Hawaii Tourism Not Starting Up Until Late Summer

The goal of the quarantine is really to buy time to establish a testing infrastructure so they can do targeted quarantine, and build surge hospital capacity to handle the increase in cases when the economy opens back up.

It was already beyond containment and the economy cannot be shut down indefinitely. So you do the best you can and adapt. Mainland states opening back up and then shutting down again partially is a normal response.
Exactly. This week Germany and Portugal both shut down neighbourhoods again due to rising R0 (and if you have low cases, then 'new' cases in clusters like meat facilities make the R0 seem really high, but in the reality overall figures are still good) That is exactly what was supposed to happen with the plan that much of Europe had in place. Yet many take that as a sign that things are very bad. No, they are being controlled with testing, contact tracing, local shutdowns, etc.

Interestingly, Portugal has one of the lowest ICU per capita rates in Europe. (4 per 100,000 vs US in total 29 per 100,000) I'm not sure how it compares to Hawaii, but they managed to weather this quite well by imposing lock downs, delivering food to the vulnerable, offering free health care to illegal immigrants, and closing borders with Spain. They've shown how a relatively 'poor' country dependent on tourism could develop a way to control this in the short term, whilst opening up their critical tourism economy and even opening up more than most of the rest of Europe and earlier.

Hopefully in Hawaii during this period they were developing a plan of how to manage increases, find additional medical resources, ICU beds, etc just in case they are needed.
 
I am finally excited that our trip for the end of October can actually happen. Now the only thing is how do I get my 30 year old son with Down sydrome to tolerate the covid test? UGH!
 
Honestly, it isn't bad at all. I think too much was made of that You Tube video and no they are not scraping your brain. For me it just felt like a bit when you get water up your nose swimming the times I have had it. Good luck and don't worry too much about it as I think that for most people it's just mildly unpleasant.
 
It is certainly easy to have Schadenfreude and point to the US for poor decision making, but the reality is that every place had to try and manage. (And certainly if you are going to critique the US, look to your own backyard first perhaps?)

Whilst I actually agree with the majority of your response to my post, I’m confused by your initial paragraph?

At no point am I taking any pleasure from this situation believe me! And I think every country, including my own, has had very hard decisions to make in unprecedented circumstances.

I am allowed to be confused by the timings of the decision, and I hope, like I do for all of our countries, that it’s been done at the best time - I long to return to Hawaii & I just hope that those who are now able to return next month have a wonderful time and the cost to the Hawaiian people is limited compared to the gains it brings them.
 


Honestly, it isn't bad at all. I think too much was made of that You Tube video and no they are not scraping your brain. For me it just felt like a bit when you get water up your nose swimming the times I have had it. Good luck and don't worry too much about it as I think that for most people it's just mildly unpleasant.
I really disliked it. It certainly isn't a scrape of your brain (& I haven't seen a You Tube video on the topic), but they do go waaaay up your nose & that does not feel good. I'm more physically comfortable having a strep test, flu swab, or pap smear than I was having the Covid test. That might be tmi, but I'm just trying to create some reference for those who haven't had it. It isn't out & out painful, just really uncomfortable. I can't imagine making young children take it just to go on a family vacation. Every parent is different, though.
 
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Are there guidelines on how close to your travel dates you need to have a Covid test? I'm going there in Mid September.
 
My add: there’s the traditional deep test which is more accurate and provider-performed and the do-it-yourself shorter rapid-results swab (such as what CVS offers for customers who wait in theIr cars in the parking lot).

Two unclear things to me:

1. Does the lower quality rapid do-it-yourself satisfy the requirements. Seems it does. No judgment but certainly less effective.

2. Even if so... at present the CVS website says adults only. I’m flying w my non adult children so that’s another barrier. Finding a rapid location that accepts kids.

If anyone learns more please pass along.
 


You lose a few percentage points on sensitivity from the nasopharyngeal (tickle the brain) swab (90%) vs midturbinate (swab nose) (85-95) vs throat swab/spit (80-85%). Have to balance that with patient discomfort, PPE burn, and nursing LVN/RN for Nasopharyngeal swabs.

That is why the spit test actually gaining a lot of popularity given the PPE burn and patient convenience -- but testing reagents/availability for that test remains the limiting factor :(
 
My add: there’s the traditional deep test which is more accurate and provider-performed and the do-it-yourself shorter rapid-results swab (such as what CVS offers for customers who wait in theIr cars in the parking lot).

Two unclear things to me:

1. Does the lower quality rapid do-it-yourself satisfy the requirements. Seems it does. No judgment but certainly less effective.

2. Even if so... at present the CVS website says adults only. I’m flying w my non adult children so that’s another barrier. Finding a rapid location that accepts kids.

If anyone learns more please pass along.

There are more details on this website: https://www.gohawaii.com/special-alerts-information

I don’t know all those letters/jargon but It looks like you are not limited to CVS. Also, the site states that the government has not decided at what age children must be tested.
 
There are more details on this website: https://www.gohawaii.com/special-alerts-information

I don’t know all those letters/jargon but It looks like you are not limited to CVS. Also, the site states that the government has not decided at what age children must be tested.
An interesting quote as well is on whether this will apply to travel from places other than mainland USA. So I am reading this in one of two ways... travelers from other countries may not be allowed to use this exemption and will continue to have to quarantine for 14 days... or it doesn't apply and foreign travelers will only be subject to US border control restrictions in place at the time of travel...
 
An interesting quote as well is on whether this will apply to travel from places other than mainland USA. So I am reading this in one of two ways... travelers from other countries may not be allowed to use this exemption and will continue to have to quarantine for 14 days... or it doesn't apply and foreign travelers will only be subject to US border control restrictions in place at the time of travel...

I suspect it’ll be the latter for bubble nations to the East (Japan, Australia, maybe S Korea) for reasons previously discussed.
 
We had a reservation for 8/2 - 8/23 (until the kids start school) and we just canceled. While there is no mandatory quarantine by August 1st, we have no confidence that we can find rapid testing with quick turn around time at the end of July. COVID is going up again and who knows if they will deprioritize non essential testing by end of July. Plus it looks like they want the invasive PCR test at $160 per test which is $800 for our family. I don't want to risk our points going into holding if we have to cancel last minute. Plus, Aulani has not announced reopening date yet, and we don't know what kind of social distancing is required.

Given availability we can rebook close to end of July for August if we are comfortable with everybody by that time. Our flights were booked before March so they qualify for no fee rebook until end of this year. We can find somewhere else to go if we do not go to Hawaii. Was kinda looking forward to visiting an uncrowded Hawaii, and kinda test out DVC as part of our retirement plan with an extended stay. Oh well.
 
I am finally excited that our trip for the end of October can actually happen. Now the only thing is how do I get my 30 year old son with Down sydrome to tolerate the covid test? UGH!

Keeping my fingers crossed that the resort will be open by then! No definite date has been announced yet but hopefully your family will get to go!
 
Honestly, it isn't bad at all. I think too much was made of that You Tube video and no they are not scraping your brain. For me it just felt like a bit when you get water up your nose swimming the times I have had it. Good luck and don't worry too much about it as I think that for most people it's just mildly unpleasant.
I've had both the deep swab and the nostril version and they were both very uncomfortable--like grab the handles on the chair and brace yourself uncomfortable. (And I have had two c-sections, mammograms, pap smears and all kinds of female type procedures). I'd say it's like a pap smear for your nose. My 7 year old was tested and did not seem as bothered by it as I was. Perhaps the doctor was more gentle with her. But hey, you do what you gotta do!
 
We pulled the plug on August 17-24 yesterday. Traveling from the East Coast with our 84 year old parents made no sense. I keep thinking that it isn’t going to get any easier to do it when they are 85 but keeping us safe now is the top priority.

Aloha, 3 bedroom ocean view grand villa.......
 
I took an opposite approach and
I've had both the deep swab and the nostril version and they were both very uncomfortable--like grab the handles on the chair and brace yourself uncomfortable. (And I have had two c-sections, mammograms, pap smears and all kinds of female type procedures). I'd say it's like a pap smear for your nose. My 7 year old was tested and did not seem as bothered by it as I was. Perhaps the doctor was more gentle with her. But hey, you do what you gotta do!

If I may ask, what type of facility were you and your child tested at? And also how long was your turnaround. Some rapid testing sites will not take minors. I ask bc I’m trying to plan for my daughter’s testing in time for a hopeful turnaround w results within 72 of arrival.
 
I am finally excited that our trip for the end of October can actually happen. Now the only thing is how do I get my 30 year old son with Down sydrome to tolerate the covid test? UGH!

We just booked for 10/26-11/3. I am praying the report is open but then. Rapid tests here where I live are coming back within 48 hours thankfully.
 
Whilst I actually agree with the majority of your response to my post, I’m confused by your initial paragraph?

At no point am I taking any pleasure from this situation believe me! And I think every country, including my own, has had very hard decisions to make in unprecedented circumstances.

I am allowed to be confused by the timings of the decision, and I hope, like I do for all of our countries, that it’s been done at the best time - I long to return to Hawaii & I just hope that those who are now able to return next month have a wonderful time and the cost to the Hawaiian people is limited compared to the gains it brings them.
Yes that dude needs to relax. I did not get any hint of schadenfreude (Thanks Spellcheck!) in your post.
 
I took an opposite approach and


If I may ask, what type of facility were you and your child tested at? And also how long was your turnaround. Some rapid testing sites will not take minors. I ask bc I’m trying to plan for my daughter’s testing in time for a hopeful turnaround w results within 72 of arrival.
I was tested at a community site and later tested for my work. My first test came back exactly at 48 hours. With the second, it took longer, but I think they were just lazy in calling everyone with results (I knew I was negative.) My daughter was tested at our local health clinic after a false high temperature reading in the lobby. (They scanned her forehead at 101 but the oral temp was 98.3. Since we were already there and inconvenienced, I asked for a test.) Her test results took about 24 hours or less. The results were in her electronic health record, something called MyChart.
 

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