You May Be Able to Visit Hawaii Soon Without Any Testing or Quarantine
Hawaii set strict rules for travelers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it's preparing to lift them.
Hawaii is preparing to welcome tourists for the summer and lift travel restrictions it put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Governor David Ige, who announced a comprehensive plan to do away with said restrictions. Where travelers once had to undergo pre-arrival testing or agree to long quarantines, they'll be able to visit freely—so long as they meet certain requirements.
As of June 15, there will be no restrictions on travel between islands. Additionally, fully vaccinated Hawaiians who received the COVID-19 shot in-state will be allowed to travel to and from Hawaii without getting a COVID-19 test or quarantining. Currently, vaccinated Hawaiians can travel from island to island without testing or quarantining, but not to the mainland and back.
Ige also announced that once Hawaii reaches a 60% vaccination rate, the state will no longer require visitors from the mainland US to undergo testing or quarantine. They'll simply have to prove they were fully vaccinated in the US using the state’s Safe Travels program. Once 70% of the state is vaccinated, all travel restrictions will be lifted, and the Safe Travels program will come to an end. According to the press release announcing these changes, as of June 4 Hawaii was hovering around a 52% vaccination rate.
"The easing of travel restrictions is a direct result of our robust vaccination rate, and a community that sacrificed and did what it had to do over the past year and a half to stop the spread of COVID-19," Ige said in a statement. "We need to push hard now so we can get to the point where Safe Travels is no longer needed to keep the people of Hawai'i safe."
Until restrictions are lifted, the only way visitors can avoid quarantining in Hawaii is by getting a COVID-19 test at a "trusted testing and travel partner" before their visit. Hawaii lifted its mandate on masks outdoors in May, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations.