Governor Ige late yesterday approved the mandatory contact tracing requirement for all travelers from both the mainland and interisland to Maui. We have more details on when that starts and how it will work below. When contact tracing on Maui was first proposed, you were outspoken and mostly opposed to the idea in the comments we received.
Tip: You must download the AlohaSafe Alert App on your phone before departing for Maui. If you do it on arrival, it’s too late (see below).
Interestingly, the governor found the issue adequately compelling to issue yesterday’s emergency health rule. At the same time, however, that left us wondering why it would not apply to the entire State of Hawaii rather than just Maui arrivals.
One of the most frequent complaints you’ve addressed for months now is the inconsistency of rules between islands, and here is just another example of that still happening.
Lastly, it is interesting to note that there are a few limited exemptions to the requirement.
Contract tracing app controversy.
Last summer, the government’s NIH said about these apps, “Contact-tracing apps might be an effective way of controlling the pandemic through the next phases. However, to be effective, contact tracing must be supported not only by solid technology, capable of minimizing the risk of attacks but also by a system offering safe communication with appropriate authorities.”
A Brookings Institute article stated, “Contact-tracing apps have to be administered by someone, and that someone is usually a government-led public health system. Many communities have deep and justified concerns that their governments will use the public health crisis to expand surveillance and violate their rights, and continued, “We worry that contact-tracing apps will serve as vehicles for abuse and disinformation.”
Exceptions to the Maui contact tracing requirements.
There are only a few situations that will not require the AlohaSafe Alert App. And we aren’t sure if all of them even make sense. Consider number three, for example. In any event, the exceptions are as follows:
1. Use an alternative contact tracing app. (Must be a Google-Apple Exposure Notification System).
2. Anyone under the age of 18. (Makes sense).
3. Those who do not possess a mobile device, when at least one person in the party has the app. (Here, they assume that everyone stays together on a Maui vacation when we know that’s not the case).
Go to Pre-Health Emergency Rules to read the proclamation.
New Contact Tracing Rules Start 1/19/21.
The latest emergency rules read as follows. “All travelers into Maui County, whether interisland or transpacific, who wish to avoid quarantine by pre-testing within the State’s Safe Travels Program, must additionally download either the AlohaSafe Alert application or another Google-Apple Exposure Notification System application, or enable their exposure notification setting on their mobile device. Proof of registration, such as showing airport screeners or any law enforcement officer, the application installed or setting enabled on a traveler’s mobile device, is required. Failure to register with an exposure notification system before arrival into Maui County shall result in mandatory quarantine, except for any individual under the age of 18 or who does not possess a mobile device. Only for those who do not possess a mobile device, at least one individual in their traveling party will be required to comply.”
We appreciate your thoughts.
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Travis says
This is scary… so essentially they are goin to know where you are all times? And if you are close to someone it will let them know? Wow I couldn’t hate this idea more. This is up there with forced vaccination but maybe a bit more terrifying.
PAM M says
I’d like to say that I don’t disagree with any requirements that have been put forth.
People have choices. If you so desire to visit our islands, do so without complaint. The COVID-19 cases are stacking up and our hospitals are filling up.
This is an unprecedented pandemic of epic proportions.
Yes, the economy is fragile. Yes, money is a necessary evil.
But please keep in mind, lives lost cannot be replaced.
Who amongst you can decide who will die because of the carelessness of others?
Until adequate testing and a proven success rate from the vaccine is established, it’s a crap shoot.
Mahalo Beat of Hawai’i for all you do for others. You’re simply amazing.
Aloha and blessings to all🌺
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Pam.
Thanks for both your kindness and wisdom.
Aloha.
Dave W says
I agree with Pam’s remarks about my choice to come as a tourist and especially that lives lost can’t be replaced. This brings me to my concern about seeing locals gather at the beach. I am on Maui for five weeks. Two down. I see large groups of locals with no masks hugging when they meet and greet at the beach. Perhaps an extended rainy season would be good for knocking down the Covid numbers. Yesterday I wanted additional books for the beach so I headed to the mall and the friends of the library used book store (which is a great store). Again, we saw local young men not wearing masks in the mall. Maui has it figured out how to harness the actions of the incoming. It is time for Maui to work on the locals who threaten our life.
Christine says
I am confused as to why the app has to be downloaded prior to arrival. What are they looking for? Does it say when it was activated and where you have been? Why can’t it be downloaded at the airport? I imagine there are A LOT of people that are going to be caught by surprise by this…I was and I am living on Oahu. I would think letting people download it after arrival would prevent a lot of ticked off tourists that thought they were jumping through all the hoops and then STILL have to be quarantined.
Jared R says
Oh Hawaii…. just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water. Ige is back at it making rules that only apply to some, and are difficult to interpret or enforce. I so want to return to Maui, but just canceled our 10 day vacation with 10 people, and heading back to Cabo. I will kick my flight credits on Hawaiian down the road and hope that the lack of government intelligence dissipates as the virus vaccination continues. I have canceled 4 trips in 2020, and now 0 for 1 in 2021.
Helen S. says
Hi,
Thank you BOH, I have the utmost respect for all of your posts and comments!
I have a separate question that I need help on:
I will be fully vaccinated post 2 weeks, before I have a tentative trip to Kauai. (2/13-2/20). I can change my flight with no change fees and cancel my resort reservation with a full refund. I have booked the 72 hour EMQ bubble at Ko’a Kea resort, and they do have some socially distanced activity there. They are extremely, kind and flexible, and they will allow me to bring my own FDA approved at home rapid antigen COVID test kit, that won’t cost an arm and a leg. (around $25-$50)
It seems that bc I will be a solo traveler and want a mixture of chatting with people here and there, and also nature – people are saying to go to Maui instead of Kauai. I don’t mind turning the tracking app on in Maui, as many of us in San Francisco Bay Area turn it on.
What are people’s thoughts on Kauai vs Maui, if I’m traveling alone? Also Maui will be warmer.
I know that my thoughts go against the grain of most other people’s opinions about HI right now, but I do want to support the economy in a safe way.
Warmly,
Helen
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Helen.
You might get as many opinions of whether to choose Kauai or Maui as there are comments. Hopefully, others will lend a hand. It is all a matter of personal preference. One isn’t inherently better or worse and you will find nature and conversation in either location. The weather could cut either way too. Poipu is warm, as is Kaanapali and South Maui, and warm is relative, given that it is winter. Today is a very cool day in the islands, with a storm going by, a high of 70 and gusty winds.
Aloha.
Helen S. says
Thank you. I decided to go to Maui for 4 nights and get tested the day before leaving for Kauai.
Warmly,
Helen
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Helen.
That sounds like a great plan. Please let us know how it goes.
Aloha.
Roy H says
Hawaii is not what it was. Many places require proof of negative test, restrictive numbers of people in restaurants, pools, beeches, and many other areas. Many places are closed, It’s still a beatiful place but, now it comes with a good many restrictions and wait times.
Aloha Guys
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Roy.
Thanks for the feedback and many comments.
Aloha.
sean says
Maui is a dump outside of the resorts. The mountains and ocean are nice to look at…That’s about it. Drive in any town on Maui NOT associated with a resort, you will be suprised.
The beaches are average at best, especially the ones not fronting a resort. Go to FL or Mexico.
Sandi says
I respectfully disagree Sean. I find upcountry to be absolutely stunning. grandma’s coffee, kula farms, and other local eateries are beautiful as well as delicious. The south hana highway is breathtaking.
I am not happy with the contact tracing either as listed my comments on this thread. Please do not be disrespectful out of dissatisfaction.
I hope you enjoy your vacation whatever the destination.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Sandi.
Thanks for that. We concur with you about Maui’s beauty and have only had good experiences there personally.
Aloha.
Susan M. says
Hello Rob and Jeff, Thank you for the effort you put into keeping travelers informed. BOH is my go-to place to find out what is going on. I’ve read every comment on the contract tracing but I’m still confused as to what happens if it is determined that you’ve been exposed to Covid. Do they locate you and demand you quarantine? Is it for your own personal knowledge? I’m ok with following all the rules, but I’d like to know how this is exactly going to work. Mahalo!
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Susan.
Thank you. It is a peer to peer app from everything we can find. So it is as you said, for your own knowledge, and the app suggests you contact your doctor should that happen.
Aloha.
Linda B says
If it is for our own knowledge why is it mandatory?
Bill S says
What?? Am I missing something here?
If all arriving passengers had to have a negative covid test to get on the aircraft, why in the world would we need to have tracing for them?? They are all Covid free!
If there is community spreading in the islands, can I then expect that every resident in the state of Hawaii be required to immediately submit to the mandatory tracing on their phone as well?
Mahalo
Bill
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Bill.
Being COVID free at the point of testing doesn’t mean that some of those people won’t develop it and test positive subsequently. Also, at this time, the US government has not required that passengers be tested before flying, and thus that cannot be required by the airlines or anyone else.
Aloha.
Frank P. says
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but what you are missing, I think, and what a lot of travelers I’ve talked to have been surprised to learn, is that you do not need to be tested at all to get on a plane. The test is to avoid the quarantine requirement. People are allowed to travel without a test and go into quarantine.
sean says
That is because the average intelligence of many Americans is poor.
It’s the same with those out here that say “close the airports”.
DIANA B says
This starts to get into the scary Big-Government-Will-Control-Everything realm. We have a trip planned to Kona for Feb. 1 and it would be very difficult and expensive to reschedule. That being said, until Hawaii stops stomping on civil liberties I am not going to schedule any more, even though we go 2-3 times per year normally.
Ed N. says
I would like to thank Beat of Hawaii for keeping me informed. I feel so sorry Hawaii. Pre Covid we would travel to Hawaii 2-3 times a year for a few weeks at a time. We are so frustrated with inconsistent rules that I doubt we will be returning for a long time. I hope Hawaii can survive this tragedy so we can return.
randy l says
Aloha, BOH is great. Everything went fine on the way to Maui Test at AFC with Lab Corp Safe travels Hawaii web worked we’ll problem is upon arrival. 1 1/2 hour in line for negative check. But we are here and happy.
Thanks BOH
Aloha
Randy
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Randy.
Thank you. We appreciate you letting us know how everything went and please enjoy your time on Maui.
Aloha.
kathryn O says
Fly Alaska Airlines and get pre checked for neg test. You will get a bracelet that will let you bypass the line. I’m sure they will start checking for tracing app.
maria r. says
this is ludicrous.
the governors have ll gone crazy.
Social control and surveillance is their mission and they r ruining hawaii.
The vaccine is here. they all need to stop.
Mike W says
Things are changing so fast, I bet many people are constantly confused. I was thinking, maybe an Updatable Chart of what is required for Entry to Hawaii and the individual Islands would be a very helpful addition to your web site…. Just a thought…
Randy A. says
Is turning the exposure notifications “on” the same as downloading that app? Or do we still need to put the app on our phone as well if we’re coming to Maui??
Appreciate all the information and time you all devote to this site.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Randy.
Thanks. As with any app, you need to activate/enable it on your phone after downloading.
Aloha.
Richard L. says
Thanks for this disturbing information. There they go again. Politicians, who get paid big bucks and are not affected by the loss in revenue to the state, doing all they can to continue this economic holocaust. They will not be satisfied until there are no more tourists coming to Hawaii. So sad that they are so bent on destroying the state.
Ed. C says
So many good points in all these comments.
What if you don’t own a smartphone (many “seniors” don’t)?
All you have to do is turn it off once you exit the airport – no one will know.
Tourists have to have it but locals don’t. Really? What good is that when 80% of the cases are community spread by locals.
Leave your smartphone in the car or hotel room when you’re at the pool or beach.
Too many more points to list that shows this is just another idiotic government ruling that is simply not enforceable.
Mahalo BOH.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Ed.
Thanks for all of your comments. Just to clarify that it applies to arrivals, no matter whether they are visitors or residents.
Aloha.
Davidsmallllibertarian B says
I suspect Ed C. is referring to Maui residents in general, not just newly arriving-returning ones. As your commenters have pointed out, this only involves [1] new arrivals (tourists or residents) who [2] dutifully obey and leave the app/blue tooth on at all times. It does nothing with respect to everyone else. And “everyone else” is the vast majority of the population on Maui.
Did any the Harbor Lights residents have this app actively running on their phones? And even if all of them did, would it have made any difference?
The more I think about this, the more I see it as a nothing burger. People who think the app a good idea (some of your commenters do) should already be using it without being told to, and regardless if they are recent arrivals. People who don’t like the app, if forced to have it on their phone in order to avoid quarantine at the airport arrival screening, will just turn off their blue tooth after leaving the airport. Problem solved.
I routinely disable blue tooth and GPS/localization on my phone, to avoid being pummeled with spam asking me to “rate” a bus stop or something equally insipid.
Paul M says
My son lives and works on Oahu. When the islands were under 2020 lockdown and only essential workers could be on the roads, he (an essential worker) said he could be stopped on his drive to work by the police and he would need to show his Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard identification card to proceed, or be forced to drive home.
The Maui order (“Public Health Emergency Rules, effective January 19, 2021,” linked on the “Beat of Hawaii” posting) state in Rule 12 (d.) : “”Proof of registration [with the AlohaSafe Alert app] , such as showing airport screeners or any law enforcement officer, the application installed and setting enabled on a traveler’s mobile device, is required.”
So if I turn the Bluetooth off, or disable the app, or delete the app after leaving the airport I run the risk of having a law enforcement officer request proof of registration and I will not be able to comply. Non-compliance may result in mandatory quarantine.
I do not like the Governor’s oders and rules any more than anyone else, but if the Governor’s Maui order expands to Oahu by the time I arrive in February, I am going to have the app loaded, registered and activated and enjoy my visit to Oahu, without the risk of a mandatory quarantine.
Maurice S says
I will now limit my video’s and photos, because l will now be concerned about my battery charge level.
I believe that , guest’s will be of the past and because of the tourist impact on ecology, all of the islands will be by invitation only.
Island’s will return to Native’s and the United States will subsidize the financials.
All in the name of saving Ecology.
KJ S says
I already checked. My IPhone 6 cannot get the app. Your phone has to run IOS 13.5 or greater. I Phone 6 doesn’t get IOS more than 12.
Mary kay M says
Wondering how Hawaii is going to force you to upgrade your phone. So much here that is borders on complete insanity and stupidity.
David B says
They cannot force you to own a phone, let alone an “upgraded” one. However, they can force you into quarantine for ten days. The phone with app is an additional hoop you must leap through to avoid ten days hard time.
Robin D. says
Or you can just find a destination that hasn’t gone completely off the deep end!
Thom A says
These ever changing rules are the very reason we cancelled our month in Hawaii. So bummed but looking ahead to 2022!
Dave says
This tracking is not about the virus it is about Control. This is unconstitutional. This Governor should be removed from office now. Put Fear in the people, controlled their movements, say who can open their business, whom can travel or limit them. Wake Up
Rebecca H says
Well that seals the deal for us. We will cancel our scheduled 2-week stay in Maui in February. We will not participate in such an incredible government overreach with no clear benefit. Too bad. We will go elsewhere for vacation. Love Hawaii but not enough to submit to this!
Ken H says
I have CA Contact as I am a CA resident. Aloha Safe disables any other contact tracing program. I have to ha e Aloha Safe before I leave CA.
Does CA Contact qualify as an alternative tracing program? If not then HI is being arrogant and again biting the hand that feeds HI’s people.