Hawaii Lifts Several Coronavirus-Related Travel Restrictions

Hawaii announced several coronavirus-related travel restrictions have officially been lifted.

According to Pacific Business News, interisland travel throughout Hawaii had been restricted for over a year, but the limitations were lifted on Tuesday for state residents and qualified visitors who want to move between islands.

Tourists and locals traveling between the Hawaiian Islands will no longer be subjected to any COVID-19 quarantine requirements, nor will they be required to take a pre-travel coronavirus test.

As for trans-Pacific travel, those vaccinated in Hawaii will no longer need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to avoid a 10-day mandatory quarantine when returning. Proof of vaccination is required for the exemption.

Travelers or residents vaccinated in other states are still required to pass a coronavirus test within 72 hours of departure to Hawaii to avoid quarantine. Once all requirements are met, travelers can move between islands without any restrictions.

Governor David Ige announced that 55 percent of the state’s population was fully vaccinated as of Monday, with another stage of COVID-19-related restrictions rollbacks set to go into effect when the fully vaccinated population hits 60 percent across all islands.

For the second set of restrictions to be lifted, trans-Pacific travelers coming from anywhere in the U.S. would be allowed to forego testing and quarantine requirements by showing proof they received a full vaccination.

Governor Ige also said Hawaii would repeal the Safe Travels Program once the state reaches a fully vaccinated rate of 70 percent of its residents, but he reiterated that COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates would impact his decision.