Kauai Mayor Derek SK Kawakami wants to rejoin the State Safe Travels Hawaii program, which will make it unnecessary for Kauai out-of-state visitors to stay in a resort bubble or spend time on another Hawaiian island in to be eligible for quarantine exemption.
If Governor David Ige approves Kawakami’s proposed emergency rule 25, Pacific travelers who successfully participate in the state’s Safe Travels test program before the trip could begin releasing the island’s quarantine on April 5.
“Kaua’i remains one of the safest places in the United States throughout the pandemic, thanks to the efforts of community-oriented residents and health-oriented travel restrictions,” Kawakami said in a statement. “Over the past few months, our community’s efforts have given us the opportunity to rejoin the state’s Safe Travels program.”
According to Kawakami, more than 24,000 doses of vaccine have been administered on Kauai, and by April he is confident that employees in the hospitality and food service industry will receive vaccines.
‘Business scores across the state and on the continent are stabilizing. Our local hospitals work closely together and, if necessary, have training plans for extra ICU capacity in place, ”he said. “They have also received more equipment and have COVID testing and treatment options to respond to any increase in COVID-19 cases.”
Kawakami’s request comes as lawmakers in Hawaii are considering a measure that would require the Hawaii Safe Travels program to be consistent across the country. House Bill 1286 states that Ige’s decision to allow a province to withdraw from the safe itinerary altogether, ‘ultimately resulted in a patchwork of requirements in all provinces that are difficult for visitors and residents to navigate,’ and as such increases the economic impact of the pandemic on the state. ”
The request is also the first glimmer of hope for many tourism-dependent businesses on Kauai.
Travel to Kauai dropped after Kawakami of the Safe Travels program, effective Dec. 2, required all travelers to Kauai to undergo a mandatory ten-day quarantine without testing.
As of January 5, Kauai will end the month-long tourism shutdown by allowing domestic passengers to participate in Hawaii Safe Travels and set up its own Pacific Ocean enrollment program. But these changes did little to restore Kauai tourism, which was left behind by the rest of the state due to stricter travel requirements.
In January, the decline in visitor arrivals on the rest of the islands year-over-year ranged from 72% on Maui to 79% on Hawaii Island to nearly 85% on Oahu to nearly 97% on Kauai.
In January, visitor spending on Kauai was $ 10.2 million, down nearly 95% from the same month in 2020. Total visitor days were also nearly 90% lower than in January 2020. There were 3,987 visitors to Kauai in January, compared to 113,847 visitors a year ago.
Currently, travelers across the Pacific can avoid the quarantine on Kauai if they first go to another Hawaiian island using the Hawaii Safe Travels test program prior to arrival and spend at least 72 hours on the island before traveling to Kauai. But before entering Kauai, they will still have to take a test with one of the state’s trusted travel partners.
A second option to avoid the 10-day quarantine on Kauai is for visitors to stay in ‘resort bubbles’. In this case, visitors must pass a negative COVID test before arriving in Kauai. The test does not have to come from the list of trusted test partners offered by the state. After arriving, they must go directly to a designated resort bubble for at least three days.
If Ige approves Kawakami’s request, out-of-state travelers to Kauai will take a pre-trip test with one of the state’s trusted test and travel partners from April 5 within 72 hours of leaving for Kauai. Here is a list of trusted partners available.
They must also set up a Safe Travels account and complete the Compulsory Travel and Health Form for the State of Hawaii. The negative test will only be accepted if they upload negative test results to their Safe Travels account before their last trip to Hawaii.
Find out more here about the requirements for the state of Hawaii Safe Travels.
While Kauai’s travel policy was the strictest in the state, locals enjoyed more freedom. Since May 2020, Kauai businesses of many kinds, as well as many sports and social activities, have been allowed to operate and remain open as long as they follow the restriction guidelines.
“It’s been one year since the pandemic reached Hawaii and we thank the people of Kauai for their sacrifices that enabled us to stay safe, healthy and open,” said Dr. Janet Berreman, District Health Officer in Kauai, said in a statement. ‘With the spread of vaccine to high-risk groups and the improving situation on the continent, the Kauai Health Bureau is supporting the opening of travel across the Pacific with a single pre-trip test. We continue to monitor new developments, especially the shipping of new variants, and we emphasize the need for everyone to continue to wear masks, physically distance themselves and take other safety precautions. ”
Recognizing that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still advises travelers to take a pre- and post-travel test, Kauai Province and Kauai District Health Offices offer free COVID-19 tests during the Kaua’i War. Memorial Convention Hall weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Recent travelers and employees in high-risk industries are encouraged to use this free trial program.
“Although tests after the trip are not mandatory, we are grateful to our partners in the visitor industry for trying above and beyond the best to keep our community safe by encouraging their guests to take a test after arrival, added Mayor Kawakami. “We have already connected a number of Kauai properties and we expect more to come online in the coming weeks.”
The following Kauai hotels have agreed to make tests available to their guests at different times:
>> Kaua’i Marriott Resort & Beach Club
>> Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort & Spa
>> The cliffs at Princeville
>> The club at Kukui’ula
>> Timbers Kaua’i by Hoku’ala
>> Sheraton Kaua’i by Coconut Beach
>> The point at Po’ipū
>> Hanalei Colony Resort
>> Koloa Landing Resort
>> Suite Paradise
For more information on COVID-19 on Kauai and the travel rules, please visit kauai.gov/COVID-19.