The state’s Safe Travels program and indoor mask mandate ended last week, but officials are still urging caution while traveling.
Falling COVID infection rates prompted Gov. David Ige to let Safe Travels expire Friday night, March 25.
Travelers to the islands no longer have to upload their vaccination information or proof of a negative COVID test to avoid a five-day quarantine.
Still, Safe Travels program administrator Sherri Kajiwara says travelers should remain vigilant against the continued threat posed by COVID.
"Because the mandate is no longer in place, it doesn’t mean that the virus is gone and the pandemic is over. It just means there now needs to be more personal accommodations. You need to make a personal choice to keep each other safe," Kajiwara told Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
Kajiwara says about 12 million people were screened through Safe Travels, and 97% of arrivals complied with the program's requirements.
She says the state will retain the personal information passengers uploaded to the Safe Travels website for a time, then purge it.
"Once that is reached, the point where we are required to release that data, it will be eliminated according to state law. But the statistics, just the numbers, will be kept for statistical purposes, reporting purposes. That will help us develop any future type of program or meet any other need," Kajiwara said.
On Friday, some of the final arriving passengers under Safe Travels said they felt the program served a purpose, but it was time for it to be retired.
Robert Dentichay of Los Angeles arrived on a business trip.
"Honestly it is a little frustrating coming here because it almost feels like a step back, like ‘oh, we’re doing this again.’ But other than that, I mean, the process itself was okay. You just do what you got to do to get where you’re going," Dentichay told HPR.
Brigitte Halligan of San Francisco came to Hawaiʻi on vacation.
"I feel like it’s definitely good to protect people, and this program really ensures that you’re keeping your people safe. I also feel a lot of people have been vaccinated and are cautious themselves. So I feel like it’s a standard that everyone’s put in place even if you don’t have the program going on," Halligan said.
The state’s indoor mask mandate also expired Friday for most locations and venues.
However, masks will still be required in public schools and hospitals.
A federal mandate remains in effect at least until April 18, meaning masks are required in airports and other transportation hubs, as well as on all public transportation, including airplanes and buses.
