Hawaiʻi Expands Safe Travels Program to New International Market
Gov. David Ige has welcomed another country into the state’s Safe Travels Program.
The governor announced Tuesday that starting Saturday, April 17, 2021, travelers from Taiwan and the Ontario International Airport may bypass the State of Hawaiʻi’s mandatory 10-day quarantine if they take a COVID-19 test from a trusted testing partner.
In all cases, the test must be taken no earlier than 72 hours prior to departure and the negative test result submitted prior to departure for Hawaiʻi.
Taiwan Trusted Testing Partners
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) has approved the use of the COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) for Taiwan’s pre-travel test, conducted by a laboratory authorized by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare. The following trusted testing partners at these locations in Taiwan have been approved as of today:
- Cathay General Hospital, https://www.cgh.org.tw/
- Sijhih Cathay General Hospital, https://sijhih.cgh.org.tw/
- Hsinchu Cathay General Hospital, https://hsinchu.cgh.org.tw/
- Chang Gung Memorial Hospital – Taipei, https://www1.cgmh.org.tw/branch/tpe/index.htm
- Chang Gung Memorial Hospital – Linkou, https://www1.cgmh.org.tw/branch/lnk/2016/
- Chang Gung Memorial Hospital – Kaohsiung, https://cghdpt.cgmh.org.tw/branch/jia
- Mackay Memorial Hospital, https://www.mmh.org.tw/home.php?area=tp
- Mackay Memorial Hospital – Tamsui, https://www.mmh.org.tw/home.php?area=ts
- Hsinchu Mackay Memorial Hospital, http://www.hc.mmh.org.tw/webhc/index.html#
- Mackay Memorial Hospital – Taitung, http://ttw3.mmh.org.tw/#
“Historically, the traveler from Taiwan to Hawaiʻi has been mindful of our local ways and cultural traditions. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, visitors from Taiwan spent approximately $251 per person per day while in Hawai‘i. At a time when we seek to rebuild our economy while keeping our residents safe, the expansion of the pre-travel testing program to Taiwan is welcomed news,” said John De Fries, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.
While there are no direct flights from Taiwan to Hawaiʻi at this time, the service will be useful for passengers arriving in the state via other international or US mainland cities.
Taiwanese nationals traveling abroad are still subject to a 14-day quarantine upon their return to the country. Travel restrictions on US travel to Taiwan remain in place.
In addition to the state’s program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving from a foreign country to the United States. The CDC requirement has been in effect since Jan. 26, 2021.
For international travelers coming to the State of Hawaiʻi, tests from Trusted Testing Partners only will be accepted for purposes of by-passing the state’s 10-day traveler quarantine.
Southern California’s Ontario International Airport Trusted Testing Partner
Ontario International Airport is the 2nd airport certified by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health as a trusted testing partner. Together with Ontario International Airport Authority’s (OIAA) testing partner Covid Clinic, Inc., OIAA will offer several COVID-19 testing options, including for those traveling to Hawaiʻi under the Safe Travels Hawaiʻi pre-travel testing program.
Passengers may choose one of two testing options for travel to Hawaiʻi – an expedited PCR test that provides results the next day or a rapid molecular NAAT test that provides results within 60 minutes. Travelers may utilize these testing options either on a “walk-up” basis or by appointment, 6:30 am – 10:30 pm every day, at the airport testing location in Parking Lot 3. Full details and appointments are available at www.covidclinic.org/ont.
“We’re honored to be a Trusted Testing Partner with the State of Hawaiʻi. At Ontario Airport, we’re committed to the safety and well-being of our passengers, and throughout the pandemic, we’ve implemented industry-leading health protocols, including our on-site testing clinic. Hawaiian Airlines’ new service to Honolulu has been very popular with ONT passengers, and we look forward to creating even more travel opportunities to the great State of Hawaiʻi,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the OIAA Board of Commissioners and Mayor pro tem for the City of Ontario.
Updates about travel through Ontario International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic, current departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details about on-airport parking, shopping, dining and more, can be found at https://www.flyontario.com/covid19.
For more information visit https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/.
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