Hawaii's Safe-Travels Requires Your Private Health Information

Travels to Hawaii often include sensational surfing, delicious Luaus, thrilling helicopter tours, and unfortunately continue to require a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

On September 1, 2020, Governor David Ige’s traveler quarantine order was extended until at least October 1st. And, the Governor announced a new program Safe Travels which is mandatory for all Hawaiian Islands visitors.  

This new digital program, which collects the required health and travel information, is critical to protecting the health of our residents and visitors alike. Safe Travels is one part of a multi-layered screening process which includes arrival temperature checks, and secondary screening for those with symptoms or temperatures of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. 

Travelers are encouraged to enter their information and trip details well in advance of their flight. Once their health information is entered, travelers will receive a QR code via email. The QR code on their mobile device or printed on paper gets scanned by the airport screener upon arrival.

All arriving air passengers will be required to have a valid email address to receive the QR code.

And if you think you can ignore the mandatory quarantine, think again.  Two Waikiki hotels were greeted by Special Agents knocking on the door and wishing them a good morning.

Paul Jones, Deputy Chief Special Agent for the Department of the Attorney General-Investigations Division, said, “We had two teams of eight agents show up at two hotel/condo complexes and based on our list from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, we contacted every person on the list. Fortunately, we found everyone in their rooms, fully aware of the expiration of their required quarantine, or in a few cases they had work exemptions and were at their job sites.”

Agent Jones said 'proactive compliance checks will continue in Waikīkī and in other districts across O‘ahu.'

Furthermore, beginning Oct. 1, 2020, at the earliest, trans-Pacific travelers arriving in Hawaii from out-of-state will have the option to get a valid COVID-19 test prior to their arrival and show proof of a negative test result, to avoid the 14-day quarantine.

Evidence of a negative test result must be provided upon arrival in Hawaii. Without this, passengers arriving from out-of-state will be subject to the 14-day quarantine. Travelers will be responsible for the cost of the pre-travel test.

The Hawaii Health Department is developing this program but anticipates requiring an FDA-approved test from a CLIA certified laboratory. The details and requirements are to be determined.

More information on Hawaii's Safe Travels process can be found by clicking here.

Vax-Before-Travel publishes travel-related news.