This is the first in a series covering various aspects of Hawaii’s preparation for the return of visitors. Today, we’re discussing just how Hawaii will manage a completely new paradigm including pre-travel testing and on-arrival airport procedures.
We aren’t sure yet how this is going to unfold, and neither is Hawaii’s mayors. Big Island Mayor Harry Kim said he did not know that Hawaii would reopen on October 15, until he heard it at the same press conference as all of us did on Wednesday.
That in itself seems odd that such a major announcement was made without consulting the leader of each island. Everyone got caught off guard except perhaps Hawaiian Airlines. They had updated their flight resumption date to be October 15, early in the morning on Wednesday. That was hours before the governor’s announcement. Is it possible that they learned about this even before the mayors did?
Kim and other officials are trying to figure out what systems will need to be in place in the relatively short time available. He wants to avoid chaos at the airport regarding aspects of pre-travel testing and hasn’t been advised by the state how things will work. Kim said, “Is the test still good? How long is it good for? Should they be re-tested? How will they be identified? All of these things need to be worked out or else you’re going to have a pile-up at the airport and you’re going to have a lot of angry passengers and they have a right to be angry. All those things need to be addressed before this policy is established.”
Kauai’s mayor has similar concerns, given that there’s much to be done in the short time allotted. He was hoping there would be interisland testing as a prelude to October 15. It is not clear whether that could still happen. The issues he faces include segregating those who have negative test results on arrival, those waiting on results who need temporary quarantine, and those who have had no testing and need a full quarantine. Kawakami said he would also like to have a second round of post-travel testing, but said, “whether or not that’s actually achievable is another question.”
Honolulu’s Mayor Caldwell also mentioned he was hopeful of an interisland testing program first, although he is not aware of whether Hawaii has adequate testing capabilities for travel at this time. He said, “One concern I have as Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu is our capacity to test.”
Maui’s Mayor Victorino is all in favor of the date certain for tourism to resume. He, like Kauai’s major, would like to see a post-arrival testing component added. Victorino went on to say, “Especially Lanai, which had zero cases, a second round of testing will be applicable, I would like to see that happen.”
We’ll have more updates on this and look forward to sharing those with you.
Aloha Rob and Jeff,
This will be an interesting program for returning residents.
I recently traveled to Tahiti – French Polynesia opened to the world on July 15th. They required a particular COVID test within three days of the flight and referred to two labs capable of providing the test in a timely manner. The cost was $125. I had the test on Tuesday at noon and had my results on Wednesday morning online. I printed the results, completed their online form, and took everything to the airport. All worked quite well. The ship required a test before boarding and provided a self test we used on the fourth day of our arrival. All three were negative.
It can be done. Perhaps using the Air Tahiti Nui website will show a protocal that has been working for several months.
Mahalo for all your amazing assistance to our Ohana,
Melissa
Hi Melissa.
Thanks for that and good to be in touch again.
Aloha.
Will visitors from the mainland be allowed to skip quarantine after Oct 15 if they get tested first on the mainland, fly to Oahu, then another island? Many flights from the mainland go thru Oahu first. This has not been made clear in any announcements I can find. Thanks!
Hi Jon.
That has not yet been specifically addressed. But certainly, it will be, and you should be able to go via Honolulu to a neighbor island without quarantine as long as you have been tested.
Aloha.
It would be great if the government would just admit to and release the facts of this virus because it seems to be the one and only entity people have all eyes and ears on.
Knowledge can give peace of mind;
1) for the majority of us our immune system will defeat the virus at its landing site of the nose or throat. That’s the MAJORITY of us.
2) Some men do have a harder time with this virus than women and children due to testosterone, as it seems to increase the number of ACE2 receptors that cells produce.
3) the number one way to prevent this virus from wreaking havoc on you, is your immune system. Unlike the flu, which kills our cells, this virus is not a cell killer so it responds better to our immune system; it will immediately trigger an immune attack. So, take your vitamins, eat right, wash your hands when necessary…and seriously….stop wearing the stupid masks. How is your immune system supposed to be strong when you are suppressing it from the good viruses and bacteria? I just don’t even know what else to say about masks, other than they are very counterintuitive.
4) most of the deaths were due to old age- over 75 and/or other factors. I can tell you from first hand experience, if someone has a comorbidity, the common cold can kill them. COVID is not novel in this regard.
So, those are some of the facts. We can not continue to live in fear. It is literally eroding America and our way of life unnecessarily. We have to start speaking up. We’re not children. We have voices. We make decisions for ourselves every single day and some are risky decisions, which we rarely think twice about. Like getting into our cars and driving to work or hopping on plane to go on vacation. At some point, we are going to have to speak up or we’re going to continue spin cycling in our heads and conversations.