Big milestone in Hawaii reopening; As of today, pre-testing and quarantine no longer required for the fully vaccinated
Quick summary
Editor's note: This post has been updated with new information. It was originally published on June 24.
It's officially here. The state of Hawaii, as of today, July 8, 2021, is no longer requiring quarantine or pre-testing for fully vaccinated visitors from the mainland.
The Hawaii governor's office confirmed to TPG last week that the state's testing and quarantine requirements were coming to an end.
The governor's office also confirmed kids under 5 will still not need to be tested prior to arrival, but kids ages 5 to 12 (who can't yet get vaccines) will still need to test in order to skip quarantine.
The office of Hawaii Gov. David Ige said the governor ".. has announced the State of Hawai'i's vaccination exception program for domestic, Hawai'i-bound travelers vaccinated in the United States or U.S. Territories ... allows these travelers to bypass the state's quarantine requirement with proof of vaccination starting on Thursday, July 8, 2021."
That's good news for those who want to visit Hawaii but have been put off by the stringent testing requirements. As of today, if you are vaccinated, you will no longer be required to get a test prior to visiting Hawaii. You will also not have to quarantine.
Ige's office said, "Children under 5 years old are not required to test and will not be quarantined if traveling with an adult who has a pre-travel test exception or a vaccination exception. Children 5 years and older who have not been vaccinated must participate in the Pre-Travel Testing Program and test with a Trusted Testing Partner to bypass the mandatory 10-day quarantine."
Ige originally announced the July 8 date at a press conference on June 24 in Honolulu but formalized it last week while unveiling more details.
It's a major change to the sometimes confusing process of visiting Hawaii via its Safe Travels program.
Visitors to Hawaii will still need to take the following steps according to the State of Hawaii:
- Upload one of three vaccination documents to their Safe Travels Hawai'i account prior to traveling to Hawaii. One of the following documents must be uploaded:
- A CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card
- VAMS (Vaccination Administration Management System) printout or
- DOD DD Form 2766C
- Sign the online legal attestations on Safe Travels Hawaiʻi, confirming the uploaded documentation is true and accurate.
- Bring a hard copy of their vaccination documentation to show screeners at the gate prior to boarding and/or upon arrival in Hawaii. Screeners will review/verify the vaccination documents, match photo IDs, name and date of birth, as well as confirm that the attestations are signed.
Hawaii says their "digital platform is now allowing vaccine document uploads for trips arriving in Hawaiʻi on July 8 and beyond."
The state is also easing restrictions on gatherings and restaurants as the state is betting it will reach a 60% vaccination rate in the next few weeks. That should help with overcrowding and ease the problem some tourists have found of not being able to get dinner reservations or see some attractions.
Related: Fair warning, Hawaii is crowded again
Ige said, "The case counts are coming down. People are getting vaccinated. And there are fewer and fewer people who are at risk of becoming infected."
He also said all COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted once the state reaches a vaccination rate of 70%. Right now, masks are still required indoors, but not outdoors.
Also, as of July 8:
- Hawaii restaurants can go to 75% capacity.
- Indoor events can have up to 25 people.
- Outdoor events can have parties as large as 75.
The governor cautioned that restrictions could be put back into place if there is a spike in cases or if there is evidence of new, more dangerous variants of COVID-19 spreading.
We've covered the full run-down of what you need to know prior to visiting Hawaii here.
Featured photo of Honolulu and Diamond Head by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy.