Hawaii Gov OKs Kauai Plan To Opt Out Of Pre-Travel Test
Gov. David Ige says Kauai can require 14-day quarantine for all arrivals.
Gov. David Ige has approved a request by the mayor of Kauai to temporarily opt out of the state鈥檚 pre-travel testing program, a decision that will force all travelers to the Garden Isle 鈥 including those on neighbor island flights 鈥 to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
The decision goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
Previously, as was the case across the rest of the state, passengers who submitted proof of a negative COVID-19 test that was taken within 72 hours of arrival could bypass the two-week quarantine.
Friday鈥檚 decision eliminates that provision for all passengers arriving on Kauai.
鈥淭he unprecedented surge of COVID-19 cases on the mainland and the rise in community spread on Kauai are of significant concern for the Garden Isle,鈥 said Ige. 鈥淲e must protect Kauai residents and visitors and ensure that Kauai鈥檚 hospitals do not become overwhelmed.鈥
Businesses say the moratorium will impact them as they were seeing visitors return for the holidays.
鈥淭his is devastating, and I don鈥檛 even understand what we鈥檙e protecting ourselves from,鈥 said Richard Kemper, general manager at the locally owned Kauai Inn. 鈥淚 mean, I understand COVID, I鈥檓 not stupid. But the cure is getting far worse than the disease at this point.”
Kemper said the hotel has already laid off 23 of its 25 employees.
Cody Kimura of Blue Ocean Adventures said he had just made enough revenue to buy and finish a new boat for his business.
鈥淲e were finally getting back to normal, or to what鈥檚 the closest thing that we can call normal, and then that鈥檚 just gone,鈥 Kimura said.
Kimura was looking forward to seeing Christmas holiday travelers when he got the news alert that the county was pulling out of the pre-travel testing program.
鈥淟iterally, within 10 minutes, our business line just started ringing and ringing and ringing, people starting to cancel immediately,鈥 he said.
The island currently has 18 active cases, according to data released Friday by the Department of Health, as well as the fewest number of ICU beds in the state.
鈥淜auai is unable to adequately protect itself by utilizing the Safe Travels program at this time,鈥 said Mayor Derek Kawakami. 鈥淥ur travel related cases are now leading to community spread across our island.
