Today is the reopening day for Hawaii Tourism, which has been shut down for the past 7 months. It has elements of great excitement, for both visitors to return and for residents to be able to resume working. At the same time, there are elements of fear of the unknown that start from health concerns for all. Visitors are worried about the airport and flight experience during the pandemic. And residents here on the Garden Island are concerned that with more visitors, will come more cases. It is less than an ideal situation but one we find ourselves in nonetheless.
Kauai, together with Oahu and Maui will receive visitors with one required 72-hour pre-travel test.
But there is a catch here for Kauai which is Emergency Rule 19 that you will want to read about below.
Then, after arriving in Hawaii, all of the islands will provide various secondary post-arrival testing scenarios. We’ll circle back to those later as final details are ironed out. On Maui and Kauai, these are set to be 72 hours after arrival and are to be voluntary. On the Big Island, a different scenario is unfolding where visitors will receive a second, no-cost, mandatory test, directly on arrival, to avoid quarantine.
And, on Oahu (let’s just make this more confusing), Honolulu is looking at developing its own on-arrival testing system. The City and County of Honolulu is working to procure a mobile testing lab at the airport that would be able to conduct up to 10,000 tests a day. This post-arrival test would require arriving passengers to remain in quarantine until they receive negative test results within 1 to 6 hours. Oh, but where will they stay? HNL was never designed with confinement areas other than US customs/immigration.
In reality, Kauai has had virtually no COVID cases.
There are currently no cases on Kauai and the total count so far is 59. That has largely been the result of almost no interisland or mainland arrivals, due to the unavoidable 14-day quarantine. We already wear masks and sanitize regularly, but we’ll be upping that going forward for sure. The mayor said, “We know it’s easy to let our guard down when we’re around family and close friends, but these are the times when wearing our masks and practicing distancing is most important.”
Kauai Mayor’s Emergency Rule 19 is Looming.
This is without question the largest concern for visitors looking forward to their next Kauai vacation. There is a four-tier system we’ve mentioned before, which determines whether tourism will continue to operate, as well as which activities and businesses can remain open.
Starting today, visitors will arrive with the island on a Tier 4 status, which means there are no active virus cases. So long as Kauai remains on Tier 4 or Tier 3 status, which equates to a weekly average of under 5 active cases, visitors can continue to enjoy the island freely.
But what happens if there are more than 5 active cases of COVID on Kauai?
If there are five or more active cases, the island will be either under Tier 1 or Tier 2, both of which prevent visitors from bypassing the 14-day quarantine. Should that occur, it would effectively shut down tourism once again. For things to reopen in that event, a series of criteria would need to be met. It’s complicated.
Prior proposal for mandatory 2nd tests and quarantine quashed.
Previously, Kauai’s mayor had asked for a 3-day post-arrival quarantine followed by a second mandatory test. That was not approved by the state. Governor Ige said Monday that it was now clear to him that any form of quarantine is not acceptable for the resumption of Hawaii tourism.
Kauai, and the other islands, however, are all moving forward with various forms of second tests, without quarantine. The testing is largely based on the types of tests that the islands have procured. At this time, other than the Big Island, tests are to be optional, no-cost to visitors, and the state or counties may even provide incentives to help encourage the additional testing.
Will Kauai visitors put their money and possibly their vacation itself, at risk.
The issue is that should Kauai reestablish a quarantine, it would stop visitors’ ability to come to the island. As another reminder, the typical vacation duration is 7 days, and the quarantine, if needed, would be 14-days. End of travel.
Visitors spend an average of $195 per day per person on a Hawaii vacation, based on 2019 state data. Some quick math says for two people, that’s $2,730, not including airfare. How will the airlines or accommodation providers help visitors financially should quarantine be reestablished? That notwithstanding, who even wants to plan a vacation only to learn, potentially at the last minute, that it isn’t going to happen. Wouldn’t it be safer under those circumstances to just plan for an alternate destination without that incumbent risk?
Regular Joan just added to this discussion. “I just had a friend who has 4 vacation rentals on the island and all 4 future reservations (up through Feb) canceled because of the tier order. No one wants to plan a very expensive vacation and then 2 weeks before has to cancel. Just remember that one household of 5 getting covid could cost the island millions in losses and completely shut down the economy again. There are no more bailouts and rent forgiveness is going away. For a family of 5 and some with no symptoms, is this what you want? Maybe it is.”
Phillip said, “As expected, all this is exceptionally vague, confusing, and a moving target. Thanks to Beat of Hawaii for trying to make sense of all this. The Hawaii government has had weeks and months to get their act together but continues to fail tourists and more importantly the residents. Hard to imagine that many travelers will be willing to put money and time at risk this early in the re-opening process. Like many, I will sit back and see what transpires in the months ahead before deciding if a 2021 Hawaii trip is worth the effort. We wish all good luck in your travel endeavors and prayers to the people of Hawaii. Thanks again Beat of Hawaii for your efforts to try and cut through all the confusion.”
Lastly, Marcel commented, “This is going to be a big failer!! Any agency should give you money back when you book a Hawaii trip and they will test you positive, including rental car and flight tickets. Nobody changed that yet and that’s a big problem!!!”
One way to possibly protect yourself is via Cancel For Any Reason trip insurance.
We’ve mentioned this before. This is specialty coverage, not regular trip insurance, and isn’t something you can usually purchase through an airline or accommodation provider. It does however provide coverage protecting up to 75% of all your non-reimbursable costs, should you cancel for any reason whatsoever up to 48 hours before your trip starts.
Our family are planning to visit friends on Kauai and take a much needed vacation the first two weeks of December. However it look EXTREMELY daunting and risky to make these arrangements. Would appreciate any and all feedback from “Go For it” to “Stay the Hell Away?”
Hi Zev.
Love how you put that. Oh it is hard to say, but things “seem” to be settling down, and that is still some time from now. If you’re asking for our gut call, it would be to come and enjoy. Let’s see what others suggest. Thanks.
Aloha.
Cancel…go somewhere else until Hawaii gets it’s “S” together.
The Big Island is mice this time of year…..think long and hard.
Warm sand and sea are here too!
I can tell you flat out, there is a great deal of animosity towards tourists – and second home residents for that matter – on Kauai north shore. This is nothing new, but the virus panic has been awesome. No tourists for seven months and counting. Last thing they want is for the island to open up. All these empty (much hated) vacation rentals, beaches, roads … (Paradise!)
Reminds me of the flood a few years ago that closed the road for 14 months, except this time way better since no road convoys and is island wide, not just far north shore. The anger and hostility when the road reopened was palpable. There is a lot of entitlement. Will be worse now since they can blame disease on UNCLEAN tourists/outsiders.
By the way, Beat of Hawaii guys, thank you so much for this blog. Is providing a very much needed forum for people who want to travel to Hawaii despite the problems.
I would not go to Kauai as a tourist for the time being. Maybe next year? Who knows how long this will drag out.
Hi David.
Thanks for all your comments.
Aloha.
Did you see that there are multiple restaurants in Kauai now banning tourists from their dining rooms? I am cancelling my November trip. Shame on Lighthouse Bistro in Kilauea and Saenz Ohana Breakfast in Princeville. Way to spread Aloha.
Plenty is open here in Kauai! Gorgeous weather, most restaurants and shops open and all extremely welcoming. Don’t cave in to two reactionary businesses. The only case in Kauai is from a Hawaiian resident.
Just saw this as well…I feel as though if this was truly the attitude of a significant amount of locals, maybe Kauai should have opted out? You cannot expect people to pay regular prices to go on vacation and be treated like lesser people.
We like many others had a trip planned for early October that I cancelled a couple months ago, and sadly I have no plans to rebook anytime soon. It makes me sad that there would be hostility towards people who are relied upon for a healthy economy.
Thanks
Hi Ben.
Thanks for your comment.
Aloha.
We are PT residents on Kauai and frequent customers of the Bistro, especially their daily happy hour (one of the best ones on North Shore, if you are beer/wine drinker). Their waitstaff and bartenders are (usually) good people.
Apparently, someone posted a picture of sign on their door that says: “Attention Bistro Patrons. Recent unquarantined travelers do not enter. You are welcome back post 14-day quarantine.”
I normally recommend them to anyone visiting Kauai, but they are not worth a 14-day quarantine in order to eat there. Neither is Saenz.
Aloha! My husband and I arrived in Lihue on the afternoon of 10-15-20. Flight was non-stop from LAX and one gentleman was escorted off the plane before take-off because he continually refused to wear a mask. American Airlines was not fooling around! We were expecting chaos at Lihue airport and chaos never arose. Oh, yes, there were long lines of our flight’s passengers arriving, but the airport’s system of checking our records was efficient once we got up to that table. The inspectors were interested in our QR code which was on my husband’s cell phone and quickly retrieved. Also, our negative test results which I had a hard copy of were inspected carefully. Total time in line was about 1/2 hour. Thanks to the Hawaii National Guard, everyone was directed quickly and efficiently. Our luggage was waiting for us when we went into the carousel room. We got our pre-flight Covid testing at Walgreens in Santa Ana, CA and had our results in two days.
Hi Sue.
Thanks for letting everyone know that went well.
Aloha.
Thanks so much for the info, Sue. I am flying a week from tomorrow. I plan to test at Walgreen’s also. My question is – did you take the Rapid POC test, or the RT-PCR that is listed on their website about Covid testing? I’m just wanting to make sure that the rapid test is acceptable. Thank you!
Aloha,Amy! We had the RT-PCR and from what I have read a few weeks ago (anything could have changed since then!), the Rapid POC was not acceptable due to many false positives. Check with Walgreens, perhaps. Don’t be surprised at all the businesses that are closed. Maybe some will reopen by the time you arrive! Best of luck to you! Sue L.
Please know this they have patents on all the viruses and patents on the vaccines they create both then make money both ways off the people It is sickening Hawaii Please do not believe all the media Lies about Human Corona Virus aka Covid it’s been around all our lives more people die from Flu that’s a Fact The Government is trying to Ruin the economy don’t fall for all this crap it’s a Lie
Also wearing masks can cause you harm a lot of harm
There are a Lot of Doctors telling people not to worry about covid read the back of any can of Lysol it says “For the Elimination of Human Corona Virus” For those of you that are “In the Know” try to tell people more facts show them the patents and numbers the patent on the virus was granted in 2014 the patent on the vaccine was granted November of 2019
Also Bill Gates has Zero knowledge of medicine yet creates vaccines that harm people a company he finds has the patent on the vaccine he also Funds the CDC & WHO & DR FAUCI along with Monsanto and many more he gave a Ted-x talk on how he wants to kill people with his vaccines see for yourself Hawaii Please Do Not Believe all the Lies it will Destroy Hawaii Thank You for your time and consideration in this matter Do your own research be warned it gets
Very bad Have a nice day God Bless us All
Mahalo Aloha
Aloha all,
There seems to be a lot confusion on the board about the 7 day average of 5 cases to move to tier 2 and reinstate the quarantine. This is a 7 day moving average- so basically, there would need to be 35 cases over any 7 day period for the quarantine to come back. This number is in alignment with the medical resources on the island. I actually think it is fairly generous and that we have a good chance of not hitting that number with the testing regime and masks/ social distancing.
If the statement said “average of 5 new cases a day” (35 a week) I would agree with you. But it just says “5 cases”. Perhaps you are interpreting the mayor’s intent correctly, IDK, but clarification from the mayor would be nice.
Also depends on the official recovery time for each new case. Some people never have symptoms, so when are they considered a recovered case that is no longer active (for example).
The proclamation does say 7 day average of daily cases.
so, “daily” means “daily new” as opposed to “daily existing”? Would be nice is mayor would simply make clear what he means.
In the meantime, Coconut wireless reports that a Wainiha (Kauai) woman traveled to Oahu for a funeral, returned home with said virus, and gave it to husband. Neighborhood freaking out, had a big “free testing” event yesterday. Well, they can’t blame it on pre-test tourists ….
Paul H,
thanks so much for clearing that up!
We are heading to Kauai on Sunday and have a place there that needs work. We’ve been tested by “trusted partners” but not sure we’ll have results by the time we land. Since we own our place, we can stay there until the negative test shows up, but then how do we notify officials and get “released” if we have to quarantine for a day or so? Can we just upload our negative test results and be free to go out?
By the way, we did testing with a non-trusted partner that guaranteed faster turnaround and those tests were negative, so we are feeling safe that we’re traveling while negative and not posing a risk to others.
It’s really too bad that Hawaii has limited the testing to only certain partners. Testing centers in the SF Bay Area are really backed up. It’s also not possible to find out the turnaround time for test results before booking a test as the various sites aren’t really taking phone calls.
Thanks
Tom
Hi Tom.
Not sure if you saw the comment on this earlier this morning, wherein someone had the same situation. When they got the results they uploaded them to the website, but it told them manual approval was needed and they were stuck figuring that out.
Aloha.
If the average vacationer spends $195 a day, then the 12-person, 10-day vacation our family is hoping to enjoy in August 2021 would bring $23,400 to Kauai. Normally, we would already have a place picked out and be looking for best deals on airfare. That sure isn’t happening right now, though. What in the world happens if you are already there and then one family of five tests positive – are you going to be kicked out or what? Over the months, while reading everything BofH publishes here I feel my enthusiasm for Kauai ebbing. And that’s saying something! I’m crazy about Kauai and looking forward to my 12th trip – this time with most of our kids and grandkids – but I guess only time will tell now. Thank you SO much for the great job you guys do of keeping us in the loop.Mahalo!
Hi Jan.
Thanks so much. It sure is frustrating. On the other hand, when it comes to travel (perhaps other than drive-to), it seems to be like that in more places than not at present.
Aloha.