LIHU‘E — In addition to a face mask, interisland travelers should bring along a completed travel and health form before boarding their flight to a neighbor island.
Earlier this month, Gov. David Ige announced ending the 14-day state-mandated self-quarantine for island hoppers today, June 16. Now, the Department of Health is requiring a two-page mandatory travel and health form that can be filled out online prior to arriving to the airport. Beyond asking for a travel destination and flight information, the form requires recent travel information and a two-part health questionnaire.
“Once again, you can visit your family and friends on the neighbor islands,” Ige said yesterday at a media briefing. “It’s really an opportunity to reunite.”
The form allows the state to easily track where travelers have been and their symptoms.
“This new process interisland really allows us to test the system and make sure that everything is in place so that we can manage those traveling interisland,” Ige said.
On the form, if a traveler answers yes to feeling ill, they are asked to complete 15 questions about potential coronavirus symptoms.
The second part of the health history survey asks if the traveler has been in contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19, if they have been tested and if they’ve had a flu vaccine in the last year.
Travelers are also required to have their temperature taken by airport officials and wear a face mask during travel. Passengers with a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees will not be allowed to fly.
To date, Hawai‘i had 736 confirmed cases. Yesterday, eight more were confirmed, all on O‘ahu. However, Ige said, the state has one of the lowest rates of confirmed cases and one of the highest recovery rates.
“As we have taken action to reopen businesses, as we begin the whole process of interisland travel once again, we did anticipate there would be an increased number of cases,” Ige said.
The health information can be filled out ahead of the flight, but the DOH requests it is not done more than 24 hours in advance for the most accurate information. The form is also available to be filled out at the airport.
In the future, travelers will be able to use their cell phones to streamline the process through a digital form and QR code.
Mayor Derek Kawakami reiterated this yesterday during his Daily COVID-19 Update.
“Again, please allow yourself extra time to check-in as this new screening process is expected to cause delays,” Kawakami said.
Ige said the state is working on a timeline to open up for Trans-Pacific travel, noting that August is more realistic than July, but did not rule it out completely.
“We can’t have those subject to quarantine intermingling with those who are not subject to quarantine,” Ige said. “Being able to identify which travelers would be subject to which requirement will become increasing complex.”
“We will announce a date when we are ready to,” Ige said. “We are committed to working through all of these details so we can assure the public that when we bring Trans-Pacific travelers that we will be doing it in a safe manner.”
The mandatory health and travel form can be found at health.hawaii.gov/travel.
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Sabrina Bodon, public safety and government reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
Wait until the first incident of a menopausal woman having a hot flash gets her temperature taken and isn’t allowed to fly.
She. Will. Be Livid.
The video of that is going to go viral.
Basically like state is saying we will violate your right to move freely, unless you allow us to violate your HIPPA and privacy rights.
Total violation of constitutional rights and of federal law.
100% that this will be struck down if challenged in court, either immediately, or on appeal, but there is absolutely no way this stands up in court.
Governor’s Mandatory Travel and Health Form:
“I declare under penalty of law that all the information provided herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.”
Personal healthy history and Vaccination history?
Occupation? What industry do you work? Return Flight Details? Destination you are going? Place you are staying?Dates and location of all places you have traveled in past 2 weeks?
Who wants to fly anywhere in Hawaii under risk of arrest and jail time?
Asking for private medical information is ILLEGAL! This kind of infringement needs to stop, and stop immediately!