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New Updates on COVID Vaccine Requirements in Hawaii

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Hawaii-Guide.com recently provided a new update to requirements and changes in regards to Hawaii travel and the COVID vaccine parameters. Read the excerpt below or click here for the full article.

The Vaccine in Relation to Hawaii Travel

Presently, proof of vaccination is not a recognized exemption to the Hawaii travel quarantine. The state continues to evaluate the latest science and will inform travelers of any new exemptions as those decisions are made. Please see the Hawaii Travel Restrictions page for more information.

A potential Spring/Summer 2021 timeline has been proposed for Hawaii vaccination “passport” travel to begin. There is also a March-April timeline for Inter-Island Travel, potentially early May for trans-Pacific travel.

In mid-December 2020, word was received that Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, who is both a physician and is in charge of Hawaii’s Safe Travels program, had said that he would ask the governor to approve travel both trans-Pacific and interisland for anyone who has had a COVID vaccination without further requirements starting in early 2021. For travelers who choose not to get vaccinated, we believe the current restrictions, testing requirements, and quarantine policy are likely to remain in effect for most, if not all, of 2021 and potentially beyond.

Initially, it was proposed to start at the beginning of February 2021, but this has since been postponed until sometime in the Spring of 2021. After approaching the Governor about the update, the Lt. Governor has now indicated that Governor Ige is more inclined to make this change sometime in the Spring or early Summer, not in February as originally proposed. The latest news suggests, as of mid-February 2021, that vaccine/health passport travel will begin in three phases; which is outlined below.

Phases to Hawaii Vaccine/Health Passport Travel

  1. First, essential workers who have been vaccinated will be permitted to travel without additional conditions. This could begin imminently; we are awaiting an announcement from Governor Ige.
  2. Second, inter-island travel will be permitted for vaccinated travelers, pending the Governor’s approval. This could begin as soon as March 1, 2021 – but may not happen until sometime in April.
  3. Finally, trans-pacific travel from the U.S. mainland and potentially abroad will be permitted. This, according to the Lt. Governor, could begin sometime at the beginning of May 2021.

The Lt. Governor has indicated that the state of Hawaii is currently awaiting results of a CDC report to confirm that those who have been vaccinated are not carriers.  According to Beat of Hawaii, recently Dr. Green said, “This demonstrates that they’re not worried about people, once they’ve been vaccinated, they’re not worried that they’re going to catch COVID, they’re not worried that they’re really going to spread COVID.” At this time, it remains uncertain whether the latest update from the CDC is adequate confirmation or not.

CDC Guidelines

The CDC has recently said that quarantine should be avoidable for those who have been vaccinated at least two weeks prior, remain within a three (3) month window following receipt of the last vaccination dose, and remain asymptomatic. There was no additional travel guidance, as the information was only related to COVID exposure. However, the CDC said, “Individual and societal benefits of avoiding unnecessary quarantine may outweigh the potential but unknown risk of transmission (among vaccinated individuals).”

The Bottom Line Currently…

Ultimately, the decisions regarding the future of vaccine travel are now in Hawaii Governor David Ige’s hands. As things look now, after receiving the vaccine, you’d need to travel within three months of your last dose. This timeline will potentially be extended as more information is available.

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

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