Hawaii Sets Plan to Lift All Travel Restrictions Based on Vaccine Rates
The end of Hawaii's travel restrictions is in sight after the state's Gov. David Ige last week laid out a step-by-step plan to lift COVID-19-related travel protocols.
Starting June 15, all restrictions on inter-county travel will end and fully-vaccinated residents who received their COVID-19 shots in Hawaii will be able to travel back to the state without the need to get a pre-travel test or quarantine, Ige announced.
Later, when Hawaii reaches a 60% vaccination rate, the state will lift pre-arrival testing and quarantine requirements for domestic U.S. travelers who were vaccinated in the country. Travelers will have to show proof of their vaccination through the state's Safe Travels program.
When Hawaii hits a 70% vaccination rate, the state will lift all travel restrictions and officially end its Safe Travels program, Ige said.
"The easing of travel restrictions is a direct result of our robust vaccination rate, and a community that sacrificed and did what it had to do over the past year and a half to stop the spread of COVID-19," Ige said in a statement. "We need to push hard now so we can get to the point where Safe Travels is no longer needed to keep the people of Hawai'i safe."
So far, about 59% of Hawaii's population has received at least one dose of a vaccine and about 52% have been fully vaccinated, according to Hawaii's Department of Health. That's higher than the country overall where 51.5% of the population has received at least one dose and 41.9% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Currently, Hawaii-bound travelers can skip quarantine if they get tested before traveling at a "trusted partner" site. Fully vaccinated residents of Hawaii who are hopping from island to island are also exempt from testing and quarantine requirements thanks to the state's inter-island vaccine passport.
Hawaii's decision to eventually ease travel restrictions is in line with the CDC's recommendation that fully vaccinated Americans can travel domestically without the need to get tested or quarantine.
Last month, the state lifted its outdoor mask mandate, adopting another CDC recommendation that fully-vaccinated Americans don't need to wear masks outdoors.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
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