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

[DeniseM]

Two posts have been edited: This forum is for discussions about TRAVEL to Hawaii - not for contentious opinions about C-19. If you want to have a C-19 thread on the Hawaii Forum, then stick to the topic! If you want to wax eloquently about your contentious social/political opions, there are lots of places where you can do that - but not here.

 

[WVBaker]

[Deleted - you don't learn do you?]

I apologize Denise, I was simply offering Jan some kind words.

 

[DannyTS]

[Redacted: This thread is for discussions about HAWAII TRAVEL - please stick to the topic.]

I'll give it another month to see how things go in Hawaii before I'm ready to think about booking anything. Even though we have vouchers from our trip to Kauai last year that are burning a whole in my pocket. Because we've been there I understand and agree with the reasons they've been so strict. While I have no concerns that our traveling in the Continental US has put anyone else at risk, at this time I wouldn't be able to say the same thing about Hawaii.

We have vouchers as well. I am not sure what the cancellation policy for vouchers is (Air Canada and Westjet, probably different in the States). If those cannot be changed or cancelled we may just use cash or points for the next flight; initially when we start to travel by plane things will probably still not be 100% OK and another wave can come any time. We will use the vouchers when we are completely on the other side of this.

 

[DeniseM]

I apologize Denise, I was simply offering Jan some kind words.

When your "kind words" dog whistle a contentious social/political opinion, you should use a private message.

 

[Papa2015]

Took a walk down to Waikiki Beach this afternoon. I walked through the International MarketPlace and took the video below. More stores are definitely open by not too many people yet. Most of the stores have a sign for the number of people allowed in at one time. Thought some people might want to see how it’s going so far.

Thanks for posting. Goes to show how dependent these businesses are on tourism.

 

[csodjd]

4 Tourists Arrive on Big Island Positive With COVID in 3 Days

Equates to about 1 out of 700 passengers arriving testing positive for COVID-19.

bigislandgazette.com

This does not look like a good beginning to tourism opening.

Through the weekend, a total of 9 passengers have tested positive for COVID at Big Island airports with the mandatory rapid tests on landing.

All of those passengers were then required to take a PCR test and quarantine. Of those 9, 4 were confirmed positive and 5 were false positive. The Department of Health is monitoring those positive passengers.

Contact tracing has begun to round up the passengers on United and Hawaiian who sat in the same row and two rows forward/back to quarantine and test those positive-exposed people.

A person's positivity is reported to their home zip code. So unless these positive people reside on Hawaii County, their positivity won't impact Hawaii's virus counts.

Not sure which is more concerning... 4 positives or 5 false positives. The fear/concern of those 5 until they get their results is probably very real. That said, it would be great if we get the results of that contract tracing... it will either give us all great sense of security, or real concern. Doubt we will though.

Edit: I just read that there were 2800 people that arrived. So the 4 positives are out of 2800. The Lt. Gov. said he felt that was quite acceptable. 0.1%.

 

[jabberwocky]

We have vouchers as well. I am not sure what the cancellation policy for vouchers is (Air Canada and Westjet, probably different in the States). If those cannot be changed or cancelled we may just use cash or points for the next flight; initially when we start to travel by plane things will probably still not be 100% OK and another wave can come any time. We will use the vouchers when we are completely on the other side of this.

It's not even clear that Canadians can travel to Hawaii now on AC or WS. There are no approved travel partners in Canada. I'm glad we canceled for March. I have a feeling it is going to be a very long time before we go back to Hawaii. Until then, other locations will get our tourist dollars - so we will be using our vouchers for those places.

I did use WestJet credits to book our trip to California for December. Worked really well and the agent gave us preferred seats at no extra charge.

 

[melissy123]

I was reading a news article in Maui News. It said 200 passengers (who had previously tested negative for Covid prior to arrival) coming in to Maui over the weekend voluntarily took another Covid test after arrival in Maui. Later in the article it mentions new Covid cases for the islands but zero reported for Maui.

So I’m extrapolating that none of those 200 passengers tested were positive for Covid.

County: About 200 travelers took post-travel test

About 200 people out of the thousands of arriving passengers to Maui volunteered to take a second, post-travel test over the weekend, according to county officials. Maui County has been encouraging travelers to “stay healthy and return home healthy” through a free, CARES Act-funded test taken...

www.mauinews.com

 

[lynne]

4 Tourists Arrive on Big Island Positive With COVID in 3 Days

Equates to about 1 out of 700 passengers arriving testing positive for COVID-19.

bigislandgazette.com

This does not look like a good beginning to tourism opening.

Through the weekend, a total of 9 passengers have tested positive for COVID at Big Island airports with the mandatory rapid tests on landing.

All of those passengers were then required to take a PCR test and quarantine. Of those 9, 4 were confirmed positive and 5 were false positive. The Department of Health is monitoring those positive passengers.

Contact tracing has begun to round up the passengers on United and Hawaiian who sat in the same row and two rows forward/back to quarantine and test those positive-exposed people.

A person's positivity is reported to their home zip code. So unless these positive people reside on Hawaii County, their positivity won't impact Hawaii's virus counts.

GOOD NEWS!

The 4 positive results from arriving passengers on Thursday have now all tested negative through a follow-up PCR test. Because of that, the Mayor of Hawaii is thinking of killing the airport testing program and replace it with a procedure that will require passengers to be tested 3 or 4 days after they arrive.

 

[klpca]

GOOD NEWS!

The 4 positive results from arriving passengers on Thursday have now all tested negative through a follow-up PCR test. Because of that, the Mayor of Hawaii is thinking of killing the airport testing program and replace it with a procedure that will require passengers to be tested 3 or 4 days after they arrive.

I don't doubt you at all (in fact I desperately want this to be true), but I haven't found this info anywhere. Do you have a link?

 

[ljmiii]

I don't doubt you at all (in fact I desperately want this to be true), but I haven't found this info anywhere. Do you have a link?

I read it on HawaiiNewsNow

After false positives, Hawaii County considers nixing post-arrival test for travelers

Late Tuesday, Mayor Harry Kim confirmed he’s debating whether to make changes to the program ― or end it all together.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

 

[klpca]

I read it on HawaiiNewsNow

After false positives, Hawaii County considers nixing post-arrival test for travelers

Late Tuesday, Mayor Harry Kim confirmed he’s debating whether to make changes to the program ― or end it all together.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

Thanks. I don't know how I missed it!

 

[triangulum33]

What exactly are the mask/social distancing rules?
Beat of Hawaii posted this official video and it raises more questions than gives answers. Do the mask requirements apply only to residents? Do visitors have masks on at all times when away from their residence?

 

[lynne]

What exactly are the mask/social distancing rules?
Beat of Hawaii posted this official video and it raises more questions than gives answers. Do the mask requirements apply only to residents? Do visitors have masks on at all times when away from their residence?

Masks are required for both residents and visitors. This graph should help:

 

[csodjd]

GOOD NEWS!

The 4 positive results from arriving passengers on Thursday have now all tested negative through a follow-up PCR test. Because of that, the Mayor of Hawaii is thinking of killing the airport testing program and replace it with a procedure that will require passengers to be tested 3 or 4 days after they arrive.

More broadly, it means of the ~2500 to fly into there, there was not a single false negative in the group. That bodes well for the introduction of tourism not bringing new infections in. Now we just need the tourists to not engage in behavior during their vacation that leads to community spread.

 

[lynne]

More broadly, it means of the ~2500 to fly into there, there was not a single false negative in the group. That bodes well for the introduction of tourism not bringing new infections in. Now we just need the tourists to not engage in behavior during their vacation that leads to community spread.

And to take a test prior to arriving so as not to endanger fellow passengers and residents since there is no way to identify and trace people who have to quarantine and those that have agreed to test prior to arrival.

Safe Travels First 6+ Days
49,896 screened
42,360 exempted traveler (988 did not test and were exempted from the 14 day quarantine as essential)
6548 into quarantine
1:2 residents/visitors

 

[Tamaradarann]

So in 6 days there are 6548 arrivals that are subject to quarantine + 988 exempted essential workers. To analyze if the opening has been sucessful the first questions if the virus numbers increase are:

How many residents that were not tested and are quarantining have the disease and spread the it to those in the household that are not quarantined?
How many visitors that were not tested and are required to quarantine have the disease?
How many of the 988 essential workers that are exempted have the disease?

If any of the above have the disease did they contact others?

In 6 days 7536 new possible sources of spread have arrived, does Hawaii have the resources to analyze and trace?

 

[turkel]

I voted April. Probably wishful thinking but we have 14 days scheduled in April with an expiring credit on Southwest in May. We will test if need be. My personal feeling is if I haven’t gotten Covid at work my odds are pretty darn good that I wont get it once retired. Work has been Covid admission free for a week. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Maui here we come test or no test requirements.

 

[bendadin]

Has anyone found the prices for PCR? I was finding $150 each. The United test program looked to be $250.

 

[klpca]

Has anyone found the prices for PCR? I was finding $150 each. The United test program looked to be $250.

I am seeing about $150 too. I think that Quest is about $10 cheaper.

 

[JeffC]

For inter-island travel, lets say Big Island to Kauai, do you need another covid negative test prior to arrival? Assuming you flew into the islands having gotten a negative test. Also, if you fly from the mainland to Honululu and then connect to another Island is that considered inter-island travel?
Thanks

 

[JanT]

In Texas at CVS it was $139. We got our results back quickly. Tested on Wednesday at noon and results were back to us at 1:30 am on Friday morning.

Has anyone found the prices for PCR? I was finding $150 each. The United test program looked to be $250.

 

[TSPam]

For inter-island travel, lets say Big Island to Kauai, do you need another covid negative test prior to arrival? Assuming you flew into the islands having gotten a negative test. Also, if you fly from the mainland to Honululu and then connect to another Island is that considered inter-island travel?
Thanks

Aloha,

a trip from the big island to Kauai needs anegative test or quarantine.
Connections through the Honolulu airport do not count as Interisland travel. A single pre-travel trans-pacific test allows you to fly to Kauai through HNL. Also, Interisland travel to O’ahu does not require a test.
When entering trips in safe travels you do one from the mainland to Honolulu and click exemp and then a second from Honolulu to Lihue

 

[alexadeparis]

Its isolation makes this possible. Of course it also decimated the primary driver of its economy.

MORE than decimated.

 

[stslc]

Thanks. I don't know how I missed it!

I arrived on Kauai on Saturday and received an email Wed asking me to go to the Wilcox clinic for a voluntary second test. I went and they didn't seem like they knew what was going on. I should have just walked away but I'd like to see this re-opening stick as we have another trip planned in January. I showed them the email, filled out the paperwork and was tested. They said 48 hours for results. A false positive (or real positive) would really screw up getting home so I'm having a little tester's remorse now. Fingers crossed.