Since Hawaii became a state in 1959, tourism has made up the largest part of the island chain’s economy, over a quarter of the gross state product (GSP). The state has tried to diversify, investing in agriculture and manufacturing, but tourism is still king.
Which of course, has been a problem this year.
On March 26, 2020, Hawaii instituted one of the strictest travel restrictions in the country, a mandatory 14-day quarantine, in a government-chosen hotel, for all arrivals and most inter-island travelers. The result was not inviting to tourism, discouraging all but the most vital travel. The hotels, restaurants, and attractions that are the beating heart of Hawaii’s economy have been shuttered for more than seven months.
A new pre-travel COVID-19 testing protocol, being launched this week by the local government in Honolulu, Hawaii, hopes to help reopen things. Beginning October 15, visitors who have proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their flight are now allowed to skip the 14-day quarantine. Masks, temperature checks, closures, and contact tracing regulations will still be a part of their trip, but they won’t have to budget for two weeks staring at the wall of a hotel room and eating room service.
Some airlines, like JetBlue, are offering their passengers testing along with their ticket price. Others require you to arrange a test yourself. And no amount of testing guarantees that a person is COVID-free, or that they won’t be infected walking into the airport. But comprehensive testing is still a powerful weapon against disease spread.
Travelers must create a profile on Safe Travels, a website Hawaii is using to track and quarantine visitors as necessary. Arrivals will also be randomly selected for testing at the airport, except for the “Big Island” of Hawaii, which is testing all arrivals for COVID-19, without exception.
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