Hawaii National Guard Ends Pandemic Assistance Mission
The decision comes after the state said it will lift Covid-19 restrictions including the Safe Travels program requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test to avoid quarantine.
The Hawaii National Guard has completed its mission to assist in the state’s Covid-19 response, reverting all remaining responsibilities back to state authorities.
The National Guard was mobilized to reinforce federal, state and county recovery efforts, with troops working as contact tracers, administering over 80,000 doses of the Covid vaccine and logging over 10 million man-hours supporting health screening checkpoints at Hawaii airports.
The conclusion of the National Guard’s mission coincides with the imminent end of Hawaii’s last Covid restrictions, with both the Safe Travels program requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to avoid quarantine upon arrival in the islands and the state’s indoor mask mandate ending March 26.
鈥淭he missions that the Hawaii National Guard executed for the state and counties contributed to the safety and security of the people of Hawaii in their battle against COVID-19 infections,鈥 Hawaii National Guard Joint Task Force Commander . 鈥淚 am proud of our Guardsmen who served our communities in their time of need.鈥
Other notable statistics included more than 175,000 Covid swab-tests conducted and nearly 450,000 pounds of essential cargo flown by the Air National Guard.
First mobilized on April 6, 2020, the Hawaii National Guard’s nearly two-year activation will be the longest domestic mission in its history, according to a . Other notable domestic deployments include assisting in emergency response to Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and the 2018 Kiluaea eruptions and supporting security efforts at President Joe Biden’s inauguration last year.
At its peak, 1,300 guard members assisted in Covid efforts across the state. At the mission’s end, the Hawaii National Guard counted 300 active personnel.
