News

Safe Travels Program to End March 25, Indoor Mask Mandate Remains

Play
Listen to this Article
1 minute
Loading Audio... Article will play after ad...
Playing in :00
A
A
A

The state’s Safe Travels Hawaiʻi program instated to stem the spread of COVID-19 will end after March 25, however, the indoor mask mandate continues to remain in place, Gov. David Ige announced during a press conference this afternoon.

Passengers will no longer have to show proof of vaccination or travel plans after the program ends. All pre- and post-arrival screenings for domestic travelers will also cease. Additional mandates to end after March 25 include county and state employees no longer having to provide vaccination status or a negative test to an employer, visitors to state properties will also no longer have to abide by that requirement.

Ige issued the first statewide COVID-19 emergency rule on March 4, 2020, after the virus was declared a pandemic. Those emergency rules have continued for the past two years. The Safe Travels program was instated in October of 2020.

“We’ve been working toward this day to end Safe Travels,” Ige said. “I do appreciate the partnership in keeping the community healthy and safe.”

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

Ige thanked the residents of Hawaiʻi for their efforts and sacrifice during the pandemic.

“We are making significant progress,” he said. “We aren’t done with COVID-19 but we need to transition to the new normal.”

ADVERTISEMENT
Tiffany DeMasters
Tiffany DeMasters is a full-time reporter for Pacific Media Group. Tiffany worked as the cops and courts reporter for West Hawaii Today from 2017 to 2019. She also contributed stories to Ke Ola Magazine and Honolulu Civil Beat.

Tiffany can be reached at tiffany.demasters@pmghawaii.com.
Read Full Bio

Sponsored Content

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Stay in-the-know with daily or weekly
headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Cancel
×

Comments

This comments section is a public community forum for the purpose of free expression. Although Big Island Now encourages respectful communication only, some content may be considered offensive. Please view at your own discretion. View Comments