Hawaii within two weeks could lift its 10-day quarantine requirement for all travelers from the U.S. continent who show proof of vaccination, the state鈥檚 COVID-19 liaison said Wednesday.
Hawaii already has lifted the quarantine requirement for travelers flying between islands; previously, travelers had to endure a 10-day quarantine upon arrival or get a negative COVID-19 test result before flying.
Now, inter-island travelers no longer have to show a negative test result to skip the quarantine. And neither do travelers from the continent who show proof they got at least one vaccination shot in Hawaii. Things could open up even more soon.
During the program on Wednesday, said that within eight to 10 days Hawaii could extend its quarantine exemption to anyone flying from the mainland who showed proof of vaccination, regardless of whether the person got vaccinated in Hawaii.
Hawaii is only about 50,000 vaccine shots away from having 60% of its population at least partially vaccinated, Green said. When Hawaii reaches that threshold, it will make sense to let visitors from the U.S. come to Hawaii if they can show proof of vaccination. But getting Hawaii residents vaccinated is the key.
With so much of the public vaccinated and vaccines widely available for free for those who aren鈥檛, the challenge for Hawaii health officials now involves not so much informing the public, but convincing people to get the shots, Green said.
鈥淎t this point there isn鈥檛 anyone in the state that鈥檚 not aware that they can get a free vaccination,鈥 Green said.
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About the Author
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Stewart Yerton is the senior business writer for 天美视频. You can reach him at syerton@civilbeat.org.