It isn’t just weird in stores; it is strange just walking around now. So long as the CDC guidelines on mask-wearing were in place, people largely followed the rules. Then the rules seemed to change all of a sudden, everywhere except here in Hawaii. Hmmm.
Hawaii and New Jersey stand-alone in states still retaining mask mandate.
Despite this week’s CDC guidance no longer requiring masks in most situations, Hawaii visitors and those of us who live here try to follow the state’s ongoing mask orders. The same is true in New Jersey, while in California, it is soon ending. In an interesting contrast, however, between these holdout states, New Jersey has the densest population in the country, whereas Hawaii, largely based on Honolulu’s population concentration, ranks just 13th. And while New Jersey has 9+ million residents, Hawaii has just 1.5 million.
To say the least, it is confusing to have the federal government say one thing and the state appear to say the exact opposite.
Governor Ige said that Hawaii would not remove its mask mandate at this time.
The mandate states that everyone wears a mask when it isn’t possible to maintain six feet of distance from anyone not in their household. That is true without regard to vaccination status.
Ige said, “At this point in time, with the majority of our community not vaccinated, and we are not able to determine whether someone is vaccinated or not, we will continue to maintain the mask mandate here in the state of Hawaii. The challenge is it’s impossible to determine who’s vaccinated and who’s not vaccinated.”
It is estimated that 40% of Hawaii’s residents are currently fully vaccinated.
Still pack your masks for Hawaii.
This may well not continue for long. But in the interim, we all need to keep our masks in hand—the order mandates mask-wearing at beaches, parks, and even on hiking trails.
Here’s what we see on hiking trails and beaches.
We’ve both been hiking a lot lately here in Hawaii. And guess what, there are almost no masks in sight anywhere. That is until people need to pass by you in the opposite direction. Some mask up when that happens, but most others do not. At beaches, most people do not mask anywhere, from the parking lot to the sand. Mostly because it’s easy to keep that 6-foot distance. At Hawaii farmers’ markets, we see some visitors going without masks which becomes an issue when approaching a vendor and when in line.
A complicated situation in stores and businesses too.
Stores prominent in Hawaii, including Costco and Walmart, have already announced they have dropped their mask requirements for fully vaccinated customers. But not here in Hawaii. Here, masks are still mandated in all of their stores.
So the burden of enforcement has fallen on businesses ill-equipped to manage the fast-changing situation and the enforcement burden. But I guess no one in the government thought about how this was all going to play out on the street. So, as a result, we’ve heard not only of violence on Hawaii flights but there have been problems in typically peaceful shopping environments.
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Governor Ige has no idea what he is doing or the damage to the Business Community that pays the State Taxes, a State that is 98% Tourist and Military driven. The Bureaucrat’s in Government, all remain employed, receiving un-interrupted Paycheck’s, Benefits and hence have no idea what the Citizenry is going through. At a time when Herd Immunity has been reached and is the real Science, debating Vaccine’s, while having those travelling to Hawaii take a Test showing Negative results with-in 72 Hours, at an Add-Collect of $192/Head additionally should facilitate a speedy entry. Travelers, minimally are travelling 10 hours masked from the West Coast, possibly 20 or more from the East Coast breathing their own carbon dioxide, for what is a greatly diminished experience, that Ige wants it both ways.
Arrived in Maui earlier this week and experienced worst process I’ve ever seen. Take the COVID process away from the Hawaiian govt. We waited in line for 1.5 hours to have my QR code processed. Finally got to the 1st station and the clerk scanned the code and then manually typed in information with ONE finger for each family member while 3 other clerks watched not practicing social distancing.Then we were sent to another station and asked for vaccine cards? It was not a requirement per my understanding (maybe metrics). We showed the card but they did not even check the names! Then we were given a little tag and went to the next station and had to put the tag in a basket? Then a security guard said we could go. After 2 hours we were finally done. A monkey with a tablet good improve this process. Hawaii residents need to recall there governor before he destroys the Hawaii economy. Once out of the airport it gets worse. We saw cops giving tickets to tourists for not wearing mask while homeless people were all around begging and not wearing mask.
Ugh. Coming in two weeks. I wish I had postponed this trip another year but we are coming! I will comply with what I am asked to do but outdoor masking is ridiculous as is the testing I am forced to pay for despite being vaccinated.
The homemade masks that better than 50 percent (a low estimate) of people are wearing have been proven to be far less effective than just maintaining a reasonable distance, and are predomanently ineffective at preventive transmission of disease. In fact, with the exception of someone coughing, spitting or sneezing on you directly, they are pretty much useless. The micron particles of Covid will sit on, and get around most masks that don’t have a respirator system the prevents molecules of this size. Even those must be changed or cleaned frequently.
The stone cold reality is that most people don’t change (or wash) their masks frequently enough, and they become a breeding ground for germs and potential viruses.
Most of you pushing “the science” you claim to know are only spewing rhetoric you have bought in too. There are several scientific studies compiled over the decades on the effectiveness of masks. The clearly don’t do as much as most think.
What has been most effective is people are actually sanitizing and washing their hands more frequently. The amount of nasty people walking out of a public bathroom without washing their hands has diminished drastically over the last year…incase you haven’t noticed, and people are actually making an effort to step aside or walk around, rather than brushing by you, when there is space to do so.
It utter ridiculousness how far some people have gone, off the deep end “Howie-Mandell-ing” their new germaphobia. People driving in their car, walking, or even running alone, while wearing a mask that’s inefficient at best.
Only in Hawaii do you have to wear a mask through a drive-thru, where there is a plexiglass shield, yet they still give you back your change in a cup that they and others have to touch, with the money that literally hundreds of others have already touched…yes, they do this at Taco Bell.
This kind of nonsense just proves to me that far too many people have no clue what the science actually says or is…
Don’t like the rules don’t go. Pretty easy
Good grief. Why do doctors wear masks?
Before 2020, had you *ever* seen a doctor wearing a mask outside of an operating room?
Shoot! I thought I had woken up from this nightmare. I must still be asleep.
Go back to sleep. Hawaii still has several more months of Covid panic to get through. Try again in the fall.
When is HI going to pull their butts out of their behinds? This is ridiculous. On top of all the other ridiculousness. YOu will accept a test from a drug store but not a hospital. You arrest people for not wearing masks outside…dumb dumb dumb. Now HI knows more than the CDC
States rights are something we enjoy in America. The beauty is if you don’t like what a state does you have the option to go somewhere else. I understand Florida is wide open for business if you don’t want to wear a mask. Current covid cases a day in Florida = 2,983 and 60 deaths a day as of May 20, 2021. I personally prefer to wear a mask in Hawaii. God bless America! Aloha!!
Correction – According to the FL Dept of Health, Florida had 6 deaths (not 60) on May 20, followed by 1 death on May 21 and 1 death on May 22. And that’s with a population of 21.6 million compared to Hawaii’s population of 1.45 million. You simply can’t compare the two states. Here’s the reality. You can’t keep COVID-19 out of Hawaii unless you stop ALL travel including Matson shipping and lock everyone inside their house forever. Hawaii needs to get their vaccination rates over 70 percent of the population to create the “herd immunity”. Aloha
No problem wearing mask despite being vaccinated weeks ago. What sort of Covid test or documentation is required at the airport on arrival on Maui? Thanks in advance.
Hi Vicky.
Be sure to comply precisely with the requirements found here. https://hawaiicovid19.com/.
Aloha.
Hi Vicky.
As others have reported, yes it is.
Aloha.
Hawaii is an island with limited resources nearby unlike the other states mentioned. Plus around 30k plus people traveling here each day it puts Hawaii in a unique category. With the strict rules that have been in place here all year I am not surprised by this at all. Plus our numbers have remained the same for quite some time. Not really improving or getting worse.
I don’t give a rip about masks. If they will let me travel on my vaccination passport and want me to wear a mask. So be it, just let me travel to Kauai without all the hassle
Hi thanks for the article , I am in Waikiki now and most everyone is wearing a mask outside . My hotel will immediately send you out to street or to your room if you don’t have a mask . My hotel also made me read and initial the guidelines regarding no non hotel guest allowed on hotel property . Hotel has a warning sign on front door of hotel and elevator door . I was also in Waikiki in January and thinks now are about the same as far as restrictions at stores and restaurants. I have no problem with this but it does make it difficult to get into some restaurants due to table spacing . If these restrictions bother you it might be best to not come to Hawaii now .
Aloha BOH Mask Mandate Warriors
In Sacramento California they’ve started a new program where government officials are going door to door asking people if they’ve gotten vaccinated.
I’m a business owner in Oroville CA I’ve never mandated mask wearing in our business. In a year and half none of my employees or customers have contracted Covid, none.
Last weekend we visited Mendocino CA it was if I’d landed in one of those Hollywood movies where the whole town had been taken over by an alien virus. Some shops had just opened demanding double masking and use of hand sanitizer before entering the store.
It was a very bad vibe many tourist just walked away didn’t enter the stores.
As a business owner if I was as concerned about spreading covid as badly as those stores in Mendocino I wouldn’t bothered to be opened.
On the bright side I scored some great local swag from a Mendocino store that given up and basically given things away.
Governor Ige makes a good point when he says that it’s impossible to tell who is vaccinated and who isn’t. I don’t care for wearing a mask but I’m the only one who knows for sure that I’m vaccinated. Obviously, if/when we have lots of unvaccinated/unmasked people mingling lots of infections will result. They key is for more people to get vaccinated and their reluctance to do so is prolonging the agony that we’ve all been through.
Sorry I dont think it’s that confusing. The CDC is providing GUIDANCE. Your State, municipality or even the property owner has a right to REQUIRE the wearing of masks. Just follow the rules. Stuff a mask in your pocket just in case you need to use it. How hard is that? People are more intelligent than this article thinks.
We’re leaving for Hawaii; then, Kauai next week from our home in Northern CA and will happily follow the local rules. We’ve been spending as much time as we could afford for the past 40+ years, and feel blessed to be able to spend time in the islands. We have been vaccinated since the beginning, but respect the challenges that Hawaii has with respect to medical response to the virus, particularly on the smaller islands. Kudo’s to Kauai’s mayor who protected his constituents to the fullest. From the beginning, he offered some of the best COVID updates I saw. We lost lots of money with our cancellations over the year, but know it was for the greater good. We are ready to celebrate some island spirit very soon–masks and all! Aloha, and thanks for your great site!
Hi Karla.
Thank you. Have a great time in the islands!
Aloha.
Every state has the right to require whatever they deem necessary for the safety of it’s constituents. If someone doesn’t want to comply with a states mandate they should not visit that state.
Thank you for the mask update. Here in CA we technically have a mask mandate until June 15th, but stores like Target, Walnart etc dont always police it. We were just in Las Vegas and although every casino had notices posted no masks if vaccinated, masks if you’re not vaccinated, I’d say 90% of the people didn’t wear a mask. We’ve been vaccinated, did not wear a mask unless a specific store required it, but continue with the sanitizer because it was available everywhere.
Many in the scientific community think the CDC jumped the gun. They issued the statement without informing interested parties first.
Many stores and businesses here on the mainland are continuing mask requirements. Trader Joe’s first lifted requirement then reinstated it.
Hawaii may only have 1.5 million residents, but over 10 million visited in 2019. That total will be down in 2021.
The Governor kept saying they were waiting on guidance from the CDC, but when he gets it, he doesn’t follow it….especially in regards to vaccinated travelers who STILL have to get a 72 hr test!!!
Cdc recommends states govern
Hawaii is worse than New Jersey? That’s really sad.
I will avoid any visits to Hawaii until there is some common sense regarding face masks. Although I have been vaccinated, I don’t cherish the thought of being harassed by anyone thinking I am not, and giving me the “stink-eye”.
your entire premise is ridiculous. Id is required for so many things. A mask is an easy thing to enforce and frankly those who actually respect said establishment will follow the rules and not make a scene. Would you rather have the states make it a criminal law so that police could get involved? Just wear a mask dont complain and we can all get back to normal soon!
CDC says no longer necessary for vaccinated . I’ll trust scientists over politicians.
“your entire premise is ridiculous.”
What premise is ridiculous? Did you mean to reply to another comment?
“Id is required for so many things.”
You may not be aware of this, but there is a vigorous debate going on in this country about whether people should be required to produce a valid government ID in order to exercise their basic rights. And I doubt people are being turned away from receiving a vaccine shot for lack of a valid government ID. For example, at clinics that treat the homeless or “undocumented”. Getting people vaccinated is more important than “only if you show me your ID.”
“Just wear a mask dont complain”
Knock yourself out.
I am amazed at the hostage taking of our lives to enforce compliance with a moving target: “just do XXXX so we can all get back to normal soon!!!”. The often ignored alternative is that we could treat this like we do every other vaccine-able disease and leave it up to the individual as to what they want to do. Get you vaccine and wear a mask, don’t get a vaccine and don’t wear a mask, whatever you feel best protects you and the ones you love. It is also nice to see the unknown mouse (anonymouse, get it?) in the comment above advocating for ID for things that are important, like flying to Hawaii, buying beer, driving, or voting (on American Idol, of course. We can’t have people voting twice!)?
I agree 100%, Harvey. Remember, this all started with “15 DAYS to Slow the Spread” – now 15 MONTHS later we are talking about vaccine passports and yearly booster shots. Meanwhile, there’s Texas and Florida and South Dakota and Georgia and Utah and on and on – no restrictions and no worse outcomes. Please wake up friends! I want to see your smiles again.
Mahalo.
Spoken like a true follower!
Anonymouse: how about the states simply follow the science. If you’re vaccinated, you can’t transmit the virus, if you’re vaccinated you won’t get sick if you do get exposed. This has been about power and government trying to control our lives since the beginning, next will be lockdowns in the name of global warming.
Lol no there won’t good lord paranoid much?
California has also not changed its rules as of yet. I believe they are talking about June 15 as the date for any changes – just fyi!
You know, when you’re all masked up at the grocery store – When you go down the soap / laundry aisle and smell all those fragrances? Yeah – That’s how effective your mask is.
Our government has become far too fond of exerting its newfound power / control over us and this should be remembered at election time. Texas dropped ALL masking requirements and were called Neanderthals for doing it and were warned about the huge wave in infections it would cause. That wave never materialized. Masks are not effective and never have been. Lockdowns are not effective and never have been.
This is an old wives tale. The particles that cause odors are extremely tiny molecules. Although the COVID-19 virus is a microscopic microorganism, it still is much, much larger than the molecules that would cause odors to be smelled.
Just got back from my local supermarket out here in Wydaho. Masks went away several weeks ago. No employees wearing them that I saw. There were still some customers wearing them. All of the floor tape squares indicating were people were supposed to stand in line are gone. The only remnants were the plexiglass shields at the check stands not yet removed. The masked and unmasked people were able to co-exist.
Thinking back on our 3.5 months on Kauai this past fall/winter, the only times we wore them was when we were in one of the stores (Walmart, Costco, Foodland), or for “Mask Theatre” when walking into or out of a restaurant, or putting gas in the car at Costco. Never wore or saw one out on the beach. But, without tourists, the beaches were very empty. Wearing them on hiking trails makes no sense to me. You pass people for what, two-three seconds, outdoors.
You do need to be mindful when you travel. When in Rome and all that. We were recently in Calif for a week plus, and was definitely a throw back compared with Wydaho. For example, the drinking fountains and water bottle fill stations at SLC airport were open and working, whereas the ones at Oakland airport were covered in trash bags with a big “due to Covid” signs. But, at least the bathrooms were open/functioning.
On Oahu now at a resort. It’s not too much of an issue on property or at the stores. Majority of folks are masked. Not in the pool area. Seems ok and calm.
California is keeping the mask mandate until June 15.
Nobody is following the California mandate, except inside stores where required.
Actually, California still has mask mandates in some places, although it was announced today that we would be ending all those on June 15th. Overall the CDC announcements on masks have caused a lot of confusion since the CDC only recommends, and individual states, counties, etc. handle the “mandates” and there’s a TON of variation between all those entities. Then add to that the fact that some businesses have said that they are keeping the mask requirements in place for now, and some have dropped them.
I am even seeing a few “masks optional” signs on businesses (our state/county have no mask mandates). Have yet to see a “no masks allowed” sign. Maybe restaurants can have masking and non masking sections like the old smoking and non smoking sections? I believe they are already doing that at some sports arenas/stadiums.
Wow. I just left on Tuesday and everything was good. People were masked all over (Big Island). Even most up to finding their spots on the beach and the farmers markets. In the airport and our flight, no issues. Hope it syncs soon but to be honest, it wasn’t a big deal to wear, I was in Hawaii after all 😍🌴. Thanks you all the updates, I’ll be back in October 🏝❤️
Hi Jo.
Thanks for the report from the Big Island.
Aloha.
Love your attitude, Jo.
I just left Hawai’i Island after a 10 day visit with my daughter in Hilo and also saw major compliance, no pilikia.
I think the article makes too much hūhū over what is surely to be a changing situation soon. California still has a mask mandate, and is going by a county-based tier system until mid-June. That seems appropriate, given public health is best managed at a local level.
So Hawai’i isn’t the “only” place that hasn’t ripped off its masks and done a hug-your-neighbor dance.
CDC offered a recommendation, and also noted that “local conditions may apply.” Let’s not get in a kerfuffle over these last few moments of a long, strange trip. I know plenty folks (read: potential/actual visitors) who are, like myself, glad Hawai’i has been as vigilant as they have been. Mahalo.
This post is not entirely accurate. I live in oregon and while the state is following cdc we are still required everywhere we cannot socially distance unless vaccinated to wear masks. I’d say 99% are still wearing masks inside and out. I am fully vaccinated but will Continue to wear a mask where socially distancing is not possible. It’s good to hear we can do the same there except where social distancing is not available.
My experience from the last 3 trips to Maui this year is that when you visit a beach that isn’t one of the resort hotel areas almost no one has a mask on and these tend to be mostly locals. However at beaches adjacent to resorts about half the people who are predominately tourists are wearing masks. It seems the tourists are in fear of being fined or they come from strict states like california where mask wearing is predominant. Locals are much more relaxed and far less likely to wear a mask unless they are inside a business.
Store employees are expected to manage the crime of “non-masking” at their own peril but not shoplifting or other crimes. So much exposure is created for the supervisors, managers and management that puts an employee in this situation. Every retail employee that gets assaulted, spit on, etc. should sue their bosses and company just like they would if they were injured in any other crime where they shouldn’t be involved as a retail counter person.
One of our sons works in a Rite-Aid in California. The employees have been instructed to not say anything to non-mask wearing people (and also to let shoplifters shoplift).
As with everything else these days, seems to be cultural-political. The more proggy your state/area, the more likely you will have perpetual mask wearing rules. And the other way around. I was surprised “we always wear masks” had not been added to those “in this house” virtue signaling lawn signs that are so prolific in some parts of California.