Kahului Airport file photograph. Picture Credit score: Wendy Osher
By Wendy Osher
County and state leaders are making changes as they work to streamline operations following Thursday’s launch of pre-travel COVID-19 testing in Hawaiʻi.
With almost 3,000 vacationers screened in Maui County on Thursday, points surfaced over long lines and issues with some guests offering assessments from non-approved amenities.
“That is solely day two and we understand a variety of issues occurred. The trusted accomplice program, or having authorised extra packages, could also be step one. The governor and the state has agreed that they’re wanting into it,” mentioned Maui Mayor Michael Victorino in response to Maui Now’s questioning at a Friday press briefing.
“Hopefully by subsequent week, they’ll have a overwhelming majority of them authorised,” mentioned Mayor Victorino noting that dozens of different corporations are underneath evaluate for inclusion in this system. Below this system, trans-Pacific vacationers can take a Nucleic Acid Amplification Check (NAAT) from a testing accomplice authorised by the state inside 72 hours from the ultimate leg of departure to Hawaiʻi; and if given a adverse outcome for COVID-19, are allowed to bypass the state’s 14-day obligatory quarantine.
It was not instantly accessible the variety of people who tried to supply outcomes from non-approved amenities in Maui County.
Mayor Victorino mentioned staggering flights would assist to alleviate lengthy strains within the holding space of the airport. In response to the Mayor, six flights arrived inside two hours on Thursday, with almost 800 individuals deplaning.
“You noticed it in Honolulu, Kauaʻi–each island had the identical downside as a result of the airways have schedules which make them land at sure durations of time. A few of it’s dictated by the place they departed from due to gates and slots for departures should be taken up at sure occasions otherwise you lose them. There’s a variety of different points–not solely FAA points, and state points, however even what we do right here,” he mentioned.
Mayor Victorino mentioned extra screeners “staffed at pivotal occasions” would assist to get the system to work extra cohesively.
Meantime, the bump in arrivals has supplied hope for the island’s closely dependent tourism trade, with many lodging and hospitality-related businesses scheduling their reopening round this week’s launch.
Traveler Screening Replace:
In response to the state of Hawaiʻi Secure Travels functions, 2,981 passengers had been screened on Oct.15 in Maui County. That is nicely above the day by day customer depend which has ranged from 39 and 211 home guests over the primary two weeks of October; however nonetheless nicely beneath the 4,600 to eight,000 day by day customer depend over the identical interval final yr.
The breakdown consists of 2,156 guests and 825 residents. Of that quantity, 1,807 arrived into Kahului Airport; 22 traveled to Molokaʻi Airport; and 6 traveled into Lānaʻi Metropolis Airport.
“Some key takeaways we realized from yesterday is the overwhelming majority of trans-Pacific vacationers acquired a adverse pre-departure check earlier than coming into Maui,” mentioned Maui Managing Director Sandy Baz.
Of the vacationers that got here in, 2,614 (59 %) had been exempt from the 14-day quarantine after offering a adverse COVID-19 check from an authorised state accomplice. Thirty % had been inter-county vacationers with work exemptions, which is a course of that has been in place for a number of months. Baz mentioned “a really small share” (11 %) of vacationers had been ordered into quarantine and can proceed to be monitored, with lots of them awaiting their pre-travel check outcomes, which weren’t but accessible from their supplier after they arrived.
County of Maui Emergency Well being Guidelines
Vacationers arriving in Maui County should comply with the County of Maui Emergency Well being Guidelines together with:
- Indoor and out of doors social gatherings are restricted to not more than 10 individuals.
- Face masks have to be worn in all public areas except exercising or coping with a medical situation.
- All individuals ought to preserve a minimal of six toes bodily distancing from individuals outdoors of their family
- Anybody who’s sick ought to keep house or at their place of lodging
- County parks and seaside parks are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with out of doors county courts open till 8 p.m.
- No tents or constructions bigger than six toes are allowed.
- Grilling additionally will not be allowed at county parks and seaside parks.
Anybody not topic to quarantine could journey solely between Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi with out having to take a pre-departure check.
Up to date Medical Exemption Authorized
The Governor has signed and authorised Maui County’s up to date Public Well being Emergency Guidelines to permit Maui County residents touring for medical appointments to be exempt from quarantine and never should take a pre-departure check. The medical exemption is just for identical day or in a single day journey.
Vacationers don’t want to use for a quarantine exemption, however should current their flight itinerary and physician’s letter with date of appointment to screeners on arrival. If the medical traveler wants a journey companion, this individual have to be particularly named within the physician’s letter. This exemption doesn’t apply to any non-medical associated functions.
Maui County Standing Replace
- Day by day Circumstances: 0.26 per 100,000 per day (7-day rolling common)
- Virus Management: Check Positivity Fee of 0.1% (7-day rolling common)
