Hawaii’s bet on restarting its tourism business by eliminating quarantine for pre-tested visitors is off to a fast start; the first week of allowing visitors with state-approved negative Covid tests brought a leap to 66,644.
However, only a bit more than 41,000 of those met the state’s requirements—a specific type of test by one of the state’s approved partners—and avoided quarantine. A number arrived with negative results, but from the wrong test; others waited until arrival to be tested. More than 7,500 were ordered into quarantine.
Previously, the state had operated with a strict 14-day quarantine for all arrivals, essentially cutting off the tourism business. With the new arrivals, the state is still being quite strict in enforcement; during the first week of the new program, Oahu police issued 8,400 warnings and 885 tickets for not wearing masks or committing other virus-related violations.
