Gov. David Ige said the state is still considering a requirement that travelers to Hawaii receive a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated and eligible to skip a 10-day quarantine or negative test on arrival.

However, that mandate has not gone into effect yet while the state works out how to implement the new requirement, Ige said during the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s “Spotlight Hawaii” program on Wednesday.
The state needs to reprogram the Safe Travels application and website, Ige said, adding that process has taken longer than expected. He said hotels and airlines have expressed concern over requiring booster shots.
About a third of the state’s population has received a booster shot, according to the state Department of Health.
Ige said he’s hopeful for the overall pandemic situation in Hawaii, noting that rising cases across the state and in hospitals appear to have plateaued.
Hawaii reported 2,050 new cases Wednesday. But the 7-day average of daily case counts has dropped 14% over the last two weeks. Ige said there are currently 413 cases of Covid-19 in hospitals.
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About the Author
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Blaze Lovell is a reporter for Civil Beat. He was born and raised on Oʻahu. You can reach him at blovell@civilbeat.org or at 808-650-1585.