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Hawaii has announced plans to lift its COVID-19 quarantine requirement for travellers starting the end of this month, March 26. Also, those arriving in the US from other places would no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.
David Ige, Governor of Hawaii, said that since the protocol has saved many lives and was a prime factor to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the islands, the quarantine period for travellers lasted 14 days when Hawaii first imposed it in March 2020. Hawaii now has one of the lowest Coronavirus infection rates in the country.
Hawaii in recent times had already started to implement vaccination and testing exemptions. Ige further added that the state has screened 11.3 million passengers since the testing exemption was launched in October 2020.
As of now, international tourists do not need to undergo quarantine but will be required to provide proof of vaccination and a negative test.
The governor added that the state Department of Health will also be reviewing the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
He added that the pandemic is not over yet, but was proud of how the community responded to the pandemic.
The Governor elaborated, "It is about the people, place and culture of all of us here, coming from diverse backgrounds but always understanding that there is a bigger reason to be willing to sacrifice individual needs to benefit the community. And over and over again, we were willing to do that."
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