HONOLULU (Eagle News) – Beginning September 1, all out-of-state travelers must show proof upon arrival at all Hawaii airports that they have test negative on a valid COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) in order to avoid the 14-day quarantine.
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the negative test result must be given no more than 72 hours in advance of travel by a CLIA-certified laboratory. No testing will be provided upon arrival at the airport.
“We want to welcome back our visitors once our state is ready to do so in a safe manner that will hopefully avoid the need to backtrack in the future,” said HTA president and chief executive officer Chris Tatum. “Once we receive details on the process and requirements from the Department of Transportation and the DOH [Department of Health], we will share that information with the visitor industry.”
Hawaii requires all passengers arriving on private or commercial airplanes to initial and sign the 14-day quarantine order which states that violating the quarantine is a criminal offense subject to up to $5,000 fine and/or up to a year in prison.
The period of self-quarantine begins from the time of entry into the state and lasts 14 days or the duration of the person’s time in Hawaii, whichever is shorter.
Governor Ige has also approved requests by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami to limit group gatherings of no more than 10 people, whether indoor or outdoor and whether family-related or otherwise.. Maui County Mayor Mike Victorino enforced the same restriction on group gatherings on Friday, July 31.
“It took us four months to get our first 1,000 cases of Coronavirus on Oahu. It took us 18 days to get to 2,000,” stated Mayor Caldwell as he took to Twitter. “Our individual actions have consequences, and our collective action in combating this virus can make a serious impact. But we all have to do it, together, as #OneOahu.”
As of this report, the Aloha State has received yet another record-breaking number of new cases at 207.
(Alfred Acenas, EBC Hawaii Bureau, Eagle News Service)