7:32 a.m. update: Janet Snyder, Mayor Harry Kim’s Press Secretary, in response to an inquiry for specific detail about the new airport testing, said no press release nor information is available yet as the Governor is asking for changes. Kim’s Chief of Staff, Maurice Messina, added that the changes were minor. Snyder said “We will issue a press release when we get the Amendment back and the county clerk certifies it. We’ll post it along with the press release.”
Numerous news outlets are reporting that Gov. David Ige has approved Mayor Harry Kim’s request that incoming trans-Pacific travelers have a second COVID-19 test at the Kona Airport upon arrival. The test would be a rapid COVID-19 test, and if they have both a pre-travel negative test and they test negative at the airport, they would not be subject to the 14-day travel quarantine.
If they test positive at the airport with the rapid test, they would then be given the “gold standard” PCR test (the deep nasal swab) and then would have to quarantine pending results.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the tests will be free to travelers, with funding coming from $3.5 million Federal CARES money. Premier Medical Group will provide the testing.
There has been no announcement about any changes to the mandatory 14-day quarantine for interisland travelers, which applies to all travelers except those going interisland to O’ahu.
Mayor Kim’s office has not issued additional details on the tests. The new test routine is slated to begin Thursday, Oct. 15, the same day the state’s pre-travel test requirement goes into effect to allow travelers to bypass the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine with a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel.
Gov. Ige rejected Kaua’i Mayor Derek Kawakami’s request for a second test, saying there were not enough tests available.
Photo courtesy United Airlines of pre-travel testing now available for travelers coming to Hawaii.
