Hawaii Will Let Pre-Tested Visitors Avoid 14-Day Quarantine

Gov. David Ige has announced an update for those visiting Hawaii from out-of-state. Starting August 1, visitors will be able to avoid the 14-day quarantine, if they get a valid COVID-19 test prior to their arrival, and show proof of a negative test result. It’s not clear if this will apply to US residents only, or others who are traveling through the mainland as well.

Out-of-state travelers arriving in Hawaii must get a PCR test prior to arrival from any testing location approved by the Hawaii State Department of Health. If they don’t provide evidence of a negative test result, passengers arriving from out-of-state will be subject to the 14-day quarantine. No testing will be provided upon arrival at the airport, the statement says.

The Health Department is still in the process of developing this program but anticipates requiring an FDA-approved PCR test from a CLIA certified laboratory. Travelers will be required to provide printed or emailed pre-test certification as evidence of a negative test result.

Ige said that temperature checks will continue at airports across the state. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees or who is experiencing other symptoms will be required to undergo a secondary screening at the airport with trained healthcare staff.

“The health of our community remains our primary focus. This multi-layered pre-travel testing and screening process allows travelers an alternative to the 14-day travel quarantine in a way that protects the health and safety of our kama‘āina and visitors,” said Gov. Ige. “Now is the time to work together to ensure that our local businesses can safely re-open to incoming travelers.”

Hawaii is a popular travel destination for Americans, and tourism is also a main source of income for the state. So this new rule will give visitors a way to avoid the 14-day quarantine upon arrival. That rule was essentially a ban on visitors.