US: Authorities to lift COVID-19 restrictions for vaccinated individuals undertaking inter-county travel May 10 /update 18

Event

Officials in Hawaii have issued orders to lift travel requirements for inter-county travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, starting May 10, as part of their response to the pandemic. Other travel and business restrictions remain mostly unchanged from late March.

Under the new directives, starting May 10 individuals who have received all doses of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine will not be required to be tested for COVID-19 or to self-quarantine when they travel from one Hawaii county to another, as long as the trip is made at least 15 days after their last dose. For unvaccinated individuals, the inter-county travel restrictions will remain unchanged: they must self-quarantine for 10 days upon arriving in Maui, Hawaii, or Kauai counties from another Hawaiian county, unless they produce a negative COVID-19 test, taken within 72 hours of their travel. Persons traveling to Honolulu County from other Hawaiian islands are not required to self-quarantine or provide COVID-19 testing.

Restrictions for travelers entering from outside Hawaii remain largely unchanged. The state's Safe Travels Program remains in effect. Under this program, travelers may enter Hawaii's islands without having to self-quarantine if they provide proof of having tested negative for COVID-19 using a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved nucleic acid amplification test within 72 hours before the final leg of their trip to the state. The test must be administered by an establishment designated by the State of Hawaii as an "approved and trusted testing and travel partner," and the results must be presented before the traveler's departure for Hawaii. As of April 27, only certain establishments in the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have been designated as trusted testing and travel partners by state authorities.

Travelers who do not provide a negative test result before departing for Hawaii must quarantine upon arrival for 10 days or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter. Travelers must also undergo temperature screening on arrival and must fill out a travel and health form. Additionally, local officials in Hawaii County randomly select out-of-state travelers to take antigen tests; if the result is positive or inconclusive, the individual must take additional tests. For more details of the state's travel restrictions, click here.

Domestic Measures

All counties in Hawaii require residents to wear facemasks when in public settings and encourage office-based businesses to keep employees working from home.

Other county-level restrictions in place include the following:

City and County of Honolulu: Gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed. Most establishments can operate at 50-percent capacity. For more details, click here.
Maui County: Gatherings of up to five people are allowed. Nightclubs and concert halls remain closed. Beaches and parks can open between 07:00-19:00. Bars and restaurants can operate at a 30-percent capacity and must close nightly by 22:00. Most other businesses may open with capacity limits. For more details, click here.
Kauai County: Social gatherings of up to 10 people indoor and 25 people outdoors are allowed. Most businesses can operate at 50-percent capacity. More details, click here.
Hawaii County: Most businesses are allowed to open without specific limitations. For more details, click here.

Businesses that operate must enforce social distancing standards, enhance sanitation, and send home any employees showing COVID-19 symptoms. Officials could amend the order on short notice, depending on disease activity in the coming weeks.