146 thoughts on “Testing for Hawaii Travel: Many Questions Await Answers”
Sheryl B
Hope this is helpful for someone….AEL is a lab in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida that does C0VID testing with a 3 day turnaround. You do not need to be symptomatic because they are doing these tests prior to having surgery. I would assume there would have to be labs in other states providing the same service for the same purpose. Perhaps a call to a physician’s office to find out what lab they send their patients to for testing prior to surgery would be more reliable than going to someplace like CVS. Just a suggestion.
Phil V
This requirement gives the illusion that your government is doing something to get the economy going again by bringing tourists back, but it’s quite useless, testing isn’t convenient,in fact quite the opposite, no point in planning anything
Allison B
Not sure what a negative test 3 days before you fly means, you could be positive within those three days and bring it with you! Also,we normally tack on a few days in Vegas on our way to Hawaii so even if we got a test before we left, we might not have the results in hand when we get to Hawaii.
Barbara M.
I would assume that since your test results are sent to you via email and/or on a hospital’s website (i.e., “My Chart”), you actually stand a better chance than the rest of us “direct” travelers to get your results before you land in HI.
Lisa T
Maybe tack on another day or two and see if you can be tested in Las Vegas? So far here we have a good amount of testing available with or without doctors orders or symptoms… but I’m not sure if maybe you have to be a Nevada Resident ? Something for you to look into anyway. Aloha.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Lisa.
Thanks for helping.
Aloha.
Tonya
Auwe!
This is not really a solution for many of us travelers—
1: Availability of California CVS’ location with “rapid results” (or other retail stores) is quite low. In my situation, the nearest would be a 2-hour drive away (one way).
2: The current restrictions for testing are not only to be symptomatic (or recommended by a medial professional) but you also must be a California resident and show proof of that. My upcoming trip is with a friend living in another state who is flying to California to meet me then we fly to Hawai’I the next day. How would she, a non-California resident, be tested in time to meet the requirements?
3. The tests are not highly-reliable yet for positive or negative results. A false positive, received 72 hours from flight date, would mean a vacation cancellation—at a time way too late for a traveler to get a refund.
We have reservations for a trip in early November 2020—but I’m thinking that if this policy, written this way, is still in place we’ll be cancelling by our last cancellation date (60 days prior to first lodging night).
Barbara M
Hawaiian Air allows you to cancel within 24 hours of your flight. They do not refund the $$$ in cash but they do keep them in your account for future use.
Kim T
Aloha! We live in British Columbia, Canada and can only get a Covid test if we have symptoms. We have come to Maui every year for 20 years and love Hawai. There must be a better way for we international travelers wanting to come.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Kim.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Shelley L
I agree with you Kim. We are from BC and own a condo on Maui. Wondering if or when we can ever get back there. We are certainly willing to take a test but, as you said, here in BC we can’t just go do that. Hopefully there will eventually be a safe way to get there.
Susie H
Not everyone visiting Hawaii is coming from the west coast. What if there is no CVS in your state. Do I plan a 3-4 day stay in California before heading on to Hawaii just so I can be tested?
Pam S
Mahalo for keeping us in the loop. I’m sure you guys are just as frustrated as us travelers. We truly appreciate the information you provide. You are correct that CVS requires that you qualify in order to be tested. They also told me that the results are taking 3-7 days. I live in SW Florida and been researching and checking around for the past two weeks to find rapid result testing. My exhaustive search tells me that rapid result testing is available, but only at hospitals and only for inpatients. Antibody testing is available to anyone and gives quick results, but it doesn’t give a negative or positive report. It only lets you know if you’ve had C0vid and have the antibody. To my knowledge Governor Ige isn’t considering that type of test.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Pam.
Thanks for all of your comments.
Aloha.
Sel B.
They sure are not making this easy, most places I’ve contacted
will not have results in 72hours
At best 2-5 days, very frustrating
My sister lives in Kauai and I want to visit, I already canceled my April 20th trip to Kauai
I’m not likely to book again in October, if I cannot get a C0vid
test within 72 hours, again this is frustrating and I most likely
will not make the trip to Kauai😪
May P
Will both results be accepted from C0vid PCR(antibodies) and nasal swab? Or is it just from nasal swab testing?
Barbara M
Many states do required you to have symptoms in order to get tested and yes, most states do state a 3-5 day or 4-6 turnaround for results with a hefty $$$. In New Mexico, anyone can tested even without symptoms and cost is $0. Turnaround was a phone call in 44 hours of testing and printable results on the hospital’s website at the same time.
A few days ago, I contacted the Office of the Governor and asked just about every question asked above. I pleaded with them to understand the reality of the testing situation here on the mainland. I did not, however, remember to tell them about symptoms being required in many locations. I didn’t think about it as it didn’t apply here.
Comments are closed.
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Hope this is helpful for someone….AEL is a lab in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida that does C0VID testing with a 3 day turnaround. You do not need to be symptomatic because they are doing these tests prior to having surgery. I would assume there would have to be labs in other states providing the same service for the same purpose. Perhaps a call to a physician’s office to find out what lab they send their patients to for testing prior to surgery would be more reliable than going to someplace like CVS. Just a suggestion.
This requirement gives the illusion that your government is doing something to get the economy going again by bringing tourists back, but it’s quite useless, testing isn’t convenient,in fact quite the opposite, no point in planning anything
Not sure what a negative test 3 days before you fly means, you could be positive within those three days and bring it with you! Also,we normally tack on a few days in Vegas on our way to Hawaii so even if we got a test before we left, we might not have the results in hand when we get to Hawaii.
I would assume that since your test results are sent to you via email and/or on a hospital’s website (i.e., “My Chart”), you actually stand a better chance than the rest of us “direct” travelers to get your results before you land in HI.
Maybe tack on another day or two and see if you can be tested in Las Vegas? So far here we have a good amount of testing available with or without doctors orders or symptoms… but I’m not sure if maybe you have to be a Nevada Resident ? Something for you to look into anyway. Aloha.
Hi Lisa.
Thanks for helping.
Aloha.
Auwe!
This is not really a solution for many of us travelers—
1: Availability of California CVS’ location with “rapid results” (or other retail stores) is quite low. In my situation, the nearest would be a 2-hour drive away (one way).
2: The current restrictions for testing are not only to be symptomatic (or recommended by a medial professional) but you also must be a California resident and show proof of that. My upcoming trip is with a friend living in another state who is flying to California to meet me then we fly to Hawai’I the next day. How would she, a non-California resident, be tested in time to meet the requirements?
3. The tests are not highly-reliable yet for positive or negative results. A false positive, received 72 hours from flight date, would mean a vacation cancellation—at a time way too late for a traveler to get a refund.
We have reservations for a trip in early November 2020—but I’m thinking that if this policy, written this way, is still in place we’ll be cancelling by our last cancellation date (60 days prior to first lodging night).
Hawaiian Air allows you to cancel within 24 hours of your flight. They do not refund the $$$ in cash but they do keep them in your account for future use.
Aloha! We live in British Columbia, Canada and can only get a Covid test if we have symptoms. We have come to Maui every year for 20 years and love Hawai. There must be a better way for we international travelers wanting to come.
Hi Kim.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I agree with you Kim. We are from BC and own a condo on Maui. Wondering if or when we can ever get back there. We are certainly willing to take a test but, as you said, here in BC we can’t just go do that. Hopefully there will eventually be a safe way to get there.
Not everyone visiting Hawaii is coming from the west coast. What if there is no CVS in your state. Do I plan a 3-4 day stay in California before heading on to Hawaii just so I can be tested?
Mahalo for keeping us in the loop. I’m sure you guys are just as frustrated as us travelers. We truly appreciate the information you provide. You are correct that CVS requires that you qualify in order to be tested. They also told me that the results are taking 3-7 days. I live in SW Florida and been researching and checking around for the past two weeks to find rapid result testing. My exhaustive search tells me that rapid result testing is available, but only at hospitals and only for inpatients. Antibody testing is available to anyone and gives quick results, but it doesn’t give a negative or positive report. It only lets you know if you’ve had C0vid and have the antibody. To my knowledge Governor Ige isn’t considering that type of test.
Hi Pam.
Thanks for all of your comments.
Aloha.
They sure are not making this easy, most places I’ve contacted
will not have results in 72hours
At best 2-5 days, very frustrating
My sister lives in Kauai and I want to visit, I already canceled my April 20th trip to Kauai
I’m not likely to book again in October, if I cannot get a C0vid
test within 72 hours, again this is frustrating and I most likely
will not make the trip to Kauai😪
Will both results be accepted from C0vid PCR(antibodies) and nasal swab? Or is it just from nasal swab testing?
Many states do required you to have symptoms in order to get tested and yes, most states do state a 3-5 day or 4-6 turnaround for results with a hefty $$$. In New Mexico, anyone can tested even without symptoms and cost is $0. Turnaround was a phone call in 44 hours of testing and printable results on the hospital’s website at the same time.
A few days ago, I contacted the Office of the Governor and asked just about every question asked above. I pleaded with them to understand the reality of the testing situation here on the mainland. I did not, however, remember to tell them about symptoms being required in many locations. I didn’t think about it as it didn’t apply here.