Over the last few months, we’ve seen Covid-19 totally change the face of the travel industry. Far from dreaming about scenic islands, we’re now left to worry about testing requirements and quarantine mandates at many popular tourist spots. Similarly, we’ve seen Hawaii take a cautious approach toward reopening travel from the US mainland. However, this new development could be the first glimmer of hope as Hawaii is looking to allow certain qualifying visitors to skip quarantine requirements.
Skipping Hawaii Quarantine Requirements
The state of Hawaii imposed restrictions on travel from the US mainland after it saw a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases. However, after several policy considerations, the state is now looking to open up tourism by taking the necessary precautions and by satisfying testing requirements.
ABC news reports that Hawaii will now allow certain visitors to skip quarantine requirements if they meet certain conditions. This new plan would enable the state to take the necessary precautions as it looks to restart its distressed tourism dependent economy.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Wednesday that starting Oct. 15, travelers arriving from out of state may bypass a 14-day quarantine requirement if they test negative for COVID-19. “I want to emphasize that this pre-travel testing will allow us to add a greater element of safety for travel into our state,” Ige said at a news conference.
In order to qualify, visitors have to meet the following requirements:
- Travelers must test negative for Covid-19
- Travelers must undergo the test 72 hours before they arrive on the islands
The state of Hawaii will partner with CVS and Kaiser Permanente in order to conduct the Covid-19 tests.
The Pundit’s Mantra
If you’re planning to travel to Hawaii any time soon, then this is fantastic news. I’m hoping that other popular destinations follow a similar approach as they look to open travel. However, one most not forget though that the travel experience will continue to remain severely diluted. We live in a post Covid-19 world and given all the restrictions and safety measures in place, airline travel and hotel stays are bound to be very different experiences altogether.
Does the easing of restrictions encourage you to book travel to Hawaii right away? Tell us in the comments section
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How do you equate “starting October 15” with “now”? You may want to edit the title.