Gov. David Ige announced that the state will be lifting the 14-day quarantine requirement for inter-island travelers, effective June 16.

The state Department of Transportation will require thermal screening at the airport for everyone traveling inter-island. HDOT will also require travelers to fill out a new form that will now also ask for health-related information to assist the state in tracking and responding to new COVID-19 cases.

Travelers may be prohibited from boarding a flight if they have an elevated temperature above 100.4 degrees, they refuse to complete the mandatory form, or they are on the 14-day quarantine list prohibiting them from flying.

“I want to ensure the public that the health and safety of our residents are still our primary concerns. We would not have taken this step if key indicators were not achieved,” said Gov. Ige. “The number of new COVID-19 cases is very low, among the lowest in the nation. We also have ample healthcare capacity to handle any new outbreak or surge, and our testing and contact tracing capacity continue to increase.”

The number of new COVID-19 cases is expected to rise once travel is re-opened. However, the State Department of Health has begun the process of training 500 new contact tracers, exceeding the recommended standards set by the Centers for Disease Control, and is exploring other screening and testing procedures.

“This is an important step for everyone living in Hawaiʻi. It will help reunite families and friends who have been separated due to COVID-19. And it’s an important step for the reopening of our kamaʻaina economy,” said Gov. Ige.

The governor noted that the next step in re-opening air travel will be restoring out-of-state travel to the islands in a safe manner. He has been working on plans to do this said he would announce them soon.

“We must ensure that we do not experience a surge in cases that overwhelms our healthcare capacity. While we are working quickly to re-open travel, this must be a careful and thoughtful process. We have seen the new outbreaks in other communities that have re-opened too quickly. And many of our largest visitor markets, such as California, still have large numbers of cases that are a cause for concern,” said Gov. Ige.

Expanding on Governor Ige’s 8th Supplementary Proclamation concerning businesses and establishments that may reopen, Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim  issued COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 6  which allows the following businesses, operations or activities to reopen following CDC guidelines:

Saturday, May 30

• Places of worship

• Other indoor gathering places (bowling alleys, billiards halls, but NOT arcades or gaming places)
• Indoor exercise facilities (includes fitness centers and indoor pools and facilities that offer group exercise with no physical contact)
• Museums and theaters
• Outdoor spaces (includes ocean tours, outside pools and summer camps)
• Other personal services (includes tattoo operators and acupuncturists)
• Other real estate services (including open houses, property viewing, inspections, surveys, appraisals with restrictions)
• Other retail and repair (including rental of recreational and sports equipment)
• Certain County park sites and recreational facilities will re-open with some exceptions. County swimming pools, gymnasiums and community centers will remain closed at this time.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim also issued COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 7 which reopens certain parks and recreational facilities, including all rodeo areas, the Hilo Drag Strip, and the Hilo Skeet Range.

Please note, these businesses, activities or operations are in addition to those previously approved in preceding orders.  If you do not see your business on this list, please contact the Office of Mayor Harry Kim at (808) 961-8211 (Hilo) or (808) 323-4444 (Kona), who needs to submit an official request to the Office of the Governor for approval.

• Governor David Ige released $500,000 in Capital Improvement Project funds for the revert and reallot of $500,000 from construction to design for additional design for a covered playcourt at Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole Elementary and Intermediate School in Papaikou. As a school with no gymnasium, the playcourt will give students, parents, and teachers a place to gather and enjoy recreational activities.
   
• Waimea Elementary School received a notice of award of construction for re-roofing, ceiling renovations, and repainting of the exterior walls at Buildings B and C. The contract has been awarded to Heartwood Pacific, LLC for $319,660.

• Waikoloa | Waikoloa Elementary & Middle School | Friday, June 5 | 10am
• Ocean View | Kahuku Park | Tuesday, June 9 | 10am
• Hilo | Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium | Wednesday, June 10 | 10am
• Waimea | Waimea District Park | Thursday, June 11 | 10am
• Kona | Kona Community Aquatic Center | Thursday, June 18 | 10am
• Pahoa | Pahoa Community Center | Friday, June 19 | 10am
• Kohala | Kamehameha Park | Monday, June 22 | 10am
• Volcano | Cooper Center | Wednesday, June 24 | 10am
• Hookena | Hookena Elementary School | Thursday, June 25 | 10am
• Papaaloa | Papaaloa Community Center Gym | Friday, June 26 | 10am
• Honokaa | Honokaa Sports Complex and Skate Park | Friday, June 26 | 1pm
• Pahala | Kau District Gym | Tuesday, June 30 | 10am