was that in no way would she submit to a vaccine that was rushed or politically influenced. She would wait for a full, FDA sanctioned vaccine.