Hawaii Tourism Not Starting Up Until Late Summer

[Mommy2Logan]

State of Hawaii wouldn't be doing the testing though, right? Would be your home state. Maybe I don't understand the process. It's confusing and I haven't had much time to devote to sifting through all the language in the various press releases and COVID testing sites and state guidelines. I can't believe I'm saying this , but even just planning this trip is making me not want to go.

 

[Mommy2Logan]

Wait, I think I misunderstood what you were saying about Hawaii. Are you saying that they may not require testing on children?

 

[braysmommy]

Wait, I think I misunderstood what you were saying about Hawaii. Are you saying that they may not require testing on children?

I believe everyone including children must be tested before leaving mainland. The problem is that many testing sites won't test minors if they don't have symptoms.

 

[Sepo]

Hi. So,

1) They have not formally announced what they will do for minors yet. Here is an excerpt from today (it changes everyday):

“Further details are forthcoming, such as: from what age will children be tested...”

But, I’d be shocked if older kids were exempt.

2) Yes, they are very clear that there will be no testing offered there. They simply have nowhere near the capacity (they max at 35K visitors a day and presently have testing capacity for the islands at a small fraction of that daily).

 

[Mommy2Logan]

I think it would be silly not to require testing of children too if they are planning to test adults. When school starts at 2 days a week, my kid will be around more people than I will be since he will have his regular classroom at school 2 days a week and then will be in daycare the other 3 days that are supposed to be virtual learning from home days. We are working parents and he won't be staying home those days. So two entirely different sets of children and the ones at his daycare will be coming from many different schools in neighboring towns.

 

[bmissb01]

when do w think auluni will open???

 

[kverdon]

That's what I was gathering too. Appreciate your response!

Yes NAAT and PCR are pretty Synonomous what they are trying to differentiate is the difference between these tests and a COVID-19 antigen test (which they will not accept).

 

[corgi_monster]

The state’s wording makes it seem as though very young children will not require testing. The state/city doesn’t require masks for children 4 and under. Daycares are not being held to the same social distancing guidelines as elementary schools. So I’m guessing the cutoff will be around age 5.

More importantly, top officials are currently meeting to discuss postponing the August 1 reopening date.

 

[Sepo]

To actually eliminate the exemption would be extremely diffficult considering all the downstream effects (tourism industry ignition already well underway at immense cost).

The most extreme adjustment that I have read about is the proposal to eliminate the quarantine and deny entry to anyone without a negative test before landing. That has already been floated and could be deemed effective.

(Personally, I am stressed about finding a lab to have the test turnaround in time, especially as the situation continues to evolve.)

 

[cgattis]

Not to derail the conversation, but you guys clearly know more about this than anyone I know....If you go get tested prior to a trip (not because you have symptoms, but because you need proof of testing), and you test positive, what is the process for getting cleared? Do you have to wait 14 days (or some other period) before getting another test? Or can you test again if you’re not having symptoms? Can you test whenever you want if you’re paying for it out of pocket?

 

[Sepo]

It’s a good question. Presumably in such a scenario one is then in high alert and needs to stay home while you and your healthcare provider assess your situation. Specifically, you would have to work out whether you’re early (pre-symptomatic) or late (were never symptomatic) in the process. The test can stay positive for a very long time and there are some floated protocols such as for example: can discontinue isolation 10 days after first positive test with negative symptoms all the while etc.

(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html)

Regardless, I am fairly certain this is too convoluted for the state (of Hawaii’s quarantine exemption steps ) and you will not be cleared of quarantine rules with a positive test despite trying to explain that. A person’s best bet is to get a negative test thereafter.

 

[jkips]

If you test positive you are not supposed to get on an airplane and fly to Hawaii. That’s the whole point. I don’t know enough about the false positive rate of the varying tests but if it is a test that has a decently high percentage of false positives then I think you take another one right away to confirm it was a true false positive and that you’re just not asymptomatic. Trying to explain to the state of Hawaii that you took the test, it showed positive but that you don’t have it would be a nonstarter.

The reality is most states right now don’t have the capability of turning around these tests in a guaranteed 3 days. We need more testing ability before this can realistically work.

 

[cgattis]

I’m not going until 2021; I’m just wondering how it might work. (I promise—I’m not getting on any airplane to anywhere right now LOL) Obviously it might be different by then also. Just wondering if you test positive, and the next day (or x days later) test negative, which one do “they” believe? Wonder if you’d then need an antibody test tomorrow show you didn’t ever have it? Just wondering, as that discussion had gone around here, I.e., what would you do if you tested positive right before your trip, and it got me curious.

 

[Sepo]

The latest. At least they know there’s a problem.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/...ws-cold-water-hawaiis-tourism-reopening-plan/

 

[Sepo]

I’m not going until 2021; I’m just wondering how it might work. (I promise—I’m not getting on any airplane to anywhere right now LOL) Obviously it might be different by then also. Just wondering if you test positive, and the next day (or x days later) test negative, which one do “they” believe? Wonder if you’d then need an antibody test tomorrow show you didn’t ever have it? Just wondering, as that discussion had gone around here, I.e., what would you do if you tested positive right before your trip, and it got me curious.

That’s an interesting (hypothetical of course) moral dilemma: Positive followed negative. You are not obligated to show them anything you don’t want to show them. Morally, you’d face the prospect that the second one is false negative and will then spread it unknowingly.

I fear this would open a can of worms in discussion here... so I’ll leave it at that I suppose.

(Last thing I’d add is maybe an Ig-G Ab test alongside the negative gives you peace of mind that you’re likely not a risk to others.)

 

[DRussell83]

To actually eliminate the exemption would be extremely diffficult considering all the downstream effects (tourism industry ignition already well underway at immense cost).

The most extreme adjustment that I have read about is the proposal to eliminate the quarantine and deny entry to anyone without a negative test before landing. That has already been floated and could be deemed effective.

(Personally, I am stressed about finding a lab to have the test turnaround in time, especially as the situation continues to evolve.)

What are your travel dates?

 

[Sepo]

8/1: the first day. Would need to test no earlier than 7/29 2pm CST.

 

[Tjddis]

The problem is the longer Hawaii remains closed (compared to other states) the less likely tourism continues in the future. For example, we are considering a trip next May which seems very far away. In reality we would need to start planning this trip over the summer. If there is doubt that Hawaii will be very strict in either reopening or closing down during a wave 2 we will just plan a trip to a different destination. I am not saying that staying closed, etc is in anyway the wrong choice but it won't be worth it to us to risk a vacation there. It becomes a slippery slope of being closed for the summer vs how long until tourists come back at all.

I’m kind of amazed at how Hawaii is handling all of this. They so depend on tourism you would think they would want to get open
But I have some interesting experience with Hawaii. Back in Nov 2001 my wife and I went there on our honeymoon. We actually left the same day that there was a massive plane crash in Queens NY. Our direct flight from Newark was delayed over 6 hours as nobody knew what caused the crash, and being 2 months after 9/11 people were freaked
Never a good flier to begin with I got a little loopy at the airport bar, sucked it up and got on the delayed flight. Everywhere we went in Hawaii security was airtight. For island hopping flights our luggage was searched extensively every time. I struck up a convo one night with an off duty cop who told me tourism was everything to their economy and they were super cautious about the long term effect any issue would cause
So I think maybe they take the long view on this. Yes they need the money, but would rather suck it up for this summer in hopes it does not linger and cause long term problems...

 

[DRussell83]

8/1: the first day. Would need to test no earlier than 7/29 2pm CST.

oh man, we are not till Thanksgiving week (rescheduled from May) so we at least have time on our side and just my husband and I coming from southern CA so we are going to hold steady and see how this unfolds - I hope it works out and please keep us posted.

 

[cgattis]

That’s an interesting (hypothetical of course) moral dilemma: Positive followed negative. You are not obligated to show them anything you don’t want to show them. Morally, you’d face the prospect that the second one is false negative and will then spread it unknowingly.

I fear this would open a can of worms in discussion here... so I’ll leave it at that I suppose.

(Last thing I’d add is maybe an Ig-G Ab test alongside the negative gives you peace of mind that you’re likely not a risk to others.)

I was thinking more along the lines of how to know what to believe versus how to get away with something, but now I see how that could come into play. Well hopefully there will be better testing by the time we go, but doesn’t help you guys much. Best wishes for a safe trip!! And thanks for your opinion!