2020-11-06 Mayor's Amendment to Rule 12 Scales Back Arrival Tests for Mainland Travelers to Hawaii Island -- press release

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Roy Takemoto Managing Director Harry Kim Mayor Barbara J. Kossow Deputy Managing Director County of Hawai‘i Office of the Mayor 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603  Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720  (808) 961-8211  Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy., Bldg C  Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740 (808) 323-4444  Fax (808) 323-4440 November 6, 2020 NEWS RELEASE Hawai‘i County Scales Back on Post-Arrival Testing Under an amendment to Mayor Harry Kim’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 12, a scaled-back number of travelers arriving on Hawai‘i Island from out of state who have chosen to participate in the State’s pre-test program to bypass the mandatory 14-day self-quarantine period will be required to take a County-administered COVID-19 test upon arrival. Under Amendment No. 3 to the Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 12, up to twenty-five percent (25%) of arriving passengers participating in the State pre-test program will be required to undergo a second COVID-19 test on arrival on Hawai‘i Island. Mayor Kim explained that the financial and logistical costs of testing, and the lack of adequate space made testing all passengers in the State pre-test program unsustainable. “We’re testing 25% of passengers instead, and we believe we’ll still get a picture of how much spread of COVID-19 there is among incoming passengers,” the Mayor said. “The importance of this testing is unchanged. The goal is to secure funding and go back to full testing of everyone under the State pre-test program.” The cost of the rapid COVID-19 arrival test is borne by Hawai‘i County via Federal CARES Act funding. The 14-day self-quarantine period imposed by the State on inter-island travel from O‘ahu and between the Neighbor Islands remains in place. County of Hawai‘i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.