Oct. 18: Now that Hawaii is open, it's time for the NEW AND IMPROVED COVID-19 poll and discussion thread.

[MULTIZ321]

BREAKING: Pre -Travel COVID -19 Test Results Must Be in Hand Prior to Departure for Hawai'i.

BREAKING: Pre-Travel COVID-19 Test Results Must Be In Hand Prior to Departure for Hawai‘i | Maui Now

Governor David Ige announced today that starting on Nov. 24, travelers wishing to bypass the 14-day mandatory quarantine must have their COVID-19 test results – from a trusted testing partner – prior to departure for the State of Hawaiʻi.

mauinow.com

Richard

 

[bnoble]

With each passing day, our decision to cancel our late December/January trip to Kauai is looking better and better. Super disappointing, but it was the right thing to do for us. We will try again in August.

Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami requests to opt out of state’s pre-arrivals testing program, citing rising COVID cases | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami is requesting to opt-out of Hawaii’s pre-arrivals testing program after dozens of new COVID-19 cases reached the island.

www.staradvertiser.com

 

[TravelTime]

I just got an email stating the following:

This past week has been another busy one in terms of new announcements in Hawaii. Most critically, as you now likely know, new travel restrictions effective November 24th require all travelers to have their negative test results prior to departure. We understand your frustrations with this new requirement, and we are continuing to monitor the situation closely. Based on traveler and industry feedback thus far, including multiple concerns about how quickly that policy was enacted by the Governor, we suspect further adjustments to the pre-travel testing program are forthcoming.

Unfortunately, there are some new developments that may further complicate some traveler's plans. Notably, several pre-travel trusted testing partners are experiencing testing delays and/or availability issues. We've updated our list of partners accordingly. However, one partner, in particular, CVS, who was one of the state’s larger trusted-testing partners, has begun telling Hawaii travelers that they should make other testing plans due to their not being able to meet the new time requirements on testing turnaround. Several other partners may require additional caution as well when considering them for your visit. Hopefully, the state of Hawaii will also add additional partners soon.

We're also closely watching whether the island of Kauai is heading for a complete travel shutdown beginning December 1st. This is a breaking story we're following closely, but the Mayor of Kauai, Derek Kawakami, has proposed to the Governor that Kauai implement a strict 14-quarantine for ALL arrivals beginning December 1, 2020; regardless of taking the pre-travel test or not. We'll continue to update this story and many others on our Hawaii Travel News & Headlines page.

 

[controller1]

I just got an email stating the following:

This past week has been another busy one in terms of new announcements in Hawaii. Most critically, as you now likely know, new travel restrictions effective November 24th require all travelers to have their negative test results prior to departure. We understand your frustrations with this new requirement, and we are continuing to monitor the situation closely. Based on traveler and industry feedback thus far, including multiple concerns about how quickly that policy was enacted by the Governor, we suspect further adjustments to the pre-travel testing program are forthcoming.

Unfortunately, there are some new developments that may further complicate some traveler's plans. Notably, several pre-travel trusted testing partners are experiencing testing delays and/or availability issues. We've updated our list of partners accordingly. However, one partner, in particular, CVS, who was one of the state’s larger trusted-testing partners, has begun telling Hawaii travelers that they should make other testing plans due to their not being able to meet the new time requirements on testing turnaround. Several other partners may require additional caution as well when considering them for your visit. Hopefully, the state of Hawaii will also add additional partners soon.

We're also closely watching whether the island of Kauai is heading for a complete travel shutdown beginning December 1st. This is a breaking story we're following closely, but the Mayor of Kauai, Derek Kawakami, has proposed to the Governor that Kauai implement a strict 14-quarantine for ALL arrivals beginning December 1, 2020; regardless of taking the pre-travel test or not. We'll continue to update this story and many others on our Hawaii Travel News & Headlines page.

Many of the Hawaii media sites do not believe Gov. Ige will approve the Kauai Mayor's request.

 

[DeniseM]

Hawaii's major newpaper doesn't think this is going to happen. Especially now, right before the holidays.

 

[csodjd]

Perhaps I am missing something, but if it is as the Lt. Gov says, that residents are 5 times more likely than tourists to bring COVID in, the solution isn't putting up additional barriers to tourists, it is to require initial quarantine and subsequent testing of residents.

Green: Despite criticism from mayors, pre-travel testing system is working

Hawaii is, according to media outlets like the New York Times, the only state in the U.S. where coronavirus is not spreading out of control. But elected officials in recent weeks have offered competing viewpoints as to how best keep it that way.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

The fact is, Hawaii is doing great. If you remove from the data the big outbreak they just had in the state jail/prison (> 100 new cases last week) it appears that, even with the residents that are arriving with COVID, the islands are still outperforming pretty much the entire U.S., and are staying well below the 150/day rate that they said would create medical capacity concern.

So, here's my solution, which addresses the primary risk: when you fly over you sign a declaration stating how long you are staying. If it is 14 days or less, and you tested negative before boarding, you're good. Wear a mask, keep your distance, have a good vacation. If you are staying more than 14 days you must quarantine for 3 days, then can get tested and must remain quarantined until you test negative (PCR only).

 

[amy241]

Perhaps I am missing something, but if it is as the Lt. Gov says, that residents are 5 times more likely than tourists to bring COVID in, the solution isn't putting up additional barriers to tourists, it is to require initial quarantine and subsequent testing of residents.

Green: Despite criticism from mayors, pre-travel testing system is working

Hawaii is, according to media outlets like the New York Times, the only state in the U.S. where coronavirus is not spreading out of control. But elected officials in recent weeks have offered competing viewpoints as to how best keep it that way.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

The fact is, Hawaii is doing great. If you remove from the data the big outbreak they just had in the state jail/prison (> 100 new cases last week) it appears that, even with the residents that are arriving with COVID, the islands are still outperforming pretty much the entire U.S., and are staying well below the 150/day rate that they said would create medical capacity concern.

So, here's my solution, which addresses the primary risk: when you fly over you sign a declaration stating how long you are staying. If it is 14 days or less, and you tested negative before boarding, you're good. Wear a mask, keep your distance, have a good vacation. If you are staying more than 14 days you must quarantine for 3 days, then can get tested and must remain quarantined until you test negative (PCR only).

‘Those of us who may choose to travel for more than 14 days would not appreciate this idea - especially where the risk is the same for both groups entering the state with a negative Covid19 pre-travel test. No reason to punish the group staying longer with a quarantine.

 

[lynne]

It's official

ALL Passengers Arriving on Kauai Subject to Quarantine Regardless of Testing

Effective Dec. 2 at 12:01 a.m.

bigislandgazette.com

 

[csodjd]

‘Those of us who may choose to travel for more than 14 days would not appreciate this idea - especially where the risk is the same for both groups entering the state with a negative Covid19 pre-travel test. No reason to punish the group staying longer with a quarantine.

Agree. But my thinking is that if you're traveling that long there's 3 days to spare, which is more palatable than what Kauai just imposed -- 14 day quarantine in ALL cases. So, basically, no travel to Kauai as Hawaii starts to back away from its reopening to tourism.

 

[turkel]

They just don’t want us. Really wish I hadn’t booked Maui in April.
Personally Hawaii doesn’t deserve my travel $$$.

Not sure what we will do now, hoping I bought e plus

 

[Tamaradarann]

Perhaps I am missing something, but if it is as the Lt. Gov says, that residents are 5 times more likely than tourists to bring COVID in, the solution isn't putting up additional barriers to tourists, it is to require initial quarantine and subsequent testing of residents.

Green: Despite criticism from mayors, pre-travel testing system is working

Hawaii is, according to media outlets like the New York Times, the only state in the U.S. where coronavirus is not spreading out of control. But elected officials in recent weeks have offered competing viewpoints as to how best keep it that way.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

The fact is, Hawaii is doing great. If you remove from the data the big outbreak they just had in the state jail/prison (> 100 new cases last week) it appears that, even with the residents that are arriving with COVID, the islands are still outperforming pretty much the entire U.S., and are staying well below the 150/day rate that they said would create medical capacity concern.

So, here's my solution, which addresses the primary risk: when you fly over you sign a declaration stating how long you are staying. If it is 14 days or less, and you tested negative before boarding, you're good. Wear a mask, keep your distance, have a good vacation. If you are staying more than 14 days you must quarantine for 3 days, then can get tested and must remain quarantined until you test negative (PCR only).

I believe that one of the major problems is not just with the returning residents coming back its with the quality of the returning residents quarantining and their contact with others that they may live with that didn't travel, so therefore, don't need to quarantine. The returning residents, unlike the tourists who stay in hotels or timeshares where there are staff will turn them in, stay in their homes with neighbors that are probably not going to turn them in for not quarantining and the other people in their households certainly will not turn them in.

I know some people on here may not want to hear this again and I am sure that the Residents that will be returning to Kauai don't want to hear it but the only way to really stop the spread from returning people is to escort them to a guarded quartartine facility for the duration of time that the Mayor wants them to be in quarantine!

 

[turkel]

I believe that one of the major problems is not just with the returning residents coming back its with the quality of the returning residents quarantining and their contact with others that they may live with that didn't travel, so therefore, don't need to quarantine. The returning residents, unlike the tourists who stay in hotels or timeshares where there are staff will turn them in, stay in their homes with neighbors that are probably not going to turn them in for not quarantining and the other people in their households certainly will not turn them in.

I know some people on here may not want to hear this again and I am sure that the Residents that will be returning to Kauai don't want to hear it but the only way to really stop the spread from returning people is to escort them to a guarded quartartine facility for the duration of time that the Mayor wants them to be in quarantine!

I thought Hawaii was part of America not some 3rd world Totalitarian country.

 

[amy241]

We have Kauai booked for May/June 2021. I hope things improve by then. We are in Hawaii presently for 5 weeks after rescheduling the trip 3 times in 2020. Every time we needed to change the air, it cost us due to an increase in fares. I think we are now at about $8000 for 2 first class tickets on Hawaiian Air from SFO and Mint Class on JetBlue From FLL. Hawaiian Air has been the worst of the airlines to deal with - even when you see lower fares on their website in your class of service, they tell you they apply to new bookings only. Their hand is always out for more money, more money. I don’t think we will fly HA after our experience with them this year. Next year, it will be United through Houston.

 

[TravelTime]

I got a new email stating the following about Kauai:

We wanted to quickly share some breaking news for those with travel plans that include Kauai. Beginning next Wednesday, December 2nd, Kauai is heading for a complete travel shutdown. On November 27, 2020, Governor David Ige announced that starting December 2, 2020, all transpacific and inter-county travelers arriving on Kauai will be subject to the 14-day quarantine regardless of testing. We've updated all of our pages linked below to reflect this change and wanted to email this list to ensure anyone with plans to visit Kauai could update their travel itinerary accordingly without delay. Kauai Mayor Kawakami recently said, "I will gladly repeal the moratorium once we have the virus under control again." As always, we'll continue to closely monitor this situation.

 

[turkel]

We have Kauai booked for May/June 2021. I hope things improve by then. We are in Hawaii presently for 5 weeks after rescheduling the trip 3 times in 2020. Every time we needed to change the air, it cost us due to an increase in fares. I think we are now at about $8000 for 2 first class tickets on Hawaiian Air from SFO and Mint Class on JetBlue From FLL. Hawaiian Air has been the worst of the airlines to deal with - even when you see lower fares on their website in your class of service, they tell you they apply to new bookings only. Their hand is always out for more money, more money. I don’t think we will fly HA after our experience with them this year. Next year, it will be United through Houston.

Ouch! $8000 for 2 is insane. Again I will say, Hawaii doesn’t deserve my travel $$$. I have no desire to go and quarantine for the 14 days we have planned. We were willing to jump through some hoops but this is beyond the pale as far as we are concerned, quarantining even with a negative test.....nope we’ll stay home or find a different destination. We prefer the Caribbean anyways.

 

[Tamaradarann]

I thought Hawaii was part of America not some 3rd world Totalitarian country.

It is all a matter of perspective, degree, and effectiveness. Some feel that any quarantine is too Totalitarian. Others feel that requiring Restaurants, Bars, Gyms, to close is too Totalitarian. Still others say that limiting the size of events or home get togethers is too Totalitarian. As we know some people refuse to wear masks that are required. The Mayor of Kauai is very concerned with the infection rate so he is requiring all arrivals to quarantine for 14 days, will it work? I personnally don't care one way or the other since we are not returning to Hawaii until this coronavirus is totally under control. However, I feel that what I mentioned will be effective in keeping the people in Kauai safe.

 

[bnoble]

Here's an article about the change in Kauai. TL;DR: Starting 12/2, must quarantine for 14 days at your residence or, if a visitor, at a designated resort bubble. No defined end date.

Ige approves temporary Safe Travels opt-out - The Garden Island

LIHU‘E — Gov. David Ige has signed into effect a temporary pause of the Safe Travels program for Kaua‘i.

www.thegardenisland.com

 

[csodjd]

Ouch! $8000 for 2 is insane. Again I will say, Hawaii doesn’t deserve my travel $$$. I have no desire to go and quarantine for the 14 days we have planned. We were willing to jump through some hoops but this is beyond the pale as far as we are concerned, quarantining even with a negative test.....nope we’ll stay home or find a different destination. We prefer the Caribbean anyways.

I booked flights LAX to/from HNL yesterday for a late Jan/Feb trip. I normally fly American. I do have a HA credit card and some HA miles banked. Here is what I found.

In Economy, it’s almost free. American Airlines, $119 LAX-HNL (on a Thursday), and $149 back (on a Sunday). These are prime time flights. But First Class was ~$650 going and over $900 return on one option, and $2000 for the other flights. (What some safety, for $119/seat, you can book yourself a row!)

However, HA, First class (lie flat) on return was just over $500, and about $300 for their extra comfort coach (which isn’t bad).

Since I have free first upgrades on AA (Platinum Pro), I bought FC for my wife and daughter going, and bought me a coach seat for $119. I don’t expect a January flight to HNL to fill up in first with that price differential between coach and first. So I’ll get three of us in first for about $1350. On the return I just booked first on Hawaiian, using my HA credit card, so I’ll get a bunch of miles. (Also, as a Black Friday weekend special, the two FC American tickets earned 15% discount vouchers on a future flight).

No change fees on any flights, so if we can‘t use them we’ll have the entire year to do so.

 

[csodjd]

I believe that one of the major problems is not just with the returning residents coming back its with the quality of the returning residents quarantining and their contact with others that they may live with that didn't travel, so therefore, don't need to quarantine. The returning residents, unlike the tourists who stay in hotels or timeshares where there are staff will turn them in, stay in their homes with neighbors that are probably not going to turn them in for not quarantining and the other people in their households certainly will not turn them in.

I know some people on here may not want to hear this again and I am sure that the Residents that will be returning to Kauai don't want to hear it but the only way to really stop the spread from returning people is to escort them to a guarded quartartine facility for the duration of time that the Mayor wants them to be in quarantine!

I would never support any kind of “guarded quarantine facility.” I think (hope!) we learned in WW2 that’s not a good approach, and it’s unAmerican.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I would never support any kind of “guarded quarantine facility.” I think (hope!) we learned in WW2 that’s not a good approach, and it’s unAmerican.

I agree, and i think its probably not legal and would quickly be overruled. So it probably better for Hawaii or any other state to avoid even trying that only to have it overruled.

 

[critterchick]

Here's an article about the change in Kauai. TL;DR: Starting 12/2, must quarantine for 14 days at your residence or, if a visitor, at a designated resort bubble. No defined end date.

Ige approves temporary Safe Travels opt-out - The Garden Island

LIHU‘E — Gov. David Ige has signed into effect a temporary pause of the Safe Travels program for Kaua‘i.

www.thegardenisland.com

Interesting that visitors will be required to wear monitoring bracelets but will have full run of their bubble resorts. So presumably they can spread the virus to the staff, who can bring it home to their families. Not to mention spreading it among other guests.

We were due to fly out yesterday but cancelled because we concerned that the Thanksgiving holiday would delay our COVID tests, not to mention AA re-routing us from LAX-LIH nonstop to LAX-PHX-LIH, making a 6 hour trip an 11 hour one. That was our fourth try in 2020, hoping that February on Maui will come through. At least AA are very good about issuing refunds promptly.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I booked flights LAX to/from HNL yesterday for a late Jan/Feb trip. I normally fly American. I do have a HA credit card and some HA miles banked. Here is what I found.

In Economy, it’s almost free. American Airlines, $119 LAX-HNL (on a Thursday), and $149 back (on a Sunday). These are prime time flights. But First Class was ~$650 going and over $900 return on one option, and $2000 for the other flights. (What some safety, for $119/seat, you can book yourself a row!)

However, HA, First class (lie flat) on return was just over $500, and about $300 for their extra comfort coach (which isn’t bad).

Since I have free first upgrades on AA (Platinum Pro), I bought FC for my wife and daughter going, and bought me a coach seat for $119. I don’t expect a January flight to HNL to fill up in first with that price differential between coach and first. So I’ll get three of us in first for about $1350. On the return I just booked first on Hawaiian, using my HA credit card, so I’ll get a bunch of miles. (Also, as a Black Friday weekend special, the two FC American tickets earned 15% discount vouchers on a future flight).

No change fees on any flights, so if we can‘t use them we’ll have the entire year to do so.

I found flights from San Jose Ca to Maui in early Feb for $1040 each in First Class on Hawaiian. I went ahead and booked those, we had some HA credit from a 2020 trip that was canceled, so that worked well for us.

I had originally booked time at MVC Maui Ocean Club with DC points. With the current surge and the change to the testing rules, i was concerned about not being able to travel and just rebooked the trip to a cash pay off Marriott.com. Now i can cancel up until the day prior without penalty. Obviously there is a cost to that added flexibility, but i decide that was worth it to me.

 

[csodjd]

I found flights from San Jose Ca to Maui in early Feb for $1040 each in First Class on Hawaiian. I went ahead and booked those, we had some HA credit from a 2020 trip that was canceled, so that worked well for us.

I had originally booked time at MVC Maui Ocean Club with DC points. With the current surge and the change to the testing rules, i was concerned about not being able to travel and just rebooked the trip to a cash pay off Marriott.com. Now i can cancel up until the day prior without penalty. Obviously there is a cost to that added flexibility, but i decide that was worth it to me.

Here is my struggle. Suggestions welcome.

There are three of us. We currently have Lagoon Tower (2BR Oceanfront) booked for March 27-April 3, and Maui Ocean Club (2BR Oceanfront) April 3 - 10.

Of course, we have to test negative before flying to Hawaii. That's a given. We plan to use Vault.

But, to go from Oahu to Maui as we're currently scheduled means we have to get tested again while in Oahu. That means both money (from about $400 - $675 total for the 3 of us depending on who we go to for the tests) and the risk, however, small, of a positive (including a false positive) and all the problems that creates.

The obvious solution is go to Maui first, direct from California, THEN to Oahu. Then we'd only need the initial testing before departure. I looked to see if I could move my Lagoon Tower reservation to the week after Maui and I can, but only with an ocean view room, not ocean front. I save points and the cost/risk of testing, however. I have not called MOC to see if I can move the Maui week to the week BEFORE Oahu. That's the next step. It doesn't appear there is any way to determine from the MVC website if there are rooms available, I can only find out by calling I guess.

 

[csodjd]

I agree, and i think its probably not legal and would quickly be overruled. So it probably better for Hawaii or any other state to avoid even trying that only to have it overruled.

And perspective is always helpful. Here are the charts for Hawaii and the US for total cases. Of course, Hawaii opened to trans-Pacific travel on Oct. 15. And notably, in the past week, they have had over 100 cases in a prison breakout, which doesn't implicate community spread or tourism. But, even with that, the DATA does not support the fear being expressed. They report a statewide test positivity rate of 1.8%. That's a pretty good number. Currently there are only 17 ICU beds in the state being used by COVID patients (163 are being used for non-COVID patients). Hospitalization is FLAT since Oct. 15. No patients in Kauai are in the hospital. Six weeks after opening up, there is no increase in cases or in number of patients in the hospital with COVID in Hawaii.

(All this data is available at https://hiema-hub.hawaii.gov/ and at https://hiema-hub.hawaii.gov/pages/covid-dashboard)

Here is the US as a whole:

Here is the hospitalization data for the state:

What's really striking, if not shocking, to me is the Kauai data. It shows that there have been a few new cases. One in the past 24 hours. This is not massive. A 7-day moving average of 3. And for that they are ending tourists coming to the island.

 

[echino]

Covid is just an excuse. Many people living in Kauai had wanted to stop tourists long before Covid.