First, Lt. Gov. Josh Green is speaking up again about Hawaii’s testing program and wants to see changes implemented. And soon. He said that there are still issues with COVID test types and approved testing partners, but they are getting ironed out, albeit too slowly. “Normally programs take many months for people to get comfortable with them. Remember how long it took people to get their IDs changed for TSA. Just anytime you add a new program, it takes a long long time for people to be familiar with it. We don’t have the luxury this time.”
Secondly, we expect to see changes soon regarding the wearing of masks in Hawaii.
Also see the latest “Faked Covid Tests, Hawaii Phishing, and CommonPass.“
Here are some of what Lt. Governor Green is planning, as the official in charge of the state’s pre-travel testing program.
1. Implement a mandatory 14-day quarantine for those waiting for results. Green said, “If you didn’t have your result uploaded before you travel, there would be no way to get out of quarantine.” He said that is necessary to keep tighter controls on the quarantine situation. “The benefit would be enormous. Because that would have nobody slipping through the cracks.”
2. Accept only approved tests from trusted partners. Green said that “People will still, in some cases get the wrong test. Unfortunately, we’re gonna be serious about it because we don’t want any holes in the program, we want it to be really solid.” The state is hoping to announce more trusted partners within the next week to help alleviate backlogs and increase options.
3. Increase in secondary testing. Green also wants to see more post-travel testing, especially on Oahu. “The more testing afterward the better but having a clean standard before people come in is what’s workable.” In that regard, Honolulu is deploying its own mobile lab at HNL.
4. Mask mandate. Green said recently that he wants the Legislature to mandate the wearing of masks. He is joined in that by other key legislators who want Gov. Ige to make abundantly clear that wearing masks is required throughout Hawaii. Legislators have asked Ige for an emergency proclamation for mandatory mask-wearing statewide with enforcement left to each county. Ige insists that already exists but legislators say louder, clearer language is needed. Prior Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann wants a special session of the legislature to create a mandatory mask bill. He said that in Waikiki, “there are more local people not wearing masks than the tourists.” Current Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell wants to see both a state and federal mask mandate.
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aloha my name is Sondra B. I live on the big island but now I’m here on oahu spending time with my immediate family. I want to know if I am able to take a post test at the kona airport when I get back to the big island so I dont need to quarantine. I am not able to get any answers from anyone. Can someone pls help me
Hi Sondra.
No, you need to test on Oahu within 72 hours prior to departure for BI.
Aloha.
Are the tests offered by American Airlines – LetsGetChecked at hone test and CareNow Rapid test at DFW accepted by Hawaii?
Hi Ann.
The best place for definitive answers on testing for Hawaii is the state’s portal at https://hawaiicovid19.com/. And if it isn’t clear from there, then there is a phone number for tech support, which is 1-855-599-0888.
Aloha.
People should just stay home until this virus is contained. You are helping nothing by opening now. I vacation in Hawaii every winter for 6-8 weeks. Not this year. We are staying home for everyone’s sake.
Madeline – Not all Hawaii-bound travelers are doing so for vacation. I realize many-most are, but a substantial minority are returning part-time residents, who have homes here, pay their property taxes, income taxes (if applicable), GET taxes, etc. And thousands of full time residents travel off or between the islands for reasons that are not my or your business. They are returning home, not going on vacation.
Some people are very scared of this virus, others don’t even think about it, and most people are somewhere in between. The “very scared” people get angry-frustrated that the “don’t even think about it” people are not as scared as them, and the “don’t even think about it” people get angry-frustrated that the “very scared” people keep trying to make their lives harder. So we end up with lots of unhappy people that government is not authoritarian enough, and lots of unhappy people because government is too authoritarian. Something like that.
Personally, I appreciate that the guys running this blog are providing a resource for people that are traveling to Hawaii for whatever reasons.
Hi David.
Thanks for your dozens of comments. We appreciate that and your nice words.
Aloha.
Very well said
I work at a hotel in Waikiki that has a mask policy as does the whole island.
When I asked a guest to please put on a mask when on property, she exclaimed ” i have it in my hand” lol.
But she didn’t even have that, it was in her purse. Lol
This is dumb because I get tested weekly which is widely accepted. But I have to go to somewhere different for the same test thats not guaranteed to come back and way hard to get. You’re just making impossible rules so people won’t come. Might as well bury your economy.
Thank you
From my next door bartender at a hotel here on Kaua’i. ” They sit side by side with no masks and think they are covid free because they took a test before traveling.”. We know this is not true and that’s exactly the point. A false sense of security which leads to unsafe behavior.
Suggest your next door bartender quit his job if he is afraid of his customers – maybe work at the Bistro/Wine Bar instead??
The probability of these people having Covid is tiny, unless you project 1/1000 is actually 1/2? Perhaps the customers should be afraid of the bartender, or was he also tested negative a few days ago? Or is it the magic mask he wears?
Hello-I was wondering if anyone has been tested for inter island travel traveling FROM Maui to the Big Island. I see there are Walgreens on the island but when I go to the Walgreens website to make an appointment, it only shows me locations on Oahu. It looks like there is also an Urgent Care of Wailea that “may” offer pre-travel testing?? I have considered Vault and even reached out to see if shipping from the islands is still a guaranteed 72 hour result window, but I cannot get a response from them which makes me nervous. Any personal experiences or information is greatly appreciated.
As everyone points out, BOH remains the best place to receive help and up to date information on travel to the islands. Thank you!
Hi Cherie.
Thanks for that. Go to the state’s website for the substantial list of trusted partners for interisland travel. https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/.
Aloha.
Thank you-I have gone to every website imaginable and down every rabbit hole. I’ve now saved or starred too many of your posts as important to find anything I’m looking for 🤦🏻♀️. Can you repost an email to reach out to the State to ask about Maui testing locations specifically?? Much appreciated!!
Hi Cherie.
We’ll paste the interstate partners below. Again, it is on this page https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/.
Let us know if anything else.
Aloha.
STATE OF HAWAII: INTER-COUNTY TRUSTED TESTING PARTNERS
Tests conducted in the state of Hawaiʻi may require an order by a licensed physician or healthcare provider. Please contact lab/pharmacy in advance to confirm requirements prior to scheduling tests.
Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii – All lab tests require an order by a licensed healthcare provider in the State of Hawaiʻi. Appointment required. More information at clinicallabs.com.
CVS Health (Longs Drugs) – Appointments may be scheduled up to two days in the future at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations. Tests available for ages 12 and older. Pre-registration required. More information at cvs.com/selfpaytesting.
Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) – Testing requires a lab order and collection by a licensed healthcare provider in the State of Hawaii. Test results from DLS Guam also accepted. More information at dlslab.com/covid-collection.
Hawaiʻi Pacific Health – Testing available at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children on O‘ahu and Wilcox Medical Center on Kaua‘i in partnership with Clinical Labs of Hawaii. Appointments required at Kapi‘olani and must be scheduled online at clinicallabs.com/covid. No appointment necessary at Wilcox. More information at hawaiipacifichealth.org/covid19testing.
Kaiser Permanente (for members only) – Kaiser Permanente members may schedule a test online or contact the appointment call center or nurse advice line in their home region for scheduling instructions. Kaiser Permanente members returning home to Hawaii may call the Away-from-Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900 for scheduling instructions. More information at kp.org/travel.
Minit Medical – Three clinics on Maui with drive-up testing available. Appointment required. More information at 808-667-6161 and minitmed.com.
Urgent Care Hawaii – Tests available with online registration at ucarehi.com. Results emailed within 24 hours. Limited walk-ins can be accommodated. More information at 808-797-7980.
Vault Health – At-home FDA-authorized saliva tests with real-time audio-visual supervision. Tests available for ages five and older. Tests results mailed in 72 hours or less. More information at learn.vaulthealth.com/state-of-Hawaii.
Walgreens – Testing available at no cost to eligible individuals who meet CDC criteria. Tests available for ages five and older. All drive-thru testing locations operate outdoors and patients do not leave their vehicles. Appointment required. More information at walgreens.com/covid19testing.
Thank you again!! Stay well.
Masks are so important but I see people at the Post Office, mostly elderly, with no masks exposing others. I see tourists at the shopping centers etc and on my walks with no masks or pulled down under their chin or carrying them in their hands. No regard for the face mask policy and I find this very disconcerting because I’m a senior and more at risk. There has to be more enforcement. If that’s not possible then shut down travel again. It’s not worth islanders lives.
I’m set to travel today to Maui. Still don’t have my approved site Covid test results. They said 24-48 hours.
Can I wait at airport in Maui and hope results are emailed to me after I arrive? That means I may have to wait inside the airport for 5 hours or so upon landing to get results.
Please help with useful suggestions.
Hi Adrienne.
Can you wait at the airport, indefinitely? We don’t know. Perhaps others can shed some light on how it has been working when you arrive without results.
Aloha.
Thank your for responding. I was able to wait at a Gate that is before the Covid screening area. I waited about 2.5 hours until my approved mainland test result was emailed to me, 50 hours after testing. I had food with me and water, and there was a bathroom avaiable. I was willing to wait a couple more hours. I imagine I could have stayed there until the last group of scheduled flight passengers went through for the day. Success after 2.5 hours!
Hi Adrienne.
Great. So glad that worked out for you and thanks for sharing it with others.
Aloha.