Can Vaccinated Travelers Skip Hawaii's Quarantine and Testing Requirements?

Normally the esteemed AmTrav blog doesn’t cover the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, but when the honorable Lieutenant Governor has something interesting to say about travel, travel restrictions and vaccines -- we’re all ears!

Last week Lieutenant Governor Josh Green suggested that travelers to Hawaii who’ve received the COVID vaccine could soon bypass Hawaii’s strict quarantine and negative testing requirements. 

“I’ve reached out to the governor with a policy decision that we accept people who are fully vaccinated as an exemption to the Safe Travels program,” said Green. He continued: “This is a massive game changing level of security if we get this done.”

While Mr. Green didn’t say this exception was happening immediately -- he’s waiting on scientists to confirm that the vaccine prevents people from transmitting COVID and say it’s OK to welcome vaccinated travelers -- we’re glad to hear that he’s looking ahead and thinking about making travel easier for vaccinated visitors.

Hawaii’s done a great job with its travel restrictions, clearly communicating its pre-testing program launch in October and providing clear travel restrictions updates that we share with you in the COVID Resource Center. We see the Lieutenant Governor’s statement as a hopeful sign that, with increased vaccination and with digital COVID vaccine passports verifying that travelers have been vaccinated or tested negative, states and countries will soon find safe, smart ways to reopen travel.