Post Nov 8 Covid Test Rules

[Noah_t]

I am trying to figure out if Hawaii will accept rapid antigen tests now for fully vaccinated international travelers. The way I am reading the press release leads me to believe this to be the case. Much more convenient and less expensive if this is indeed the case.

 

[StarSeven7]

That’s our understanding and that’s what we’re planning. If you go to the CDC website they have all the entry rules laid out for international travelers.

 

[EM Lawrence]

So did the CDC update guidelines for international travelers, or did Hawaii update their policies for post Nov 8th?

 

[StarSeven7]

So did the CDC update guidelines for international travelers, or did Hawaii update their policies for post Nov 8th?

Kind of both. International travelers can enter the US as of November 8 (there were some exceptions before this like people coming from Canada), so the CDC has provided guidelines for those international travelers. Hawaii updated their policies to match the CDC guidelines for international visitors. The policies for US domestic travelers to Hawaii remains the same as far as I can tell.

 

[JLemaire7]

It seems like Hawaii will accept the rapid antigen tests if you fly from your country ie: Canada directly to Hawaii. If you fly from say Los Angeles to Hawaii you would need the NAAT test. TripAdvisor forum has good info: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...les_International_Travel_11_08_21-Hawaii.html

 

[StarSeven7]

It seems like Hawaii will accept the rapid antigen tests if you fly from your country ie: Canada directly to Hawaii. If you fly from say Los Angeles to Hawaii you would need the NAAT test. TripAdvisor forum has good info: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...les_International_Travel_11_08_21-Hawaii.html

If you fly from LA to Hawaii you fall under the domestic travel rules, so you would need to fill out Safe Travels and you would not need to be tested unless you are unvaccinated and got into the US under an exemption. This is assuming that you have already done your test to enter the US in the first place if you're flying, but if you drive across the border it doesn't appear that you need a test at all if you're vaccinated. https://www.hawaii-guide.com/hawaii-travel-restrictions

 

[lorenni]

If you fly from LA to Hawaii you fall under the domestic travel rules, so you would need to fill out Safe Travels and you would not need to be tested unless you are unvaccinated and got into the US under an exemption. This is assuming that you have already done your test to enter the US in the first place if you're flying, but if you drive across the border it doesn't appear that you need a test at all if you're vaccinated. https://www.hawaii-guide.com/hawaii-travel-restrictions

Well this is clear as mud. I *think* that as a US citizen living and flying in from Canada, this now says I have to be fully vaccinated AND take a test. How is that better?

Any idea how this applies to kids younger than 12 who are not yet vaccinated?

 

[StarSeven7]

Well this is clear as mud. I *think* that as a US citizen living and flying in from Canada, this now says I have to be fully vaccinated AND take a test. How is that better?

Any idea how this applies to kids younger than 12 who are not yet vaccinated?

I'm in the same boat - US citizen living in Canada. You have to present proof of vaccination OR a test taken 1 day in advance but since it can be a rapid antigen test, I'm just going to pay the $25 (there's a local pharmacy that does them for that price) and take it because I don't want that to be the thing that prevents me from getting on that plane!!

So for unvaccinated kids (we have 2!) here's what we've determined from the info on the CDC website (we spent ALL day yesterday reading up on this, my husband has printed off stacks of stuff from the CDC website and highlighted it all so we don't get caught with an agent who has the rules slightly wrong!) - because they are traveling with 2 fully vaccinated parents they do not have to quarantine for 7 days upon arrival BUT they (or the parents) have to attest that they will take a test 3-5 days after arrival. For this we ended up deciding to purchase a rapid antigen kit from Switch health that we are taking along with us so we don't have to waste vacation time traveling to an appointment. This is in addition to the test (either PCR or antigen) 3 days before arrival. Note that there is some wording that says unvaccinated travelers need to test 1 day before travel BUT there's another section that says if kids are traveling with 2 fully vaccinated parents they can test 3 days before travel. So if your kids are unvaccinated, that's 5 tests to take the trip to Hawaii! (2 to get there, 3 to come back). This stinks for my kids and they're not thrilled about it but we're going with my entire family who are all American and traveling from Michigan so we are the only ones who have to deal with this hassle. If it was my choice I would postpone the trip until the kids were vaccinated!

Read the CDC website very carefully because it's super confusing and you have to go to at least 3 different pages to find all this info!! Hope that helps!

 

[lorenni]

I'm in the same boat - US citizen living in Canada. You have to present proof of vaccination OR a test taken 1 day in advance but since it can be a rapid antigen test, I'm just going to pay the $25 (there's a local pharmacy that does them for that price) and take it because I don't want that to be the thing that prevents me from getting on that plane!!

So for unvaccinated kids (we have 2!) here's what we've determined from the info on the CDC website (we spent ALL day yesterday reading up on this, my husband has printed off stacks of stuff from the CDC website and highlighted it all so we don't get caught with an agent who has the rules slightly wrong!) - because they are traveling with 2 fully vaccinated parents they do not have to quarantine for 7 days upon arrival BUT they (or the parents) have to attest that they will take a test 3-5 days after arrival. For this we ended up deciding to purchase a rapid antigen kit from Switch health that we are taking along with us so we don't have to waste vacation time traveling to an appointment. This is in addition to the test (either PCR or antigen) 3 days before arrival. Note that there is some wording that says unvaccinated travelers need to test 1 day before travel BUT there's another section that says if kids are traveling with 2 fully vaccinated parents they can test 3 days before travel. So if your kids are unvaccinated, that's 5 tests to take the trip to Hawaii! (2 to get there, 3 to come back). This stinks for my kids and they're not thrilled about it but we're going with my entire family who are all American and traveling from Michigan so we are the only ones who have to deal with this hassle. If it was my choice I would postpone the trip until the kids were vaccinated!

Read the CDC website very carefully because it's super confusing and you have to go to at least 3 different pages to find all this info!! Hope that helps!

I see the three tests in the way home (the pre-return PCR for everyone, arrival test and day 8 test), but I only see a requirement for one test to enter the US. How are you getting to two?

 

[StarSeven7]

I see the three tests in the way home (the pre-return PCR for everyone, arrival test and day 8 test), but I only see a requirement for one test to enter the US. How are you getting to two?

It’s on this page if you scroll down to After your Arrival in the US: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html

 

[lorenni]

It’s on this page if you scroll down to After your Arrival in the US: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html

Ah, ok. We are all US citizens so this does not apply to us. The US page “recommends” a follow up test after arrival in the US but it’s not required.

 

[StarSeven7]

Ah, ok. We are all US citizens so this does not apply to us. The US page “recommends” a follow up test after arrival in the US but it’s not required.

Yeah it’s probably different for you guys then! My kids are technically US citizens through me but I’ve never gotten their birth abroad certificates so we’ll just have them enter as Canadian citizens so we don’t get hassled!