Amendment #3 and Extension to Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 12

Harry Kim takes one of numerous calls that flooded his his home on election night. SB Photo by Rod Thompson

Governor David Y. Ige issued the Thirteenth Proclamation Related to the COVID-19 Emergency establishing a negative test exception to the mandatory self-quarantine requirement for persons entering the State of Hawaiʻi effective October 15, 2020. Governor David Y. Ige issued the Fourteenth Proclamation Related to the COVID-19 Emergency (14^th Proclamation) authorizing the counties to establish a two-test system for transpacific travelers entering the respective county. Because health experts believe that a single pre-travel test may not adequately identify all positive COVID-19 travelers, a two-test system was implemented by Hawaiʻi County via Amendment to Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 12 effective October 15, 2020.

The County has conducted more than 12,000 arrival tests for transpacific travelers at airports on Hawai‘i Island since October 15, 2020. The results of these arrival tests confirm that the single pre-test system required by the State is not 100% effective at identifying all travelers that are positive for COVID-19. On November 4, 2020, the state of the pandemic finds that the U.S. surpassed 100,000 new cases in a single day for the first time, 17 states reported record highs in the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the 7-day moving average of new cases in the U.S and globally, continue to trend upwards, and numerous countries move towards increasing restrictions.

Despite the effectiveness of its two-test system, the County finds that the logistic, financial and resource commitments necessary to continue this program in its current form are unsustainable. In deference to the health and wellbeing of our kamaʻaina and malihini alike, the County endeavors to establish a modified testing system integrated with its established two-test system centered on transpacific travel. In an effort to maximize effectiveness of its surveillance and efficiency of its testing operations and resources, the testing system will select, at random, up to 25 percent of transpacific travelers availing themselves to the State’s negative test exception to the mandatory self-quarantine requirement and administer a COVID-19 rapid antigen test prior to exiting the airport. The County finds this system necessary to collect data to compare against COVID-19 conditions statewide, nationally, internationally and globally as well as for ongoing policymaking, healthcare and epidemiological planning and response efforts.

Accordingly, Section D.1 of Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 12, as previously amended, is hereby replaced with the following:

Travel to the County of Hawaiʻi
Transpacific Travelers
- Pre-test with negative results upon arrival: Up to 25% of those persons availing themselves to the State’s negative test exception (effective October 15, 2020), as articulated in the 14^th Proclamation, Section IV.B. and Exhibit B Section (4)(a)(2) (“pre-test exception”), must take a second COVID-19 test (“arrival test”) upon arrival to Hawaiʻi island to be administered at a County-designated facility near the airport. The County shall determine the method, manner, and actual number of persons randomly selected for the arrival test and the cost of the arrival test will be borne by the County. While awaiting the results of the “arrival test”, the traveler is not required to quarantine. Travelers whose arrival test are positive or inconclusive for COVID-19 will be referred to the State Department of Health Hawaiʻi District Office for further handling.
- Pre-test with no test results upon arrival: Up to 25% of those persons availing themselves to the State’s pre-test exception but do not have their results upon arrival to Hawaiʻi Island as articulated in the 14^th Proclamation, Section IV.B. and Exhibit B (Exhibit B Section 4(c)), must take an arrival test to be administered at a county-designated facility near the airport. The County shall determine the method, manner, and actual number of persons randomly selected for the arrival test and the cost of the arrival test will be borne by the County.
  
  While awaiting the results of the pre-test, the traveler is subject to quarantine in accordance with Exhibit B Section 4(c) of the 14^th Proclamation.
  
  While awaiting the results of the arrival test, the traveler is not required to quarantine under this Amendment; however, the traveler is still subject to the State’s order of self-quarantine unless and until a negative result is obtained for the pre-test in accordance with Exhibit B Section 4(c) of the 14^th Proclamation.
  
  Travelers whose arrival test are positive or inconclusive for COVID-19 will be referred to the State Department of Health Hawaiʻi District Office for further handling.
- Exemption/Modified Quarantine: Persons entering the State to perform critical infrastructure functions or who have otherwise been exempted by the Director of Emergency Management or his designee, shall be subject to self-quarantine but may obtain limited exemption from the State at travelexemption.hawaii.gov. Only persons who have been granted an exemption though travelexemption.hawaii.gov may temporarily break self-quarantine and only for the purposes expressed in the written exemption.
- No pre-test prior to arrival: Persons not availing themselves to the State’s negative test exception, and not granted an exemption through travelexemption.hawaii.gov are subject to the State’s mandatory 14 day self-quarantine. These travelers are not subject to the arrival test. There is no option for testing out of the mandatory self-quarantine with a subsequent negative test result.
- Place of Quarantine: Persons requiring paid or commercial lodging while subject to the mandatory 14 day self-quarantine, or a portion thereof, shall designate a hotel or motel as their quarantine location. Short-term vacation rentals (STVR), bed and breakfast (B&B) establishments, or other paid or commercial lodging defined by the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes as “transient accommodations” shall not be designated as a quarantine location except for:
  1. Visiting essential and critical infrastructure workers, provided quarantine restrictions are followed; and
  2. Persons meeting the negative test exception under Section IV.B and Exhibit B Section 4(a)(2) of the 14^th Proclamation (pre-test with negative test results on arrival).

This Amendment is effective from 12:01 a.m. November 6, 2020 through November 30, 2020, or until extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended by subsequent rule or order, or as otherwise provided by law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the County of Hawai‘i to be affixed. Done this 5^th day of November 2020 in Hilo, Hawai‘i.

Harry Kim
Mayor
County of Hawai‘i

CONCURRENCE:
Governor David Y. Ige

View the signed Amendment #3 and Extension to Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 12