Kawakami in a statement. He said the island
secured 15,000 rapid tests and will develop a
plan to mitigate the virus’ spread.
The blow to tourism has taken a toll on Hawaii
residents who depend on the sector to survive.
Scores of businesses have closed for good. Hotels
have shuttered or operate under limited capacity.
Bars remain closed and restaurants struggle with
take-out only or a cap on the number of guests
they can serve. The October measure could bring
back paychecks for many workers.
“In a perfect world, we wouldn’t reopen until we
had a vaccine,” said John DeFries, president and
CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. However,
waiting that long, he said, “would take us out.”
Miriam Thorpe, a California school teacher,
recently flew to Hawaii from San Francisco with
her husband to visit family. She was nervous
about the flight but said she looked forward to
seeing her grandchildren for the first time in
nearly a year.
“Not so sure about how safe it is on the plane or
in the airports,” Thorpe said before leaving.
The Thorpes said they were tested for COVID-19
before they left, but would not get their results
for several days after arriving in Hawaii.
Under the new rules, travelers like the Thorpes
who do not get their test results in time for their
trips will have to quarantine until their negative
results are in. Those who test positive after arriving
in Hawaii will have to isolate alongside their close
contacts. They must be medically cleared of the
disease before they can travel home.
“Once I get to Hawaii, I’ll feel much better,” Thorpe
said before boarding her flight to paradise.
Image: Caleb Jones