Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) revealed today that Hawaii’s Safe Travels program will continue without alteration at this time, specifically that domestic travelers are not being required to provide proof of COVID-19 booster shots.
Conversely, other restrictions will remain in place, with changes being contemplated for the future.
It is planned that the mandatory Safe Travels program will remain in place for people traveling from the U.S. mainland and other U.S. territories to the Hawaiian Islands, according to Hawaii Tourism Authority.
"All four county mayors, the DOH (Department of Health) and visitor industry leaders have coordinated closely in making this decision -- which took into account declining COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations, as well as Hawaii’s robust vaccination rate," Ige posted on Facebook Feb. 8. "While it is not required, I do encourage you to get boosted or vaccinated. It’s one of the best defenses we have against COVID-19."
The governor also discussed how the law may change in the future.
"The DOH is currently working on criteria and conditions that would allow the state to safely end the Safe Travels program," Ige said in his Facebook post. "If conditions require the continuation of Safe Travels, federal funding will continue to support the program."
The Hawaii Tourism Authority president and CEO, John DeFries, praised the decision.
“Today’s decision by Gov. Ige strikes a good balance between protecting public health and safety, and continuing the recovery of our economy, which supports so many of our kama'aina families," De Fries said, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Visitors who arrive in Hawaii without any proof of vaccination or an acceptable negative test result from prior to the trip will be subject to a mandatory five-day quarantine, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. This vaccination record for the traveler in question has to be uploaded to the Safe Travels website. These regulations are not enforced for international travelers, as they must abide by the federal U.S. regulations pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic.