HONOLULU (KHON2) — Travel restrictions are back on the table. Gov. David Ige and county mayors are set to discuss the possibility of requiring all travelers to take a COVID-19 test 72 hours before their flights once again.
In July, fully vaccinated trans-Pacific passengers were able to show their vaccine card and travel without the need of a negative COVID test or quarantine requirements.
Although that may change, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara said a pre-travel test could be a requirement for all travelers as the number of COVID cases are on the rise.
Gen. Hara said, “We could roll that back and just mandate everyone be required again to get the 72 hour pre-test with all the same rule nucleic acid application test safe travels testing partner all of the same things.”
Gen. Hara discussed the possibility of bringing back restrictions during a Senate special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 5.
New limits on group gathering sizes are also being called into question.
Hilton Raethel , president and CEO of Healthcare Association of Hawaii, told State senators that large gatherings are a threat for the community.
Raethel said, “Larger gatherings, the higher probability there’s going to be someone or individuals in that gathering who are who are infectious and can spread that.”
Maui has maintained a gathering limit of 10 people for indoor settings and 25 for outdoors while Oahu, Kauai and Big Island increased permitted group sizes to 25 indoors and 75 for outdoor gatherings.
All of the mayors in Hawaii are not reconsidering the number of people allowed to get together.
“We have no intention to go back tiers,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “We will have a conversation tomorrow about the size of gatherings and I will differ any comment until we all get together with the governor.”
Even though Blangiardi said he has no intention of going back tiers, Friday’s meeting with the governor and mayors will be among the first official talks about rolling back restrictions since the Safe Travels program was introduced and counties began to reopen.
