Online video: Hawaii Gov. David Ige unveils vaccination exemption program for interisland tourists

Gov. David Ige introduced nowadays that Hawaii will start accepting a vaccination exemption on May perhaps 11 for interisland tourists who been given their vaccination in Hawaii.

It is been a lot more than two months considering that the U.S. Facilities for Disease Command and Avoidance up-to-date its journey assistance to say entirely vaccinated folks can travel inside of the U.S. devoid of receiving examined for the coronavirus or heading into quarantine.

Ige provided the framework for vaccine-linked vacation exemptions in his April 9 crisis proclamation but waited right up until now to approve a begin day. So far, the vaccination exemption only applies to interisland vacationers, who acquired their vaccination in Hawaii and can prove that they have been entirely vaccinated and have waited the required 14 day period.

Ige explained state and county mayors made the decision to get started the vaccination exemption program with people who experienced been vaccinated in Hawaii since “we can confirm the information and their vaccination standing.”

Ige claimed the phased solution would allow officers to “validate the screening approach.” He mentioned it also would permit the state and counties to “learn about what kinds of bottle necks and delays it may perhaps inject into our screening procedure for interisland travel.”

“We are checking and go on to keep track of the level of virus action in our community, hospitalizations and fatalities listed here prompted by COVID-19,” Ige reported. “Our amount just one priority continues to be defending the overall health and well-being of Hawaii’s citizens. We go on to function to enhance the systems and plans in buy to keep our community harmless and re-energize our overall economy.”

Qualifying interisland vacationers could start off moving into their information into Safe and sound Travels Hawaii https://journey.hawaii.gov/on May well 7 for journey on or after May possibly 11.

The vaccination exemption will make it possible for qualifying interisland vacationers to bypass the state’s 10-working day travel quarantine with out going as a result of the Safe Travels Hawaii pre-screening application or post-arrivals county screening.

But the system does not however enable tourists, who ended up vaccinated in Hawaii, and are getting into Hawaii on Trans-Pacific flights to exempt the quarantine. Unvaccinated little ones aged 5 and over, who are traveling with qualifying interisland travelers, also will have to have to get a pre-check.

Ige mentioned the state is taking a phased in approach to vaccination exemptions, and isn’t possible to increase it to domestic trans-Pacific vacationers right until summer. Global tourists from nations these as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia and Canada would be added afterwards, Ige stated.

The vaccination exemption isn’t replacing the Protected Travels Hawaii journey pre-screening program, https://journey.hawaii.gov/, which will even now be out there to travelers who do not qualify for the exemption, this kind of as small children who simply cannot be vaccinated and do not qualify for the exemption.

The pre-tests software also is out there for trans-Pacific travelers and those people interisland travelers who have not been provided yet in the state’s vaccination exemption system.

Unvaccinated and trans-Pacific travelers may well bypass a 10-day mandatory quarantine interval if they comply with the Harmless Travels pre-screening software, which necessitates that they entire a Nucleic Acid Amplification Exam (NAAT) from a licensed Scientific Laboratory Enhancement Modification (CLIA) lab. The COVID-19 check will have to be administered by a single of Hawaii’s accredited trustworthy screening associates https://hawaiicovid19.com/vacation-partners/and taken in just 72 several hours ahead of departure of the final leg of their trip to Hawaii.

Vacationers looking for a pre-take a look at exemption may perhaps upload their adverse test effects into Safe and sound Travels prior to departure or presenting Hawaii officials with a tricky copy of their outcomes, which was printed out prior to departure. To support reduce unexpected hurdles, tourists need to add the exam and convey a duplicate of it with them.

Like domestic travelers, worldwide travelers coming from nations that are component of Hawaii’s Protected Travels software might not stay away from the necessary 10 day quarantine except they just take a pre-vacation exam from a trusted testing and travel associate 72 hrs prior to departure on the closing leg of their journey to Hawaii.

View the press meeting via the video clip earlier mentioned, or take a look at Gov. Ige’s Fb web site.