Following the widespread of the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries have taken precautionary measures to limit the further damaging effects of the disease wave by introducing travel restrictions.
Hawaii is no exception as the US state happens to be an evergreen tourist site being the only state in the United States comprised entirely of islands as well as the only state in the tropics.
There are Hawaii Travel Restrictions in effect for all the major Hawaiian Islands, including the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Hawaii (the Big Island), Molokai, and Lanai.
Do you need a PCR test to enter Hawaii?
Yes. Hawaii requires all visitors to undergo an FDA-approved nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) test with results from a CLIA-certified laboratory from one of Hawaii’s trusted testing partners.
- PCR tests are a type of NAAT test, so if you get a negative rapid PCR test result from a testing partner, you are good to go.
Hawaii’s approved trusted testing partners include CVS, Walgreens, AFC Urgent Care, Bartell Drugs – in partnership with Alaska Airlines, Carbon Health, CityHealth Urgent Care, Color, Discovery Health MD, Quest Diagnostics, Vault Health, and Kaiser Permanente.
- Visitors must present evidence of their test upon arrival and will be able to upload their negative test result when they complete their travel and health forms on the Safe Travels digital system: https://travel.hawaii.gov/#/
- If the traveller has a printout of their negative result and has not yet uploaded it on the Safe Travels digital system, airport screeners will take a photo of the hard-copy negative test result upon arrival.
- Children under 5 are also required to take a prior COVID-19 test to travel to Hawaii.
Also, one may need a second test upon arrival at the airport if you are visiting the Island of Hawaii (the Big Island) in order to avoid a 14-day quarantine. This second test is not a replacement for the PCR test taken prior to travel but will be a supplemental rapid antigen test that will be free to the traveller.
Quarantine restrictions in Hawaii?
There is currently a 10-day quarantine restriction for all in-bound visitors to the Hawaiian Islands. According to the directive from Hawaii Governor David Ige, all visitors arriving in the Hawaiian Islands (visitors and returning residents) must self-quarantine for 10 days following their arrival.
Regardless, there is a pre-travel testing option that will permit travellers to bypass Hawaii’s quarantine restrictions, as long as they bring along proof of a negative COVID-19 test from a state-approved trusted testing partner. All travellers must have their negative test results prior to departure (negative COVID-19 test should be taken within 72 hours of departure).
- Individuals fully vaccinated in the State of Hawaii may now travel inter-county without pre-travel testing/quarantine starting the 15th day after the completion of their vaccination.
- Travellers who arrive in Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii counties before they are fully vaccinated or before the 15th day after the completion of their vaccination, will be placed into mandatory quarantine for the full 10 days unless they meet the criteria for other exceptions (pre-travel testing and CISA).
- Despite the above measures, all counties in Hawaii require residents to wear facemasks when in public settings.
Which countries are banned from entering Hawaii?
The ban on travel between Hawaii and the mainland has been lifted, hence no country has been banned from entering the state.
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