Effective February 25, the County of Honolulu (Oahu) moved to Tier 3 of their COVID-19 Reopening Plan. This is one step closer to the most relaxed step, Tier 4. Tier 3, as you can guess allows more activities and operations. A breakdown of some of the changes in Tier 3 are:
One thing that I thought was to be included in Tier 3 but is not, is the reopening of bars and nightclubs. It seems this does not happen until Tier 4.
Rick Blangiardi, the new Mayor of Honolulu pointed out that advancing to Tier 3 “does not mean we can let our guard down”. The wearing of masks in public, social distancing and staying home when feeling sick are all still very important. Should the number of new cases and the positivity rate increase, we could potentially move back down to Tier 2.
Below is an Infographic from the County detailing Tier 3
LIVE Tier 3 Honolulu Reopening Strategy – For more info go to oneoahu.org by Honolulu DEM
We recently received a notice from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau alerting us to the existence of unofficial websites that make people think they are affiliated with the State of Hawaii.
According to the State; Numerous travelers have reported using an unofficial Safe Travels websites thinking that it was affiliated with the State of Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program. The State has issued the following alert: Traveler ALERT. The State of Hawaii DOES NOT charge fees to apply for the Safe Travels program, or to create a Safe Travels account, or to access the Safe Travels application, or for Safe Travels information. The OFFICIAL STATE OF HAWAII websites for the State of Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program are https://hawaiicovid19.com/
Thinking of a warm weather getaway? A place with beaches, sand and sunshine? Perhaps you’re thinking of the Caribbean, Mexico or the South of France. Well, a new CDC rule related to COVID-19 may have you re-thinking your plans.
Under this new CDC rule that becomes effective January 26, all international air passengers (two years and older) arriving into the US will be required to get a viral test for COVID-19 within three days prior to their flight departure to the US. If you live in the US, you might think “OK what’s that got to do with me”? Well, this rule applies to US residents as well as others. The rule states that passengers must provide the airline written documentation of their negative laboratory test results or documentation of recovery from COVID-19. If a passenger is unable or unwilling to provide the required documentation, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.
Whoa, suddenly this makes things seem much more serious and complicated. Imagine flying to say, Mexico as an example, for a week of rest and relaxation at a nice beachfront hotel enjoying the warmth and sunshine. Then suddenly having to scramble to find a place to get a test and the accompanying paperwork before you can get on a plane to go home. This then begs the question, what happens if just one person in your party is unable to get the test and paperwork? Do you leave them behind or does the whole party stay?
What’s a person to do? You NEED to get away, you WANT a vacation to a warm place with beautiful beaches, warmth and sunshine. We at Ola Properties have the solution for you! Pack your bags and head to Ko Olina on the beautiful, sun filled Leeward Coast of Oahu! Ko Olina has some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet and the famous lagoons here are perfect for swimming, snorkeling and just relaxing.
Admittedly, if you’re coming to Ko Olina you will want to get a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival in Hawaii so that you can avoid the state’s 10 day quarantine. Find the latest Hawaii travel and entry requirements by visiting https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/
Personally, I would much rather get the COVID-19 testing out of the way before I go on vacation rather than dealing with it while there. I could imagine myself waking up on day five of a seven day vacation, suddenly remembering that the family needed tests and spending the remainder of our vacation scrambling to find a testing site in unfamiliar territory and hoping to get tested in time to get on a plane back home: with the entire family!
Why create additional stress for yourself by traveling outside the country? Hop on a plane and come to Ko Olina instead. We have weekly rentals at the Beach Villas at Ko Olina or if you are able to work and school remotely, consider one of our longer term rentals and stay for a month or more. Maybe you can ride out the worst of the pandemic here on Oahu where our infection numbers are much lower than most of the Mainland. Give us a call at (808) 726-2878 Ext 1, or you can book directly from our website if you prefer.
Beginning August 1, 2020, all out-of-state travelers will be required to obtain a valid COVID-19 pre-travel test before their arrival in Hawai’i, and to verify proof of a negative test result in order to avoid the 14-day quarantine.
Out-of-state travelers arriving in Hawai‘i must obtain a PCR test prior to their arrival from any Hawai‘i State Department of Health approved testing location. Evidence of a negative test result must be provided upon arrival in Hawai‘i. Without a negative test result, out-of-state travelers will be subject to the 14-day quarantine. Testing will NOT be provided upon arrival at the airport.
The Hawai’i State Department of Health is still developing this program but is anticipating that they will need an FDA-approved test from a CLIA certified laboratory. It is expected that travelers will be required to provide a printed or emailed pre-test document with evidence of a negative test result. Travelers will be responsible for the cost of these pre-travel tests.
Temperatures will also continue to be checked at airports across the state, and anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees, or is experiencing other symptoms, will be required to undergo a secondary screening at the airport with trained healthcare staff. Travelers will also be required to fill out the State Travel and Health form when visiting Hawaii.
If you have any other questions don’t hesitate to contact us, and be sure to visit our Facebook for more updates!