Governor’s Office:
Pre-Travel Testing Option for Trans-Pacific Travel Beginning August 1
Gov. David Ige announced today all travelers arriving in Hawai‘i from out-of-state will be required to get a valid COVID-19 test prior to their arrival, and to show proof of a negative test result, to avoid the 14-day quarantine. The pre-travel testing program begins Aug. 1.
Out-of-state travelers arriving in Hawai‘i must get a PCR test prior to arrival from any testing location approved by the Hawai‘i State Department of Health. Evidence of a negative test result must be provided upon arrival in Hawai‘i. Without this, passengers arriving from out-of-state will be subject to the 14-day quarantine. No testing will be provided upon arrival at the airport.
DOH is still in the process of developing this program but anticipates requiring an FDA-approved PCR test from a CLIA certified laboratory. Travelers will be required to provide printed or emailed pre-test certification as evidence of a negative test result. Travelers will be responsible for the cost of the pre-travel test.
Temperature checks will continue at airports across the state. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees or who is experiencing other symptoms will be required to undergo a secondary screening at the airport with trained healthcare staff. In addition, travelers will be required to fill out the State Travel and Health form
Gov. Ige said, “Now is the time to work together to ensure that our residents and local businesses can safely reopen to incoming travelers. We expect more cases as travel reopens and the State is confident in its ability to monitor and respond to new cases. This is a marathon, not a sprint.” Numerous community leaders were instrumental in helping to develop the plan along with county mayor’s and legislative leadership.
State Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson commented, “Lifting the 14-day quarantine for out-of-state travel will require an intensive airport screening process, increased contact tracing and monitoring of cases, and careful tracking of the state’s progress in controlling and containing the coronavirus. This is a huge undertaking by the state and a tremendous commitment from public health as we embark on these new and untested initiatives and face many unknowns. It is definitely a new normal and we have much to learn as we lift restrictions and rebuild our economy while safeguarding the health of our people.”
Honolulu’s Request for Singers, Musicians to Perform at Restaurants, Bars
Gov. David Ige has approved Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposal to allow singing and/or playing of wind instruments at indoor and outdoor restaurants/bars, with some restrictions.
• Performers who sing or play wind instruments must keep a distance of at least 10 feet from other people.
• Performers who sing or play wind instruments need not wear face coverings, but a physical barrier is required between performers and patrons/staff for indoor restaurants/bars.
• The 10-foot distance requirement does not apply to members of the same performing group.
Mayor Caldwell’s proposal is included in the second amendment to the City and County of Honolulu’s Emergency Order No. 2020-16, posted online at www.honolulu.gov
Lieutenant Governor’s Office:
LG Green Recognizes Partners and People for Hawai‘i’s Efforts
Lieutenant Governor Josh Green added, “Asking passengers to get a negative COVID-19 test prior to travel is one more tool in our layered screening process that will help keep Hawai‘i safe. As we navigate this pandemic, anyway we can minimize risk while bringing some normalcy to our daily lives is the right path forward. I appreciate the incredible work of the partners involved in this process, and special thanks to the people of Hawai‘i who have shown their aloha, patience and resilience throughout this challenging time. We have more than five weeks before August 1 to finalize details and make this the best program in America, and we are up for the task.” Both Gov. Ige and Lt. Gov. Green reminded folks to keep our guard up as we head toward August 1 and beyond. They encouraged continued safe practices: wearing masks, physical distancing and frequent hand washing.
Department of Health:
Sixteen Additional COVID-19 Cases Reported
Thirteen (13) O‘ahu residents, one (1) Hawai‘i Island resident, and two (2) residents diagnosed out-of-state are the latest cases of coronavirus reported by DOH. Six of the cases on O‘ahu are associated with previously confirmed cases. The two cases diagnosed out of state were in Arizona and Nevada. All but one of today’s cases are adults. For context, the median number of cases each day for the week of June 14–20, 2020 is eight (8). At the peak of the current pandemic wave, March 15–21, 2020, the median number of cases per day was 27.
For more tables, charts and visualizations visit the DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division:https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/what-you-should-know/current-situation-in-hawaii
State Health Director Recognizes Wide Cooperation Statewide
DOH Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said at today’s news briefing, “We’ve been able to keep our case numbers at a manageable level unlike many other locations. I am proud to be part of a community that respects and takes care of one another. Unlike many parts of the nation where the disease is raging, I see most people wearing masks at grocery stores and take-out food establishments and standing 6 ft. apart as they wait their turn. Businesses are renovating work areas to provide for physical distancing, installing plexiglass barriers, staggering work hours and taking other actions to work safely. Everyone in the state has worked hard to keep our case numbers down, and we’ve seen great results as a result of your kokua.”
He went on to say that the 14-day traveler quarantine gave Hawai‘i time to build infrastructure, obtain PPE and other necessary resources and to prepare to effectively and efficiently handle more cases. DOH now has nearly 200 cross-trained employees throughout the state who may act as contact tracers in the event of a surge in cases. In addition, the University of Hawai‘i is training about 300 applicants who will be available to assist with contact tracing by the end of July.
Anderson said many recently reported cases were uncovered through timely and intensive investigations by contact tracing staff. Clusters of cases have been contained quickly through isolation and quarantine measures. Outreach activities in at-risk communities and care home facilities throughout the state have also helped proactively identify cases and increase prevention measures.
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority:
Hotel Performance Report for May
Hotels across the state continued to report substantially lower revenue per available room (RevPAR), average daily rate (ADR), and occupancy last month compared to May 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, statewide RevPAR in May 2020 decreased to $18 (-91.1%), ADR fell to $127 (-50.4%), and occupancy declined to 14.2 percent (-64.9 percentage points).
https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4758/hawaii-hotel-performance-05-2020-1.pdf
1,512 Passengers Arrive on Tuesday
Yesterday, a total of 1,655 people arrived in Hawai‘i including 409 visitors and 454 returning residents. There was a total of 17 arriving flights. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday but does not show interisland travel.
