Hundreds of COVID cases in July were linked to unvaccinated Hawaiian travelers

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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Epidemiologists and government officials urge Hawaii travelers to be responsible for their flight to mainland due to a test deviation that has allowed hundreds of COVID-19 cases to enter Hawaii.

Unvaccinated transpacific travelers to Hawaii must pass a COVID test within 72 hours of flight in order to waive the state’s mandatory quarantine.

But short trips to Las Vegas or elsewhere mean these tests miss most infections.

The state estimates that 20% of infections in July were due to out-of-state travel by unvaccinated residents.

Experts say travelers should be vaccinated. Travelers who are not vaccinated should self-quarantine and get tested upon their return home, experts said.

“If they were in a high risk place like Las Vegas or Texas, they are very likely going to have caught this very sticky COVID variant delta,” Lt. Gov. Josh Green said.

Epidemiologist DeWolfe Miller said residents of Hawaii traveling unvaccinated put themselves and others at risk. “It’s just disastrous and I can’t believe people would be so inconsiderate towards their own families and the people they live around,” he said.

Green had this advice for unvaccinated travelers: “Keep a low profile, get tested after three days. I think that makes a lot of sense.

He added that traveling without being vaccinated could put entire households at risk.

“They will come back even if they stay at home, even if they are in quarantine, they will give it to their loved one or their children who are not vaccinated and then we will spread this community.”

Green estimates 1,700 unvaccinated residents return from travel each day, which would make quarantine mandatory or testing impractical.

“If you are not vaccinated and you are traveling, you have to be honorable about it and not put anyone else at risk,” Green said.

Miller added, “If you’re going to travel and bring it back, it’s just not aloha. It’s just bad.

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