We continue to keep on the look out for signs of Hawaii reopening tourism. While we don’t have any specific dates yet, there’s some progress in that the interisland quarantine will be lifted and the governor says he’ll announce more next week about reopening tourism.
Interisland quarantine to be lifted June 16, 2020
This week, Gov. Ige announced that the mandatory 14-day quarantine for interisland travelers will be lifted Tuesday, June 16, 2020. New passenger screening procedures will be implemented in Hawaii airports to include thermal screening and a new travel form. Here are some of the important points of the new procedures:
- Temperature screening – if a passenger has an elevated temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or greater, they will not be allowed to fly
- New forms to collect health-related information and other information for tracking purposes.
- Anyone reporting symptoms to undergo additional screening and/or testing.
Passengers will not be able to fly if they:
- Refuse to complete the mandatory forms. Forms are mandatory for all flight segments, even on the same day.
- Are on the traveler 14-day quarantine list.
- Have a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or more.
Along with these checks, the Lt. Gov. Green wants to randomly test one in 20 passengers for COVID-19.
This new screening process could possibly be a precursor for what trans-Pacific travelers might expect.
When will Hawaii’s trans-Pacific quarantine be lifted? Governor to announce plan next week.
The current 14-day quarantine order for out of state visitors and returning residents extends through June 30, 2020, but the governor has already indicated that date will be extended. During Monday’s press conference, the governor said that next week, he will announce plans for opening out-of-state and trans-Pacific travel. UPDATE: the plan to open travel to Hawaii with a negative COVID-19 test has been announced.
Hawaii News Now published a one-on-one interview with the governor yesterday. That interview is definitely worth watching to get a feel for the direction the state may be heading, which appears to be that visitors from Japan and Korea will be welcomed back before those from the mainland.
Sheila Beal
2 comments
It’s so disheartening and upsetting. I work in Healthcare, I understand what’s going on but they are alienating folks like my daughter and I, that have been coming for years. I feel like because we’re from the mainland, we’re worthless. Welcoming Japan and S. Korea is fine but I feel like, you are either ready to open or you aren’t, don’t discriminate. But anyone, from anywhere, can fly to Japan, then fly to Hawaii. So you still never know who is coming in.
Just wondering what the rationale is? Perhaps Japan and Korea are considered countries that have dealt with monitoring and quarantining better…? I’m on the west coast of Canada and enjoy Hawaii. Our region has been highly very effective in getting our numbers to a minimum by shutting down for months and opening very gradually. But that’s NOT the case for the continental USA – mainly Eastern states – who couldn’t wait to get the bars, restaurants and party going again. Doesn’t help that there was a POTUS who initially termed the virus “a hoax.” Bummer.