Hawaii to Drop Testing for Vaccinated Travelers

Hawaii is dropping all COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated domestic travelers in two weeks.

After disagreements between government officials, Governor David Ige said late last week the state will drop the current travel restrictions for vaccinated U.S. mainland travelers on July 8. The islands are also relaxing capacity restrictions for restaurants and social gatherings.

Fully vaccinated U.S. travelers flying domestically will be allowed to bypass Hawaii’s quarantine and pre-travel restrictions, as long as they upload their vaccination records to the state’s Safe Travels website and arrive with a hard copy of their vaccinations records.

The governor said he expects the state to reach a statewide vaccination rate of 60% by that time, a milestone he had previously set for allowing more travel exemptions.

All current travel restrictions will remain in place until July 8, Ige said.

Hawaii will ease other restrictions beginning July 8 as well. The number of people allowed to attend social gatherings will increase from the current level of 10 people indoors to 25. Meanwhile, the size of outdoor gatherings will increase from 25 people outdoors to 75.

Restaurants will be allowed to increase seating capacities to 75%, as long as they seat no more than 25 customers indoors and 75 outdoors.

Masks will continue to be required indoors until Hawaii reaches a 70% vaccination rate—a milestone that will mark the end of the state’s Safe Travels program.