103 thoughts on “With New $5 Abbott Test, Hawaii Travel Can Restart”
Stephen E.
if quarantine ends oct 1 wil we be able to rent
cars
Linda
Re: comments about testing upon arrival. I’m thinking of all the people who arrived in New Zealand after the country’s cases dropped to zero. None of the travelers tested positive on arrival but were bussed to hotels for 14-day quarantine.Some started testing positive in 3-5 days and others in 11-13 days while still in quarantine. So I don’t think testing on arrival insures no infections. It’s a start, but not a guarantee. You can test negative one day and positive the next. Would be nice to know how Hawaii’s health services plans to follow up on arrivals to any island.
Becky G.
Aloha,
I love Hawaii but I love my freedom more. I will not be contributing to Blue America’s dystopian future by getting tested. Look around the world, most countries and states have acknowledged that the government-imposed restrictions were misguided and caused much more harm than a virus that is well understood and can be well managed and treated with therapeutics. They have been open for months and many are doing better than the “lockdown” states.
Hawaiians should join us Californians in a mass exodus to Free America.
Mahalo,
Becky G.
JohnW
Aloha Becky, you are right, not enough emphasis is being put on the strides we have made in treating this.
In addition, there was a good editorial in this mornings Star Advertiser about what is needed to reopen. It was making the case for the importance of a safety net of reliable testing,
monitoring and if necessary quarantining and in the mean time Masks, social distancing and hand washing will help.
There is no magic bullet and it will take a combination of ideas and approaches to combat this.
Sadly we have become so divided and stubborn in this country that we can’t work together as a country. As a “blue stater” I want to help and protect others as much as is realistically possible but I don’t discount your point just because you are coming from a “red state” point of view. You are right, we are making great strides in treating this and also identifying who needs extra protection.
That’s the true tragedy of our response to the epidemic. Never has America so failed to unite in the face of adversity as we have
in our current times.
Dave R
Wow. So now COVID is a “blue” plot. Never mind science. Your statements regarding “most governments and states” and the results of restrictive measures are absolutely untrue. The nations that have done the best (NZ, Vietnam, etc.) took the most extreme measures; NZ totally closed the entire country. Other countries (Germany), and US states (FL, AZ, etc.), saw cases and death rates soar when they were too open, and they have had to back off and partially shut down. Please to try to use real facts next time. Here in San Diego, we have followed the rules and are enjoying life. We’re always pleased when those who aren’t responsible decide to stay away. And many folks in Hawai’i feel the same way.
Paul C
stop spreading lies and false news. Blue america? Really? And no the lock downs have been proven time and time again to have worked so you are just lying to support some agenda. Wear a damn mask so we can get back to some semblance of normal life
Hank P
Unfortunately this test is only for symptomatic people. The fine print indicates it’s not useful for asymptomatics so not an accurate screening tool. Won’t help with us travelers.
Erdogan G
Abbott test actually detects both but the EUA by FDA is for testing symptomatic people. Abbott is currently obtaining data for requesting FDA approval for asymptomatic people.
Richard C
A tale of covid testing.
Relatives of ours who live in the San Fran Bay Area recently waited inline for covid testing. As they waited an individual came down filling out covid testing forms and issuing each person a number.
The line stalled for over an hour. The relatives who had no symptoms said we’re done with this and left the line.
Today in the mail they received notice that both had tested positive for covid-19.
If it makes you feel better test before, test after, test everyday, but in reality if the government is involved it will get screwed up.
By the way the beginning of covid cases major spike on Hawaii is happening as I write. The next 60 to 90 days are going to be very bad for Hawaiians.
Plan on no travel to Hawaii for 2020.
Major C
If this is possible, one wonders why this has not been done for the various corona virus responsible for the common cold which costs billions of dollars every year. Perhaps a rapid test could be done for the flu virus, again saving billions each year and saving a million lives.
If this is possible, it is a miracle and will change human evolution.
Thank you for reading.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Major.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Ron J
Aloha,
The antigen test from Oceanit, currently in clinical trials at the Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, seems promising for greater accuracy, and perhaps eventually equally low cost.
Mahalo for all the reporting!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Ron.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Stanley H
Great idea, but how much better can it get than 98%. Eventually, get the cost down? Sounds like re-inventing the wheel. Abbott is at least 1000 times bigger than Queens Medical Center. Abbott is already starting at 50 million a month and with an order for 150 million from US Govt. will probably be at 100 to 200 million a month by year’s end.
I commend Hawaii for the effort, but couldn’t the time and money have been better spent?
Dave R
Serious question: how is detection of colds and flu going to save billions of dollars and a million lives, unless by that you mean to quarantine all those who test positive so as to avoid the spread of disease? Detection is not prevention and it’s not a cure.
Tim m
Some excellent comments and actually we are pretty respectful of others comments which does show how classy Hawai’i lovers are. As a follow up to my earlier comment it would seem that with a test before travel and with Second test For those who stay beyond a week and with the fact that none of us travelers will be at the late night Waikiki clubs guzzling drinks Till 4am in scenes as crowded as rush hour subways in New York As bars will shut early but rather if allowed sipping a beer outside at the Moana hotel with 6 feet between others . The risk of spreading covid seems very low .
Dave R
“none of us travelers will be at the late night Waikiki clubs guzzling drinks Till 4am in scenes as crowded as rush hour subways in New York ”
Maybe you wouldn’t, but plenty of people would. Or would have crowded parties. They do it on the mainland; they’re not going to become different people when they’re in Hawai’i.
Craig R
Good news but too late for me. Southwest cancelled our October booking a few days ago. I’m sort of relieved since I don’t know what would be open in early October and there’s no clear direction coming from your state government. We wouldn’t want to get stuck at some resort or not be able to visit other islands.
Patti D.
Mahalo for this information. I SO hope that it can be put into place and soon. I miss Maui so much and have plans to be there for the month of December with family joining us. We made these plans last December, before COVID was a “thing”.
We are all so anxious to get back and support all of the local businesses in Kihei that we love so much.
Aloha!
Roy H
Very much agree. One could take a test before leaving and another test upon arrival, that should put a stop to the transmission of covid. It’s also a very good way to stop the virus in the general population. This virus is going to be with us for awhile and we are finally seeing a few good tools with which to fight this virus.
Mahalo Guys.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Roy.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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if quarantine ends oct 1 wil we be able to rent
cars
Re: comments about testing upon arrival. I’m thinking of all the people who arrived in New Zealand after the country’s cases dropped to zero. None of the travelers tested positive on arrival but were bussed to hotels for 14-day quarantine.Some started testing positive in 3-5 days and others in 11-13 days while still in quarantine. So I don’t think testing on arrival insures no infections. It’s a start, but not a guarantee. You can test negative one day and positive the next. Would be nice to know how Hawaii’s health services plans to follow up on arrivals to any island.
Aloha,
I love Hawaii but I love my freedom more. I will not be contributing to Blue America’s dystopian future by getting tested. Look around the world, most countries and states have acknowledged that the government-imposed restrictions were misguided and caused much more harm than a virus that is well understood and can be well managed and treated with therapeutics. They have been open for months and many are doing better than the “lockdown” states.
Hawaiians should join us Californians in a mass exodus to Free America.
Mahalo,
Becky G.
Aloha Becky, you are right, not enough emphasis is being put on the strides we have made in treating this.
In addition, there was a good editorial in this mornings Star Advertiser about what is needed to reopen. It was making the case for the importance of a safety net of reliable testing,
monitoring and if necessary quarantining and in the mean time Masks, social distancing and hand washing will help.
There is no magic bullet and it will take a combination of ideas and approaches to combat this.
Sadly we have become so divided and stubborn in this country that we can’t work together as a country. As a “blue stater” I want to help and protect others as much as is realistically possible but I don’t discount your point just because you are coming from a “red state” point of view. You are right, we are making great strides in treating this and also identifying who needs extra protection.
That’s the true tragedy of our response to the epidemic. Never has America so failed to unite in the face of adversity as we have
in our current times.
Wow. So now COVID is a “blue” plot. Never mind science. Your statements regarding “most governments and states” and the results of restrictive measures are absolutely untrue. The nations that have done the best (NZ, Vietnam, etc.) took the most extreme measures; NZ totally closed the entire country. Other countries (Germany), and US states (FL, AZ, etc.), saw cases and death rates soar when they were too open, and they have had to back off and partially shut down. Please to try to use real facts next time. Here in San Diego, we have followed the rules and are enjoying life. We’re always pleased when those who aren’t responsible decide to stay away. And many folks in Hawai’i feel the same way.
stop spreading lies and false news. Blue america? Really? And no the lock downs have been proven time and time again to have worked so you are just lying to support some agenda. Wear a damn mask so we can get back to some semblance of normal life
Unfortunately this test is only for symptomatic people. The fine print indicates it’s not useful for asymptomatics so not an accurate screening tool. Won’t help with us travelers.
Abbott test actually detects both but the EUA by FDA is for testing symptomatic people. Abbott is currently obtaining data for requesting FDA approval for asymptomatic people.
A tale of covid testing.
Relatives of ours who live in the San Fran Bay Area recently waited inline for covid testing. As they waited an individual came down filling out covid testing forms and issuing each person a number.
The line stalled for over an hour. The relatives who had no symptoms said we’re done with this and left the line.
Today in the mail they received notice that both had tested positive for covid-19.
If it makes you feel better test before, test after, test everyday, but in reality if the government is involved it will get screwed up.
By the way the beginning of covid cases major spike on Hawaii is happening as I write. The next 60 to 90 days are going to be very bad for Hawaiians.
Plan on no travel to Hawaii for 2020.
If this is possible, one wonders why this has not been done for the various corona virus responsible for the common cold which costs billions of dollars every year. Perhaps a rapid test could be done for the flu virus, again saving billions each year and saving a million lives.
If this is possible, it is a miracle and will change human evolution.
Thank you for reading.
Hi Major.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Aloha,
The antigen test from Oceanit, currently in clinical trials at the Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, seems promising for greater accuracy, and perhaps eventually equally low cost.
Mahalo for all the reporting!
Hi Ron.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Great idea, but how much better can it get than 98%. Eventually, get the cost down? Sounds like re-inventing the wheel. Abbott is at least 1000 times bigger than Queens Medical Center. Abbott is already starting at 50 million a month and with an order for 150 million from US Govt. will probably be at 100 to 200 million a month by year’s end.
I commend Hawaii for the effort, but couldn’t the time and money have been better spent?
Serious question: how is detection of colds and flu going to save billions of dollars and a million lives, unless by that you mean to quarantine all those who test positive so as to avoid the spread of disease? Detection is not prevention and it’s not a cure.
Some excellent comments and actually we are pretty respectful of others comments which does show how classy Hawai’i lovers are. As a follow up to my earlier comment it would seem that with a test before travel and with Second test For those who stay beyond a week and with the fact that none of us travelers will be at the late night Waikiki clubs guzzling drinks Till 4am in scenes as crowded as rush hour subways in New York As bars will shut early but rather if allowed sipping a beer outside at the Moana hotel with 6 feet between others . The risk of spreading covid seems very low .
“none of us travelers will be at the late night Waikiki clubs guzzling drinks Till 4am in scenes as crowded as rush hour subways in New York ”
Maybe you wouldn’t, but plenty of people would. Or would have crowded parties. They do it on the mainland; they’re not going to become different people when they’re in Hawai’i.
Good news but too late for me. Southwest cancelled our October booking a few days ago. I’m sort of relieved since I don’t know what would be open in early October and there’s no clear direction coming from your state government. We wouldn’t want to get stuck at some resort or not be able to visit other islands.
Mahalo for this information. I SO hope that it can be put into place and soon. I miss Maui so much and have plans to be there for the month of December with family joining us. We made these plans last December, before COVID was a “thing”.
We are all so anxious to get back and support all of the local businesses in Kihei that we love so much.
Aloha!
Very much agree. One could take a test before leaving and another test upon arrival, that should put a stop to the transmission of covid. It’s also a very good way to stop the virus in the general population. This virus is going to be with us for awhile and we are finally seeing a few good tools with which to fight this virus.
Mahalo Guys.
Hi Roy.
Thank you.
Aloha.