The island of Hawaii today launches a pilot program that will allow travelers, who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have complied with the waiting period, to bypass the country’s second test requirement.
On the island of Hawaii, there has been a second test requirement since October last year when the state debuted its travel enrollment program.
Hawaii Mayor Mitch Roth’s spokesman Cyrus Johnasen said the province plans to phase out its second test program on May 1 – a time when vaccination distribution in Hawaii will be more widespread and that the state may already implemented or close to applying a vaccine release for travelers.
Johnasen said Hawaii County plans to continue with the second tests for travelers who have not been vaccinated by the end of April. He said passengers can bypass the airport test upon arrival by offering legal COVID-19 vaccination cards showing that they have been fully vaccinated and have completed the required waiting period.
Paying for the test on arrival and making it work efficiently was a challenge for the island of Hawaii, which had previously changed policies related to the second test.
According to Roth, from December 15 to March 31, the province of Hawaii relinquished financial responsibility for testing the airport to private philanthropic partners, who had entered into a contract with Premier Medical Group (PMG).
“When an agreement between PMG and our partners could no longer be reached, we resumed fiscal responsibility on April 1,” he said in a statement. ‘In resuming the fiscal responsibility for airport testing, we have opted for lower test rates as public charges would incur costs. PMG informed us of a sharp rise in rates, which led us to divorce. “
Johnasen said the province spent $ 400,000 on disaster funds from April 1 to April 15 to cover tests under a PMG contract. He said the province had changed test providers after PMG informed them it would cost another $ 600,000 to cover tests from April 15 to April 30. .
“We found another supplier who would keep it in the $ 400,000 ballpark for two weeks,” he said.
Roth said his administration “intends to repel the test program upon arrival.”
“Our island has remained one of the safest places to stay in our country, and we are proud of the work it has done,” he said. ‘With the introduction of vaccines as an extra layer of protection, we feel it’s time to get back to normal, including reducing the extra pressure on our airlines, airports, Kamaaina and visitors.
Roth said the country will continue to monitor and adjust its numbers as needed to ensure the health and safety of our community.
“Until then, we will continue to seek innovative solutions to get our community back on track and return to a happy, healthy and prosperous Hawaii County,” he said.
The change in testing on Hawaii Island after arrival comes as Maui Mayor Michael Victorino plans to implement a second test for travelers in the Pacific, including residents returning from outside the state. Details are still being finalized, but Victorino said during a press conference on Wednesday that it could happen as soon as the end of April.