Hawaii just dropped its booster requirement

Editor's note: This post was updated with new information on Feb. 9.

Thanks to improving COVID-19 case counts and decreasing hospitalizations, Hawaii Gov. David Ige has rolled back his announcement from January that proof of a booster for COVID-19 would be a necessary addition for fully vaccinated travelers to continue to be exempt from quarantine. The state will refrain from changing its "Safe Travels" program, at least for now.

Current rules allow travelers showing proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of arrival to skip quarantine.

"In addition, we looked at Hawaiʻi's robust vaccination rates and the continued push by businesses and organizations to get their employees vaccinated and boosted for the safety of their families and the community," Gov. Ige said in a press statement on Feb. 8. "At this time, we will also maintain the indoor mask mandate and other rules that have helped us manage this pandemic while reopening the economy."

Also as of Monday, proof of a COVID-19 booster is no longer compulsory to enter restaurants, bars or gyms in Maui County.

Related: Everything you need to know about visiting a reopening Hawaii

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Current Hawaii Safe Travels rules

Hawaii launched a quarantine exemption for fully vaccinated travelers back in July 2021, enabling certain travelers to visit Hawaii without having to quarantine by following a few pre-arrival steps:

• Upload documentation proving vaccination to the state's Safe Travels portal prior to travel.
• Sign the online legal attestations on Safe Travels, confirming the uploaded documentation is true and accurate.
• Bring hard copies of your vaccination card to show screeners and agents at the gate for your departing plane.

You can also test out of quarantine by showing a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival, specifically:

"The test has to be taken 72 hours from the final leg of departure and the negative COVID-19 test result uploaded to the Safe Travels platform or printed out and in hand prior to departure to Hawai'i in order to avoid the five-day (number of required days changed on January 3, 2022) quarantine."

Additionally, note that visitors who are traveling between islands are not subject to quarantine. Once you are in Hawaii, you can travel freely interisland. Consult the state's COVID-19 portal for more information about current protocols.

We've covered the full run-down of what you need to know prior to visiting Hawaii here.

Visit TPG's Hawaii destination hub for more stories about getting to the islands, staying on the islands and what to do while you're there.

Additional reporting by Caroline Tanner.