For one California family, vacation ended just six hours after it started. After Hawaiian health officials misread their negative COVID-19 test and demanded they quarantine, the family flew back home. Turns out, though, that health officials just misread the test. By the time Hawaii said “oops” the family was already home. It is a reminder to (gently) push back when you encounter what you know to be an obvious error.
Hawaii Ruins Family Vacation
The Adele family, from the San Diego area, dutifully procured COVID-19 tests ahead of their trip to Hawaii. The State of Hawaii only accepts tests from approved testing providers. One such approved testing provider is the drug store chain CVS. The Adeles visited a local CVS and obtained the test, as required.
But upon landing in Hawaii, health officials did not accept their results and ordered them to quarantine in their hotel room for 14 days. It isn’t clear if they pushed back.
To make matters worse, the resort staff warned them:
“If we see you out at all we’re going to call the Hawaiian Police Department and you will go to jail.”
That is, unless they checked out and flew home…which they decided to after encountering such hostility.
Christina Adele noted,
“I didn’t pack much of anything for my son. I had some diapers and some things but I was thinking I was going to buy all that stuff in Hawaii.”
Unable to handle quarantine, the family moved up their return flight, checked out of the resort, and flew home.
The next morning, however, Adele received an email from Hawaiian health officials:
“Aloha, your COVID test has been read and you have been released from quarantine.”
Oops.
Reminder: Push Back
One thing I’ve come to learn in my travels over the years is that rules are bendable and that while correction can backfire, sometimes you simply must pushback.
It’s always best to be polite. Start there at least. But don’t just roll over and accept what in this case appears to be stupidity. I’m going to (reasonably) assume that the test presented upon arrival was simply misread. Asking for another set of eyes to take a look at the test may have solved the problem on the spot. Insisting that the test was taken less than 72 hours prior to travel, if true, should have been an effective strategy.
Ultimately, what do you have to lose? This is still Hawaii, not Kazakhstan or Belarus.
CONCLUSION
I get that the medical infrastructure in Hawaii is generally more limited than on the Mainland. Furthermore, I understand that there’s no point in having tourist money if you are dead. Those who live in Hawaii have a reasonable right to protect themselves. But there’s this idea of hana ikaika a wī paha, the notion that you work or starve. How can many Hawaiian residents work when their livelihood is cut off through onerous restrictions that are not even competently enforced? For the life of me, I do not understand the idea that Hawaiians can (or even have the right to) live as an autarkic entity.
Ever argue with TSA? County health dept is 3x worse.
Until Hawaii gets it right nobody is going to visit I would rather go to Mexico where the people are happy to have us.
EXACTLY! Who are those Hawaiians anyway to want to err on the side of caution, follow the law, and not be perfect 100% of the time? What are they trying to do anyway? Protect the locals from a global pandemic?
That family had every right to go vacation right now! Who cares if it’s in the middle of a pandemic that’s just hitting another peak. They were bored at home and needed a break. Exposing other people and potentially risking other people’s lives isn’t selfish it’s just exercising their god-given freedom. It’s not like they could have waited a few months to vacation. I mean they might run out of content for their social media.
Bob, are you replying to Boraxos comment or the article itself? Because you posted as a reply to Boraxo’s comment but the content of your post seems to be a (sarcastic?) retort to the article.
If you knew the history Hawai’i has with diseases and illness, you would understand why such measures are important
Me, I’m more worried of contracting COVID from someone than someone with obesity. Can’t pass obesity to me or anyone else. Just sayin if you comparing deaths ♂️
Boo f**** hoo. There are plenty of f**** tourist walking around with no mask on. Saying ” im on vacation”. BS. What where u from , you don’t need to wear a mask . Stay the f*** where u came from and we wouldn’t have a problem. Simple
I’d ask the gent to watch his language.
Big mahalo Bob! You vocalized how 99% of the people that live in Hawaii feel towards visiting tourists right now. Aloha is deep rooted in our blood but in a time of pandemic don’t expect us to welcome thousands of
new visitors each day with open arms while our biggest most valuable treasure is suffering the most: our kupuna. So the state of Hawaii made a mistake. 1 out of thousands…good on you author for being the one sided bully. Auwe!
Matthew Klit is a mainland snowflake.
Who has NO concept of what LIVING, in Hawaii means.
He has no qualms, or concerns, for the local people. Who, once the islands are ravaged, by the virus has NO PLACE TO GO.
Stay home Mr.Klit.Hawaii doesn’t need you OR your one sided commentary.
Did you see my last paragraph…?
You can tell you’re from California, land of the selfish unlike the Hawaiian people. Doing what they can for the good of everyone not just themselves.
I was blessed with the opportunity to live in Hawaii for 17 years. First on Oahu’s north shore and later on the Big Island. My introduction to Hawaii’s culture on the North Shore was like a dream. I was enriched beyond measure by my daily immersion of the culture. I had the benefit of working closely with many Hawaiians and developed much admiration and respect for them. I respected all the cultures that make up that small North Shore community and each day was a delight and a privilege. Not only is each island unique and beautiful, the kindness and spirit of the locals made it the best 17 years of my life. Hawaii is much more than beautiful beaches and sunsets, it is the culture and a spirit you can feel in the air that make it unique and special. Bless Hawaii’s people in this difficult time. Respect their need to remain safe.
Nobody likes a douche Bob…
WOW! NO ALOHA! I’d bet you have someone on welfare? Getting retirement pay or one of AMERICAS great freedoms? Well if you’re so RACIST don’t accept the benefits of the US! Try pay for your home and TAXES in coconuts and seashells! You’ll be in the Fed pen at the airport area!
Kudos ahu max!!!
They hate the white man here but they will take his money.
Lmfao oh good God Ahu Max you sound like a fucking martyr Karen bitch. I’m white and you rednecks are the ones who siphon the system more than anybody else then go and disrespect land and people elsewhere and claim Merica!
Do you know how retirement works? Government doesn’t pay for that dummy
Do you KNOW just how STUPID you sound?
I’d bet you are a trump supporter.
So, I’m guessing no one likes YOU!
Not true, one got nearly 73 million votes recently.
Thanks for making life choices for all of us Bob. You can hide until the vaccine, some of us have weighed the riskS and don’t want to live this way anymore. I wear masks, social distance, and test prior to going on vacation, and upon return. Seriously, please stop judging every traveler and mind your own business.
Hawaiians shouldn’t have to prove anything to anybody they are the natives of this land like the Indians are to the states. Respect local culture and their values. Anyways we all human and I know what happened to the family is wrong but its not to late to fix it.
Hawaiians shouldn’t have to prove anything to anybody they are the natives of this land like the Indians are to the states. Respect local culture and their values. Anyways we all human and I know what happened to the family is wrong but its not to late to fix it. 0
Like YOU, have a right, to say who enters your HOME, so do the people of HAWAII
Bravo, Bob!
And, Kline…wtf? Encounter an “obvious” error? You mean, because they had no symptoms? Because we All “know” that if you have Covid, you have symptoms? Do people actually pay you for inane content?
How do you pushback when you are told there are no options except quarantine and you are threatened by the hotel?
Somebody should have picked up the cost of the flight for ruining a family’s vacation.
Oops I hope it doesn’t deter other tourists from traveling here but no biggie right?
Hawaii has one of the highest unemployment rates nationwide we should be doing everything in our power to encourage not discourage visitors.
The government here is so consumed with covid they can’t see the forest for the trees.
I see the economy here tanking even more so. Hope the state has the resources to handle the rising unemployment, homelessness and other ensuing issues.
Cheryl, I agree whole heartedly with you. Well said. Am Hawaiian from Haleiwa.
I don’t think the frustration is over Hawaii’s right to set the rules for entry into their state as they see fit. The bothersome part here is that, on face value, the family followed the rules that were set and were denied initial entry despite this. If Hawaiians don’t want tourists, they should have set the rules to prohibit them.
It won’t be the last time this happens, though. Anyone traveling these days should be prepared for refused entry into their destination.
It’s a very sad situation. Where was your Aloha spirit Hawaii. Mistakes do happen. I feel that the Adeles family should be reimbursed or give them a return round trip to Hawaii. I am a Hawaiian from Haleiwa.
Yes. this would be the pono thing. Indeed. we should shower these mistreated visitors with what we the people of Hawaii, know to be righteous positivity. I call out our tourism bureau to make this right. These poor guys need to be made welcome again.
The author questions whether or not Hawaii citizens should have the right to be economically independent. What a ridiculous question. It .never ceases to amaze me when I hear people such as the author suggest that the people of Hawaii should be grateful for visitors. The people of these islands managed to live good lives for millennium without the “blessings” of visitors. The currency that makes a visitor welcome to Hawaii is not the dollar, but the smile.
The issue is not how Hawaiian residents feel, but about the tension between the Privileges and Immunities Clause (ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2, CLAUSE 1) juxtaposed to open-ended “emergency” declarations.
Good one Bob!
Well, I’m wondering about the facts in this story. I was under the impression that if there’s a positive test, airlines won’t let you on the plane. They’d have to have a negative, and why didn’t they say anything then?
Also, there’s no such thing as “the Hawaiian Police Department.” There’s the Honolulu Police Department (on O’ahu). And the HAWAI’I Police Department, on Hawai’i Island.
So is this a case of a manufactured story, designed to put uppity Hawai’i in it’s place and let tourists in willy nilly? Or is it just a case of very sloppy reporting?
At any rate, I have friends whose livelihoods depend on tourism, (first day their resort reopened, they had to evict a guest for refusing to where a mask, after he yelled his unfiltered breath into her face for making the request and frankly- I hope he went back home in a huff)- and two of them got covid at work, likely from tourists. And all of them would really rather that people stay home. Their aloha is worn pretty thin already.
Thank you, uncle Bob!! Vacationers, please just stay home.
Hawaii has a terrible attitude towards tourists with or without the pandemic. They say feel the Aloha, it’s a fake Mantra.
Exac1tly bob! We don’t want ppl coming here infecting our na ohana!
“Any society that is willing to give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both” Benjamin Franklin.
I can’t believe so many people have such blind faith in their so called leaders. The people making these decisions are still getting paid but say we must all sacrifice. Most Hawaiians only know what they hear on the news and from their public officials about COVID-19. They have far too much fear right now. Respect it but don’t run away and hide. We are all going to have to learn to live with it because it’s not going away.
You are an incredible human. This comment made my life, Bob. Thank you for acknowledging the pure privilege that some people try to exercise over native Hawaiians in their own land… It’s almost like they don’t want to be a tourist state…?
You are the racist KB. You have a problem with anyone that doesn’t have your skin color! Can you imagine if a white person made the same comments you do…
Maybe you should stop taking Government handouts from a Country you would rather be free of! Maybe if you were prohibited from leaving Hawaii you might have a different perspective.
All the lands in the USA belong to our government, landowners have nothing if they don’t pay property-taxes.. those who don’t pay are using temporarily gifted lands..
As for thousands of locals and tourists put out by this covid-19 chaos, everything and everyone is temporary ^_^
I am a born and raised native Hawaiian, so let me just say that you are an idiot. Tourism is the main provider of jobs that keeps our economy going. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves. I’m sorry to hear yet another family had to suffer through our bureaucratic inequities.
We had a similar experience. I had just came from Alaska which has a similar quarantine program but also has testing there at the airport do if there is any question you have a back up. No such case with Hawaii. As a matter of fact if you have not received results yet from your tester and are put in quarantine, you cannot get tested out of quarantine. Best not to go until they get things ironed out!! We flew in at 10 pm and back out noon the next day
Its very selfish. Hawaii health officials made a mistake big deal. Id rather make the mistake of not having them here then make the mistake of having them here and spreading covid. You have alot of time to go on vacation….why do it when this pandemic is terrible. exactly because you mainland people dont care. And yes we are trying to protect our aina and people from idiots like u BOB. Vacation else where. Its because of people coming and going through these airports thats making crap worse. Just stay your butts home unless needed for imporrant things. Peoples lives matter. If you dont care about that then why should we care about tourists coming to our islands. Just like how you mainlanders protect yours. We do the same damn thing. So grow up. Vacation is a privilege…dummy
We suffered the same indignation. Our negative test results came through after we had visited with health officials after an interisland flight to Maui. They were no where to be found since we were the last flight of the day. Unfortunately, my results wouldn’t upload into my Safe Travels app. My wife’s results loaded easily but mine said that verification was in process. The health group had called the hotel and we were issued a quarantine room which we were locked into until my results loaded. There are no phone numbers where you can talk to a live person. Their service desk number goes to voice-mail and they never respond. I know, I called it 11 times and left messages with no response. Since our most recent test was done for interisland travel, the next morning I compared the test results form with the one we had completed on the mainland for the 1st leg of the trip, a week ago. Everything was the same or appeared so. Both were negative, both were done at CVS however, the one done in Oahu was sent out and processed at Quest Labs in West Hills, CA. Imagine that, the State sets up testing requirements and has to send them out of state to get processed. No wonder it took extra time to arrive. To top it off, the lab changed my first name spelling to the familiar form not what was submitted originally as the formal form. I changed my Safe Travels profile first name to the familiar form to match the test result form, then uploaded the results to the app. It was immediately accepted and the QR code changed to show that I was no longer in quarantine, but exempt because of a Covid-19 negative result. The hotel immediately released us and we were free to roam around Maui. We still get emails from the state telling us to report daily and that we are still under quarantine. Not so. They don’t check things or correct things they just keep moving forward under the original hypothesis. So inefficient and not well thought thru. Shame on them. It’s things like this that ruin the tourist based economy for the people of Hawaii. They truly need competent leadership.
Hawaiians???LOL. 99% of the people who give you sh.t about not wearing a mask everywhere and are following you around to see if you’re violating quarantine are all ex-Californian liberals who moved here. Most Hawaiians are actually making way more sense in handling covid
Seriously I’m not sure why people are willing to waste their hard earned money in a place where they don’t even want you. Have some class! Hawaii is overrated anyways. It’s so expensive and has alot of homeless people like LA. I’m glad I moved out of there living there during Covid was like being in prison. I don’t miss that place at all!
Your comments are inaccurate. Hawaiian is a race of Polynesian ancestry. The Hawaiian people do not run the State of Hawaii Department of Health.
I feel terrible for this family’s awful experience. I hope they’re compensated for this tragic and expensive experience.
Aloha readers,…Definitely pushback gently! I’m a Hawaii resident (U. S migrant 12 yrs), and most of the labor, and security is monopolized by the local residents. It’s pretty sad to say, but they have a culture of marginalizing outsiders (traveller’s & migrants) , unless your family related, a high-school aquantaine, or friends with a well-known community representative. Your dealing with highly emotional people! Keeping all that in mind,… poor customer service, irrate personalities, and employee power trips are the social norms, outside of the tourist area (Waikiki district) . So, if you’re unsure of your travel guidelines, including COVID-19 requirements, arrangements, and local surroundings, your bound to find yourself at the mercy of someone with an “I no kaea'”, or a “soewat” attitude!
I’m sorry for the unpleasant encounter, however, it’s best for any traveler traveling anywhere in the world to research outside the tourist attraction areas. I hope this realization enhances traveller’s awareness.
Mahalo’
Mark Anthony Possibly you are unaware that describing an entire indigenous population as being so “emotional” that they’re less inclined to logic than westerners are is a racist dog whistle that’s as old as colonialism itself and mostly employed by those who believe indigenous peoples are intellectually inferior on a genetic level? I’ll just assume you were unaware of that.
Stay home thanks to the fear of covid and the lack of resource using tourist I did not get infected by some kind of covid flu this year. Americans need passport to come into Hawaii we are occupied country of America
Spot on. The state is cautiously backing themselves into bankruptcy. We will take five people for dinner but not six. Drinks spread covid but not if you have food at the same time (how does that explain coffee). None of it passes a sniff test. At the end of the day the virus will spread and we will see if people have the means or the will to restart their lives after the government shut their livelihood down. Maybe HI would look better wearing red…
Youre absolutly correct. Its a pandemic not tourist season. Sorry not sorry. Keep your diseases in the mainland
I totally agree 100%. Keep the covid from spreading and just stay away from the islands…
So dumb. Covid didn’t start on the mainland. Also, all the cases that keep going up are from locals partying together or big family gatherings Or locals returning from traveling , same as in the mainland. Hawai’i needs to stop pretending like tourists are causing the covid issue in the islands. The point of the article is that the process is flawed and ppl keep saying “stay away don’t bring covid”… the family was tested and were negative for covid. So what exactly are they bringing to infect Hawaii with when they were cleared with an approved test? I bet most of the ppl commenting have never been tested.
If you cannot handle people traveling, then lock yourself in your house and feel safe. But don’t say you are protecting your elders, whilst you go to hangout with groups of friends/family and then blame tourists. If Locals just no like share the island, just say that, stop trying for blame everyone else for covid issues and push for other economic revenue streams instead of tourism. Stop the whining. Also, saying tourists not wearing masks and getting mad…should they wear one? Absolutely they should, and at the same time they were tested and cleared of covid. Worry more about your friends and family having it. That is the real community spread. Were you tested and cleared of covid? Doubt it.
Very well-said. Thanks for your comment.
We residents in Hawaii don’t want your stinky disease over here. We’d rather be overly cautious. Go to Mexico, that’s fine with us!!!
GREAT! don’t come to hawaiʻi. it’s a vulnerable population in a global pandemic and we don’t want you here. 🙂
You can’t push back against a computer-
That is their main source of the test result communication…
Other than when you get off the plane- it’s like you flew to Viet Nam and the officials “guiding” you, actually— ORDERING you in a heavy Asian accent where to go -so it’s hard to understand as you go through Covid Customs!
Getting tested in Hawaii at an urgent care cost $300. !!!
Also the test was Negative.
But the Web platform (computer) wouldn’t accept that one either.
Hawaii needs to have several medical check in stations with intelligent English speaking humans.
Not just cops driving around everywhere with the threat of Marshal Law-
Peace and Aloha
Good, PLEASE…GO TO MEXICO!!! How date you folks have the AUDACITY to be traveling for pleasure while people are dying around the World, and subjecting our local population to further exposure to this deadly disease. Having First World Issues are ABSOLUTELY TRIVIAL, and ANYONE who thinks that their wants are greater than the needs of others are COMPLETELY SELFISH, and LACK EMPATHY!!! Just be patient and wait a year…Do you think itʻs fair to our local residents to be held under lockdown while you buffoons run rampant through our islands? Tourists have plagued our islands WELL before the pandemic, being invasive and welcoming themselves into places where they werenʻt welcomed, desecrating sacred sites, going on unsanctioned hiking trails or sea cliffs, endangering not only their lives, but the lives of our emergency personnel who have to rescue them. If you think itʻs fine to come into someone elseʻs house uninvited, then start demanding things from the owner, as of they owe you something, you have been GRAVELY mistaken. We have been, and will forever be, gracious hosts, but if you lack reverence and respect for our people, our culture, and the sanctity of our island, YOU DONʻT DESERVE to come here, PERIOD!!! KEEP YOUR SELF-RIGHTEOUS COVIDIOT MENTALITY AT HOME!!! All others who are RESPECTFUL are welcomed back when EVERYONE is safe!!!
You do realize many people have a need to work to put food on the table whereas the “need” to be completely shut off from a virus with a 99%+ survival rate is, in my eyes, more of a “want”. How about some common sense protocols to combat the virus while still living our lives. It comes down to personal responsibility. Per your logic we should never leave our homes or do anything that involves any risk, just bankrupt the state for future generations.
Like you would protect your home, the residents of Hawaii are protecting theirs. We have the lowest COVID in the nation i terms of tropical vacation spots.
We thank you for your visit but we will protect our families. Your welcome Come again
Agree… local Hawaiian mentality with Aloha, whatever it means… so much uncommon sense in the islands ….
Can’t see myself visiting Hawaii until no one can remember the name of this virus. Florida is way better anyway and they are not nazis. Best Aloha to you Hawaii but you have been a serious trunoff during the pandemic.
Nobody is going to visit? HA! Clearly you don’t know Hawai’i. People will always visit. This is a one-off situation. A mistake. Meanwhile we’ve had more than 130,000 visitors enter our state in less than 30 days. That’s only 10% of what it usually is this time of year. Now that the 2nd test will be eliminated, there will be many more. Don’t worry about Hawaii, now that we have lifted quarantine, we will have more visitors than you can fathom. In spite of this one family’s mishap out of tens of thousands. Yes, by all means, go to Mexico … just don’t drink the water. There is no comparison, btw, Hawaii is a peaceful paradise with people who care about our residents and our visitors. We have had maintained good, safe habits from day one of this thing, and will not apologize for it. Visitors will have to comply. Aloha!
Speaking for 90%of the locals here in Hawai’i…please don’t come! We are islands with limited resources. Should a visitor contract the virus and get sick here, they take a bed away from one of us! Why travel during a GLOBAL pandemic? It’s selfish and shows no empathy for the residents of wherever you choose to travel to!
90% of locals you speak for? So if everyone is so hell bent on not having tourists cause of a pandemic and fearful of covid…why oh why are there soooo many locals out and about everyday?? When I went home during when majority of hotels were still closed, locals were out and about like nothing changed. Lots not wearing masks or social distancing. Beaches still had bunches of ppl. Big groups together (8+) versus the obvious tourists in groups of maybe 2-4. Again, stop whining and if you have a problem with the economy in Hawai’i, then do something else or move away if you scared. And lots of places were decimated with previous pandemics. That is called nature and the expansion of our world goes. Ppl expose each other the more we explored. But go ahead and keep whining about it while you want the comforts of the modern world and not caring about the mainland workers that bring you all those supplies that are in “short supply”.
Go Mexico then
Hawaiians being targeted by misleading media because it makes them feel better for their selfishness and guiltiness they deny. This land is sacred to our families. We stay strong and hustle everyday to make ends whatever the situation may be.. This resistance you feel is not for your feelings its for our future our keiki our ohana which we value more than your money.
This writer who makes his living off of the travel industry shows ignorance of the history, culture and economics of Hawaii. He should never use or quote the Hawaiian language out of context. People traveling right now should not expect things to be normal. They should anticipate everything taking longer, and government to operate slowly.
Note that this family was already risk takers, and therefore should have been prepared for things not to go smoothly. Anyone who chooses to fly with a young family during a pandemic where cases are skyrocketing all around the US, and to do so the week when a new testing system has begun are risk takers. In Hawaii we want visitors who value the low Covid rates here and the unique culture,, and are willing to roll with some inconvenience for the privilege of visiting here. Period.
Nope, you have this wrong.
“Push back” – a very poor choice of words. Idiots who ARE covid-positive will feel (even more) enabled to “push back” against all the rules they don’t like.
No, don’t “push back.” But if you think someone has simply made an (obvious) error (like misreading your test results), ask again, nicely. But be respectful, no “pushing back”. Too much of that already.
As to the “threat” of arrest….GOOD! Hawaii has seen plenty of entitled jerks show up, be told to quarantine, who then immediately headed out for their vacation. These clowns SHOULD be thrown in jail.
There is a deadly pandemic raging. People who are expecting a care-free, pre-covid trip experience are dangerous fools. If someone wants to roll the dice and travel for leisure, then they should be prepared for pandemic controls to interfere with their holiday, as it may do exactly that.
COVID-19 is not deadly for the vast majority of people who contract it and those who are most vulnerable to it can take precautions against infection. Hysterical reactions like yours cause more damage to people’s health and livelihoods than the disease itself.
Also, for comparison, consider that obesity is associated with almost one in five adult American deaths, far more than COVID-19 (which is also exacerbated by fatness). Where is the outcry about the obesity epidemic? It was here before COVID-19 and will be around long after COVID-19 is no longer viewed as an emergency.
Well said. Covid is hardly deadly unless you already have 1 foot in the grave and if you know you’re in the high risk group you can simply not travel or take precaustions. If they would have just let the 75% of people who weren’t really at risk of anything beyond flu symptoms live their lives we would have had herd immunity months ago…
Good point on obesity – that’s what is killing Americans, but raise your voice about that and you’re fat-shaming people. What about drinking and smoking? Those have serious health effects but other than a few labels on boxes, we let people do as much of it as they want. I still don’t understand the hysteria about covid except for when I see the ridiculous comments like the one from Dick. Crazy to think there are still people who think Covid is a threat to the entire population equally as opposed to a specific group of elderly and other high risk individuals.
Gotta disagree… a buddy of mine in AZ died from COVID and he wasn’t obese and was only 36.. two other friends got really sick and one was hospitalized for a month. Both healthy girls, that work out and were under 40. Sadly it is a real deal. I live on Oahu and have been frustrated by lock downs and understand the “push back”, but also understand our hospitals can only handle so much. Due to cultural differences and high cost of living we do have certain groups (Filipino, Pacific Islander, Micronesian ) that live in multi/generational households. Herd immunity would also take years and lots of people would die and would fill hospitals that in turn would affect others in hospitals for different ailments. Hopefully the vaccines will work and people will take them. In the meantime we gotta wear masks etc. #livealoha
We will never hear about how many people with covid had little or no symptoms and can assume there are actually many more cases than documented because of no symptoms. Finally, someone who has written what I’ve been thinking for months. Thank you for calling out the obesity epidemic. The U.S. obesity rate is 36.5% while another 32.5 % of American adults are overweight.
Ah. The Trumpette awakes after a bit of silence after its master got voted out.
Keep up not understanding the impact on the health services. After all, you are a cult member and you buy into the groupthink
Y’all do realize the Native Hawaiians were decimated by multiple outsider-brought diseases, starting back with Captain Cook right? Up until then , never had outbreaks of killer disease. Plus, very limited hospital capacity–cant just drive to the neighboring state.
If you don’t like the rules maybe go to Florida.
There is no “Hawaiian Police Department”. Further, “Hawaiian” is an ethnicity and should only be used to describe Native Hawaiians, not Hawai’i residents, government departments, etc.
Did you confirm that these travelers received a negative result prior to departure AND had a printout of their results in hand upon landing? Visitors who have not received & uploaded their test results to the Safe Travels website prior to departure are indeed required to quarantine until results come back, are uploaded to the Safe Travels website, and are MANUALLY REVIEWED by the Dept of Health.
Your first paragraph was excellent. I’ve been chaffing at the bit sitting here. Mainlanders, etc do not know that all people who live in Hawaii are not “Hawaiians”.
FFFLIER1976 Just like someone from mainland come here and try give us advice about Covid. That fat man you speak of not going to give our people Covid, his obesity doesn’t effect us, but Covid does. Stay in your lane. It is people like you that have no regard for the Hawaiian people, local and Kamaaina alike, and our safety. You no care about Hawaii … You no love Hawaii … you enjoy and USE Hawaii during a time of need vs want. You no need come to our islands during one pandemic. All the people saying we no like people coming here now are right. We don’t want you and we have NO aloha to offer you for you are putting out Kupuna and Keiki at risk with your mere presence after traveling and not wearing masks. Think you’re fine take pretest when most positives are developing in tourists who come over with negative test and get sick here. Go ahead , get sick here and see if one tutu or one uncle gonna get the hospital bed and ventilator or if you are… trust me you won’t. We not that desperate yet. Kapu Hawaii . ALL HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE STILL CLOSED! You’ve been warned. Don’t be an idiot and the family in the article has a special amount of stupid waiting for them in life. No can throw tantrum because they didn’t follow the steps. It said clearly no test loaded up, you go quarantine. Just stay away. Keep your own homes sick.
Yes nancy!
We know tourism is our livelihood thats obvious and all this propaganda about this crisis is so irritating to read and hear everyday. All we saying is have respect for the hawaiian people for all we have is our families because you already took the land so we deserve to be cautious about you taking our life too.
Ooo but you love the white man MONEY!
Nancy, Stop being an ignorant moke! Feeding your family is hard enough in Hawaii, let alone during a pandemic and the states dependency on tourism being shut down all this time!! My family left Maui 5 yrs ago because it just got too expensive and racist! I know first hand that most people have to work multiple jobs or have 20 people live in a single family house in order to afford to live there without a pandemic. So I know that people are barely surviving and severely suffering there now! Stop biting the hand that feeds the people of the islands. The islands are not closed to tourist, Ige opened it up because he knows that the people are suffering and can’t survive without tourism! So get over it or better yet, go to your Hawaiian Sovereign Nation folks and have them step up to become a self sustaining nation, separate from the US, like they proclaim they want! The locals there hate haoles and don’t want to be a part of the US, so no better time then now for the Hawaiian Sovereign Nation to walk the walk! But those of us that have been forced to leave so called “paradise” know that the Hawaiian Sovereign Nation is all b.s.!!! So STOP your haole hating and accept the fact that Hawaii can not survive without tourism! Dying from starvation, suicide, homelessness, mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, etc is much worse then Covid! Get one grip tita! Maui No ka Oi!
Is Nancy writing in Hawaiian pidgin?
Nancy – if you actually read my comment, I didn’t mention Hawaii at all. I was speaking generally about Covid not having the same adverse effect on the population as a whole, but specific demographics. As for the islands being taken over by Americans…you had 3 options, Chinese, Japanese or Americans. I won’t be offended if you say you would have rather the Chinese populated and developed the islands but it was going to be one of us.
By the way, alcoholism is a serious and growing problem among the native peoples (in addition to other drugs). Those problems are killing more people than Covid – did Hawaii ban alcohol? No, but you’re up in arms about Covid, something that is insignificant compared to the problems people bring into their own lives.
Nothing that I’m saying has anything to do with politics – it’s just the data. And to Ku’uipo – get your numbers straight or at least understand the data. The denomiator is not 10 Million – that’s based on the number tested, the experts (non political) agree the number of people who have actually had covid is 10X higher than the tested number, so it’s more like 250K dead out of 100Million. Don’t forget to take into account all the other long term pain caused by the lockdowns and restrictions for something with a minimal mortality rate that is heavly biased toward already ill people. What pain – increases in domestic violence, lost education that can never be recovered, savings wiped out, etc…
Cargo yes this virus is deadly and you’re delusional! A quarter of a million dead out of less than 10 million in the USA is deadly.. go back under the rock you crawled came out of
I never said COVID-19 couldn’t be deadly. Still, it is not deadly for the overwhelming majority of people who get infected and those who are most at risk can take precautions without abrogating the freedoms of those who are not. You should learn the difference between case fatality rates and infection fatality rates. Also take a look at age-stratified tables of COVID-19 death statistics as well as cases involving comorbidities. Fewer than 3% of deaths are under the age of 45. 250,000 is still less than the number of obesity-related deaths. Lurn sum statistix ‘n science. Aloha!
Exactly Dick! We don’t want that virus taking over our islands for anyone to feel entitled to come here and not follow the guidelines need to face charges! Follow protocol or stay home!
Americans are entitled to travel to Hawaii as it is an American state. Your forebears voted 93% in favor of joining the United States because they thought it was better to have full representation rather than merely being an annexed territory. While I can sympathize with native Hawaiians losing their sovereignty in the 19th century, the modern Hawaiian sovereignty movement is an outgrowth of Marxist agitation from the 1960s-70s. I remember well being told by Haunani-Kay Trask that mainlanders were not welcome in Hawaii. Any public health protocols should be commensurate with the actual level of the threat to public health and not merely acquiescing to fear. Needless to say, such protocols should be enforced with competence, which is asking for a lot from government.
Yes agree on that. Dont need the spread anymore.
Is there a better explanation of what actually happened? It sounds like their order to quarantine was temporary at best (or else why would the state contact them and tell them everything is ok?). It seems like this family did not understand the process, and maybe you don’t either. This is something I would be interested to read, given I plan to travel to Hawaii next month. Thanks!
Also, do you know if they verify the COVID test directly with the provider? I’m wondering how easy it would be to change the date on one as I am worried about getting it done within the required 72 hours.
Be careful Andy. We got the test from the “trusted partner”. Arrived in Maui waiting on the results, then the “trusted partner “misplaced” our specimens. We went home after being locked up for days.
12 days after the tests were administered they found our specimens and gave us our negative results. Too bad we could afford a 10 day trip !
I would say do not go unless you can get a test upon arrival with a result given within 24 hrs (like I did when I went to Alaska this past summer).
SHAME ON YOU Matthew Klint for not doing your due diligence and posting this embarrassingly subjective attempt to add fuel to a fire and instigating tension!
@Andy Aloha kakahiaka, see Sara comment what needs to be done to be sure no matter where you travel. Also check TSA guidelines CDC and states department of health.
If your scared of the China flu then YOU stay home,YOU wear a mask,YOU rub “hand sanitizer” all over,YOU social distance,YOU stay away from large groups and gatherings,YOU get vaccinated,but don’t YOU dare tell ME how to live.
YOU tell em!
Go tell your buddy the soon to be evicted Mr 45 !
And when YOU get the virus we trust YOU wont expect the overstretched health care providers to take care of YOU.
Hearing more & more how unwelcome we are there. We’ll remember.
What an interesting spin on a completely falsified title.
Pushing back would not have helped this family. They were notified when their tests were uploaded into the system. There was no “error” on the part of the state. If you want to jam 8,000+ people per DAY into a brand new system, it takes time.
If you’re going to be selfish enough to travel to THE MOST ISOLATED island chain in the world in the first month of the state trying to reopen, you’re going to encounter glitches.
Perhaps they should have prepared more for their child? Maybe if they had combed through the guidelines they would have understood what was going on better?
Or maybe, just maybe, the Adele’s are entitled, uninformed, greedy individuals that just didn’t get it right. Maybe stay home instead of whining about how your previous Hawaiian vacation was ruined.
As a writer, get your facts straight before you start projecting laughable personal opinions about travel to a place you know nothing about.
REAL simple stay home till we get a grip on this And God Bless all essential workers and the people who lost there family members and dont want to lose anymore. THINK Before You DO.
It’s because of travelers like you, Matthew, that we here in Hawaii aren’t so thrilled about visitors returning here during the pandemic. Telling readers to “push back” instead of asking for clarity of the rules is pushing for trouble. Using Hawaiian language in your article, as if to throw it back in our faces, is very disrespectful. If you want to be shown aloha, show it first.
Push back if you follow the rules and the health officials are simply not reading…big difference.
Man all I have to say Matthew is that you are an idiot. I’m not even gonna go into detail like the other true locals that have commented. Basically it is the entitled haoles like you that we hate. Who the hell do you think you are to think just because you’ve visited here before and think you are cultured that you can appropriate someone else’s culture and even worse in an article that screams ignorance. You’re a joke. So disrespectful. People live here. This is their home. This isn’t just your damn playground where you entitled to everything and anything just because you paid money to come.
Don’t like AMERICANS! But you LOVE the white man MONEY! only 100 percent TRUE BLOOD HAWAIIANS can SPEAK! So don’t use the white man MONEY! See if the bank going take coconuts and seashells as payments!
It’s not a matter of “oh it says negative- have at it!”
This is a lengthy and detailed process that you are obviously completely ignorant to.
Why don’t you learn the rules and then you can stop defending people that didn’t understand them just like yourself.
Even better, you could educate people instead of suggesting misinformation. What a concept.
Everybody who wrote something has a valid right to express their opinions. Yes it’s really the wrong time to travel anywhere. Bad on our Hawaii government officials that made the error but think about it. Our government officials are only trying to prevent Hawaii from duplicating what happened to New York. The writer of this article needs to really pay attention, you should have been addressing your remarks to government officials and not “Hawaiians”. I am one of the Hawaiians you decided to smack upside the head and I don’t like way you made us look!
At multiple points I used the term “Hawaiian residents” or Hawaiian state officials. Nothing in this post was meant to pinpoint ethnic Hawaiians.
Had you left off the last line or written it differently in the conclusion section of your article, I might not have had the reaction I did.
Don’t complain when your economy totally crashes without the tourist dollars.
Don’t want us from the mainland? Fine, I’ll spend 10K on a vacation somewhere else
We will miss you….. not!!
BYE FELISHA!!! OUR LIVES ARE WORTH MORE THAN YOUR LOUSY 10K. LMAO
Don’t cry when your economy turns into that of Ebeye Island
Ha! 10K on a Hawaii vacation! I could find better ways to spend my hard earned money. Don’t bother coming.
I believe this is time natives schould evuct all non native visitors and regain the royal monarchy. Succeed from the USA and declare independence. I dont want some stranger taking my home than telling me how to live.
We will never be thrilled to have tourists come to the islands to have fun. While aina and people get sick from you crazy mainlanders. Very selfish of anyone who wants to travel for vacation. Putting others people lives at risks.
Hawaii government incompetence reinforces just one conclusion: stay away from the state because it is not worth the bother so spend your money elsewhere, allowing the imperious state to experience the economic consequences.
GMM…..I give u a year once we have a vaccine that works u will be begging to come back to Hawaiian islands that the white man “STOLE” from the Native Hawaiian. Why stop there why not give back our land too since you are not coming and u are not welcome here during a “PANDEMIC” anyway killing our native Hawaiian people!!! White man been murdering other human race before laws even existed so it’s time for u guys to stop killing other races besides the “white race” murderers that’s what u are!!!
WOW! NO ALOHA! I’d bet you have someone on welfare? Getting retirement pay or one of AMERICAS great freedoms? Well if you’re so RACIST don’t accept the benefits of the US! Try pay for your home and TAXES in coconuts and seashells! You’ll be in the Fed pen at the airport area!
Whatever..its not racists its being smart and careful. Unlike people like u that dont give a crap.
This is not a retort to any reader, but a first hand account of our recent trip to HNL and insight as part time residents. We are not Hawaiian, but we had a second home there that we just sold and needed to return to finish up the biz of moving. We have many older, dear friends there who are rightfully keeping safe. We only met them outdoors in parks for distanced picnics.
We were under a deadline and flew one day after the quarantine was lifted. CVS, one of the “approved” test providers, mislabeled one of our tests with another patient’s name, so we had to book and pay for a second test at SFO or we would miss our flight. You have to register in advance with the State of Hawaii and upload your flight and accommodation info, plus your negative test, or you can’t get in. If you are not in first class (last on, first off), you may wait hours to clear at HNL.
Once you get there, most all the major hotels are closed. Half of the businesses in Waikiki are out of business, Not just closed—out of business. Your hotel might include a local family on a weekend “staycation,” to give their kids a break, otherwise it was only military personnel who were repositioning. Nothing happening on the beaches. The tour operators are not working. Most of the restaurants are closed and the others are trying to do takeout or pickup. The homeless population is exploding.
Hawaii is in deep trouble, but as remote island people they also have centuries of self-preservation, hardship, and social wisdom to draw upon. So don’t judge them because they are not putting you first for the near future. Hawaii are the most remote islands in the world. Everything there is not all about you—it’s about them and you are just dropping in then leaving. Their hospitality is warm and beyond measure, but with caution. Remember, the native Hawaiians were decimated by foreigners in the 19th century who introduced diseases to which the locals had no immunity. One of the things that makes Hawaii so attractive is they they never forget their history. It’s part of the charm that adds to the reasons you want to go.
So please give them a break and let them work things out in their own time with their own limited resources. We look forward to the time when all of us readers can return to Hawaii in better times. Mahalo nui loa and aloha to all readers.
Well stated, In LA. I appreciate your take on the situation. It isn’t comfortable for anyone right now including us Hawaiians. We totally understand that tourism is a great source of revenue and a lot of people make their living from it. But we do remember the not so ancient past and know very well how a disease can almost wipe out a population. We also understand that people are tired of being cooped up and want to get out and about but it’s a time for everyone to be cautious. We are just trying to keep our kupuna (elders) and kieki (children) safe. Thank you for your understanding in these trying times.
Mainlanders will never understand because they look at us hawaiians as poor stupid people. Thats why they come here so they can take what we have. Our homes jobs and now our lives. Meaning putting us in danger. Just stay away…
Nicely put.
Let’s get this straight, you do not know the actual reason the family was told to quarantine, their test results or the procedure for ensuring tests are valid yet have the audacity to call Hawaiian authorities stupid and criticize their procedures. Likely the family was told they would need to quarantine until results were verified. Whatever the reason was, they clearly wanted to verify results or were still awaiting results as many arriving visitors arrive with pending tests. Then to give the recommendation that people “push back” if they don’t like the restrictions. There is a pandemic, Hawaii has very few resources and does not need a bunch of entitled visitors barging into Hawaii. Have some respect or mind your own business. No one needs to be traveling right now and if they are they should be grateful.
Bravo!!! Bravo!!! Bravo!! Well said!!!
Drop the
Thank you for your thoughtful and accurate comment
In LA very graciously put!! It is very refreshing to have someone who is not from hawaii but who understands the local culture.
Youre absolutly correct. Its a pandemic not tourist season. Sorry not sorry. Keep your diseases in the mainland. Push back and get burried on Kauai.
I totally agree. I’ve lived here for 23 years and I know well that many locals here have an aversion to tourists visiting and then not respecting the aina.
Tourists must keep in mind that this is not their home and that they need to respect that.
It’s not only the white man that is guilty. The Chinese and Japanese are even worse. They think because they have money that they are entitled to everything Hawaii has to offer them.
Most locals are tired of being taken advantage of and, if it were their choice, would rather have no tourists visit at all.
The problem with this is that greedy politicians here are in cahoots with the tourism authority to make it our main industry. This has resulted in so many islanders having become dependent upon it for their livelihoods.
The fact is, we are all stuck out here in the middle of nowhere and everything we own has to be shipped here from faraway places. This makes it an extremely expensive place to live.
It’s understandable when most people here have to work two jobs to make ends meet and support a family that they become envious of visitors who come here to splurge and have a good time. Consider yourself in that type of situation and you too would be perturbed.
Because we are now experiencing a pandemic that has greatly affected our economy and way of life, it should be no surprise to visitors that we have opted for self preservation and, as a result, are not keen to any outsiders visiting the islands at this time.
You, as a visitor, may think in your own selfish way that it’s time for a vacation and Hawai’i is you destination of choice, but until there is a viable vaccine that prevents the spread of COVID-19, it’s best you postpone your trip and save yourself the agony of testing and possibly having to quarantine as well.
Yes the islands belong to the locals not mainlanders.
In LA, A BIG MAHALO to you for understanding whats at the core of ‘Aloha’. For caring about others before yourself. For giving back. I work in the tourist industry and DONT receive federal aid or ANY aid at all. I may very well stand to lose my home if this continues.
HOWEVER, I refuse to screw my community over for a buck or endanger my friends and family for profit. This is MY view and I do as I believe is CORRECT vs trying to be right. I’d rather be safe than sorry and err on the side of caution. I do my best to move through life at this point with consciousness and care for OTHERS.
After all, what does this effort cost me vs someone else if I make them sick or kill them. How many of us would have the stones so arrogantly displayed by so many posting these pathologically selfish statements on social media to go to someone’s family if they got them sick and killed them to apologize and face that music??? Its really easy to run your mouth until you’re called to the carpet. I sure hope they don’t go to church with that attitude.
I want my life back the way it was just as badly as the next person but not enough to ignore the consequences of my actions so your post has given me a spark of hope that not all are afflicted with such self absorption.
Its clear that you love Hawaii and not just for your own personal gratification.
I for one did not mind the tourists until I saw attitudes like the ones in this comment section. It makes me feel like the work I’ve done for the past 15yrs was largely for an ungrateful and entitled lot that only cares for themselves. Its been a real eye opener as to folks like you being the exception and not the rule. So sad and so shame!….
That being said, its not that locals don’t want tourists back ever its that we are caught between a rock and a hard place but we ultimately value our family and friends. THAT is what we are upset for, we are protective of our OHANA! And if that needs to be justified or explained then what else is there to be concluded except that colonialism is STILL as much a problem now as it was then.
But I digress, I wish there were more people like you and I hope you find your way back to Hawaii when we are in a better position for receiving visitors. MAHALO FOR BEING PONO!
Well said . We hope that it will get better soon. So we are just being as safe as possible!
Go to Mexico then! Do you know how many of my ancestors DIED due to all the Diseases Foreigners Brought to Hawaii; STD(s), SMALL POX, LEPROSY….Overthrow Our Monarchy!!……So I Don’t Want TO HE AR Your Whining!
I love Hawaiiand have been there ALOT…every island plus….I get it to be safe but there is a point it is too much….I’m sitting here at home on a staycation for the first time in 30 years due to the bitterness I have picked up from people traveling…I will likely choose other places to spend my time off even after all the dust settles….sorry Hawaii but you made your choices on how to handle this …..not me
Bye Felisha!!! Bye!!! U will NOT BE MISSED!!! Bye!!!
In LA very graciously put!! It is very refreshing to have someone who is not from hawaii but who understands the local culture.
[redacted by admin] cry baby’s! Next time stay home, you haoles will always see Hawai’i as “VACATION” this is our home and what you [redacted by admin] refuse to see is the flip side of tourism… Hawaiians forced out of “our” beaches where we gather food to feed our keiki so a billion $ resort can be built to cater to you scrubs. Sacred heiau (Grave) trampled on and desecrated because it was in your tour guide. Your tourist dollars don’t benefit the real Hawai’i at all! Your tourism $’s gets pumped back into tourist not kanaka! Businesses Jack up their prices for all you haoles when you come to visit but when you leave, prices don’t come down for us. Tourist being here jacks up cost of living all the way around! And that is the flip side tourist refuse to see. Before you bash HAWAIIANS remember you decided to come here during a pandemic no one forced you. The virus didn’t start here, it was brought in… do the math, don’t get bent out of shape, our incompetent government does not speak for all of us! Neither does our health officials they would very well save you before me!
Hey Matthew,
have you been to Kazakhstan or Belarus? Your comment is very inappropriate….so much for a freelance journalist.
Actually yes. I had to bribe my way out of one. See the linked stories above (click on Kazakhstan or Belarus).
Great article Matt.
Excellent responses to all the misunderstandings and overt emotion.
I believe the Hawaiian Dept of Health owes that family a trip back to Hawaii. Right or wrong this was wrong.
A business would be falling over itself to correct the error made by there agent. Lame.
LOOOOL, good thing the government isn’t a business then.
Hawaii’s a six that thinks it’s a ten.
No thanks.
I am Hawaiian and i dont need tourism to survive!!! We dont need tourism. Most tourists are rude and dont know they are rude.. Aole Haole
Don’t need tourism
Have fun with 40-50 percent unemployment
And cut out the racist BS
“ For the life of me, I do not understand the idea that Hawaiians can (or even have the right to) live as an autarkic entity.”
For the life of me, I will never understand why you think you are entitled to question the rights of Hawaiians in their own homeland. Before you try to “enlighten” me — don’t. Because the reality is you missed your mark the moment you started questioning indigenous peoples’ rights.
Come to puna you’ll learn what being a pushy white guy gets you in Hawaii
I landed in Kona last week with my negative mainland test. My airport quick test was positive. I was retested and told to quarantine at the home we had rented. The medical people and the Hawaii Civil defense were kind and professional. The rental company not so much. A long 45 hours later my third test came back negative. My airport test was one of many false positives. My experience was one of Aloha in a pandemic .
I am born and raised in Hawaii. So I would consider myself pretty much knowledgeable on what is going on in Maui and the locals. First of all I am not going to travel at this time with my husband or my family until the issues are worked out and the pandemic has leveled so this won’t be till next year. If you want to travel that’s your choice. But traveling during a pandemic this is a new issue for our government. I don’t think that people should travel to Hawaii and expect it to be normal. It is not. We live on an island, we can protect our selves. On Maui we only had 2 cases yesterday and none today. It’s because we use mask, we care about others. It’s not like the mainland people don’t use mask and the cases are going up. It’s proven just use a mask, keep 6 feet apart and wash your hands. This is just temporary maybe till we get the vaccine. Right now we are all negative but we still use a mask. So if you come here and think that you are negative so you don’t need a mask, that is not how it works we are all negative. Lanai didn’t have 1 case until they opened up to traveling now they have over 150 cases just last week. So Covid is related to traveling from residents or tourist it doesn’t matter it was contracted outside of the island from traveling. In Hawaii we are made up of many different cultures. Locals come in all different skin colors. I don’t appreciate that comment about the Chinese people, we don’t need people like you coming to our beautiful island. We have worked hard to keep our cases down. We stand together in Hawaii. Please don’t come with an attitude of entitlement because you will not be welcomed here. Don’t try to cheat the system because you will get busted. Just recently a couple was arrested and jailed they arrived on Maui with no test results so they were told that they had to quarantine but they were just selfish, dishonest people that couldn’t follow the rules. I wouldn’t come to the islands right now, the Government especially in Oahu is still trying to figure out procedures to keep everyone safe. Especially if you are going to complain and whine. Aloha
Nobody likes a douche NOT BOB
We are currently visiting Oahu from Seattle. We had testing done both by Walgreens and by the city of Seattle which uses the UW before we left. Even though Hawaii says they will not accept the city of Seattle UW tests, they immediately validated within 5 Seconds on the official Hawaii site. The reason Hawaii only has a limited number of accepted testing providers is because they have automated the test validation process. Otherwise somebody has to manually verify the uploaded results.
It only took us an extra 10 minutes in the Honolulu Airport. Very efficient. Very polite. The QR Reader didn’t work on my printed QR code, but I was able to bring up the Hawaii site and our results on my phone.
But there was a separate line at the airport for people that did not have validated test results. That line did not appear so short.
There are many Hawaiians that are hurting because of a lack of tourists. Many businesses are being destroyed. These Hawaiians are happy to see tourists. Others that have an income perhaps do not want tourists around. So it is impossible to generalize.
I was told at the car rental, that if someone on our plane showed up with a positive result, everyone on the plane would be quarantined. The agent said he was aware of this happening twice.
I have also heard that the hospital on the big island is very full.
So traveling to Hawaii at this time definitely has risks of disruption. On the positive side, it’s not very crowded and it’s Hawaii.
In Seattle schooling is online. In Hawaii it’s in person. And I see many people that appear to be Hawaiians that are not social distancing and not wearing face masks. Conversely I’ve had my temperature checkedtwice in two different stores which never happened in Seattle.
In summary, the situation is complex and traveling has risks which may be beyond your control. Hawaii definitely has a bad history with Outsiders bringing disease. But we are very glad we are here and have appreciated many kindnesses from the Hawaiian people.
Tam halo for thinking of our people first… not…UNBELIEVABLE. The amount of privilege is insane. We have limited healthcare availability, one island currently shut down and Kauai is next with its increasing case count. Want vs Need. Many of us want to see our families on other islands or in the mainland but we don’t NEED to and can wait for safety. You, well you no care about our needs and only out your want for a vacation in our homeland that doesn’t welcome you at this time. Every travel website says don’t go, but hey you think you need to travel in a pand. Godspeed when you get infected and pray it isn’t here. You won’t take a bed from a resident.
I am a 20 year resident of Hawaii; I spent at least 4 months a year working here prior to that.
Please understand our medical resources are extremely limited. Hawaii Island has 13 ICU beds on the entire almost 10,931 mi² with 180,000 thousand residents. We have to be careful, and protective of our people.
Many of our frontline workers are a vulnerable population. Residents here work well beyond “retirement” age. Much of the cultural resources that resorts have come from our Kupuna. Most workers need more than one job to live here. Most parents are juggling work, with children attending class in the living room. Many of us have been cardio-pulmonary issue due to years of heavy vog and gases from volcanic activity. We were wearing masks for that. We are as stretched as mainland cities.
Being on a remote island, with very limited resources does not make us a “Belarus” it makes us extremely cautious. If it means extra steps, then so be it. If you believe the pandemic hasn’t hurt us in many ways, you’re wrong. Hawaii isn’t safer than anywhere else right now.
Most people heading here are taking advantage of once in a lifetime cheap flights and acting like we owe you something for that. We don’t. Things here are NOT normal by any means of the imagination. If your pre-arrival steps are not in order, there are consequences. If an error is made, give it a little time to work out. Stuff happens, roll with it and stop making us look like the evil islanders.
Believe me, if YOU show Aloha; you’ll get it back. Thusly, you show disrespect- you don’t deserve our aloha.
SMH why flying to Hawaii while 1,000 die from this a day is beyond me. As well, for the record – my amazing 48 year old friend, competed in 2-4 Ironman events, as well as multiple marathons a year got Covid-19 without any pre-existing conditions. Felt flu like, started coughing, struggled to breathe, was put on a ventilator and never came off. He died with no one by his side and left a wife and three young children. It can happen to anyone.
Aloha, or not. Your choice.
In LA,
It is a very beautifully written reply! I don’t understand why people get so mad with Hawaii and restrictions here, no one is forced to come here, no one is promised a luxury vacation, it is a difficult time, life here is not the same at all, so experience will not be the same ( school are closed , online only, sports are canceled, restaurants are closed, there are only couple of health care specialists who fly from island to island every day to see patients and they have to quarantine, too) We are still loving kind people, it’s just right now my aloha is directed to my family and Ohana.
Seems like there’s a lot of “push back” on the ideas in this screed posing as an article, for which I am grateful. If you can’t understand why the welcome mat isn’t being rolled out for visitors right now, I agree with many commenters here that you had better go elsewhere. As for the cringeworthy moment of using a Hawaiian phrase, well, it’s of a piece with the general ignorance demonstrated.
Thank you, Bob. And they wonder why the word Haole has become such a negative word. It really just means foreigner, or someone not from Hawai’i. But the entitlement, the totally selfish nature of some vocal few has changed this simple word into a negative. Thank you to those Haole people who do have compassion for the people of our islands.
Misleading article. “ Hawaiian” is a race. The governments isn’t “Hawaiian”, the government is the State of Hawaii and the police isn’t the “Hawaiian police”, it’s the Honolulu Police Department. Get your terminology straight.
To my knowledge, the locals there hate tourists and want them banished forever from Hawaii. As for me, I would travel to Florida instead.
Plus, to add. I do agree with following the rules especially in regards to COVID 19 such as testing, quarantine, wearing masks, social distancing, etc, but whoever is reading these test results needs to double check and make sure they are right before requiring them to quarantine. There definitely was no excuse to this error or lapse in judgement. I would definitely advise against all travel to Hawaii especially during the pandemic.
People, remember. The only ones dying of china virus are old and sick. The ones that our capitalisst society should be happy to get rid of to make our breed stronger. Praise trump he is thinning the herd to make it stronger.
Only 100 percent TRUE BLOOD HAWAIIANS should SPEAK! Not the quarter breed! But you LOVE THE WHITE MANS MONEY! AND THE WHITE MANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM! HYPOCRITES! Grow some “coconuts!”
Hey Bob from all of us idiots here in Hawaii. Why don’t you keep your idiotic comments and your high and mighty attitude and stay in whatever state your in as long as it’s not hawaii. We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves. We were doing fine before the US stole our lands and imprisoned our royalty.
Don’t like AMERICA but you love the US MONEY! HYPOCRITE! And the AMERICAN HEALTH CARE! FOOL!
The one who calls other people names, has no knowledge of said people or their history and makes assumptions, is the very name he called them.
Just an FYI, because you live in Hawai’i or were born here, it doesn’t make you Hawaiian.
“Just an FYI, because you live in America or were born here, it doesn’t make you American.”
How does that sound? So very anti-racist. Glad to see you are doing the work.
For those of you who are unaware, many of the most vocal in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement are Marxists. Aloha!
Lol people are still calling people Marxists and communists as an insult huh?
Also yes USA is also stolen native land…where have you been?
It was not an insult, merely a statement of fact. Marxism is antithetical to American ideals, so I point it out to make clear what kind of people we are dealing with.
As for the United States being stolen land, natives were constantly battling over territory and displacing each other (and enslaving each other) long before the Europeans arrived. Many tribes didn’t even have a concept of private property. Hawaiians may have lost control of the islands against their will, but they later voted with an overwhelming majority to join the United States, a country that is far greater than anything the Native Americans would have built on their own. Would you prefer Russia or China to have settled North America? What if the Aztecs had eventually sailed to your little paradise? It wasn’t going to stay isolated from the rest of the world forever.
Self entitlement is not a reason to travel during a worldwide pandemic!
“Hawaiian” Police Department? Nobody says that here lol says alot about what this family is thinking. The family was asked to quarantine they didn’t tell them to go home, if they accepted to quarantine then they could have been enjoying their vacation. Both sides had their wrongs. Mistakes happen, move on.
We residents in Hawaii don’t want your stinky disease over here. We’d rather be overly cautious. Go to Mexico, that’s fine with us!!!
But I’m sure you want a disproportionate share of our federal tax dollars you louse!
Read the history of the illegal overthrow of the globally recognized monarchy of Hawaii by the sugar cane barons, missionaries and militia. Reparations are more appropriate.
Imagine a future for Hawaii that is culturally sensitive to the enormous loss of life and property of the native population. That is the direction that will create a sustainable economy for the residents, not another (illegal) takeover of resources by a power over, entitled attitude. Time for change is here and generations of families may want something different than servitude as a way of life.
Yes the islands belong to the locals not mainlanders.
Sounds like there is some white supremacist on this thread who are also trump followers. Stay away we don’t need your hate and bigotry in Hawaii. You are not welcomed. Go to Florida!
You need to realize that hawaii is a big nothing state going nowhere very slowly. Without the tourist trade your state would be a big fat zero. Your kapuna would never servive without the tourist industry and your health department should pull their heads out of their “OKULE” and wise up. As you should also
“For the life of me, I do not understand the idea that Hawaiians can (or even have the right to) live as an autarkic entity.”
This is because you are an uneducated white man who lives in Los Angeles. Perhaps you shouldn’t write articles on things you are completely ignorant about. Try educating yourself first next time, do some research and look into the history of a place before you go around declaring that the public needs to PUSH BACK on literally the country’s most vulnerable population. And please go to Florida or Mexico from now on for your getaways. Hawaii doesn’t need or want covid-holes like you.
Bob took the words put of my mouth. Hawaii is realizing that tourism is actually a non-essential industry. It is a luxory industry, tourism, and right now you don’t have the luxory to risk the lives of the hosts because of some human error in testing- which was corrected. Maybe if you hung out longer and had sime patience then you wouldn’t have to blame “Hawaii.” Take the portion of responsibility and risk. Hawaii shouldn’t cater to you just because you have money. We have a history of pandemics and even 90% of the population dying because of attitudes like yours. Youre right. We’d rather take this opportunity with Covid to lean on the side of caution rather then just let you in just because you’ve got money FURTHERMORE this forces Hawaii to diversify our economy because the tourist industry, based on the luxury of others and the unnatural inflating of its subsidy fed, fictional economy is not one we wish to put all our eggs in. The end of tourism would mean an actual sustainable economy will finally have a chance to prosper. Sorry it ruffles your privileged feathers. Make your own damn mai tais- aloha is having aloha for the safety of others and that being the case- you are bereft of aloha and don’t deserve our aloha because, guess what? Our loves are more important than you casually assuming your tests were negative instead of making sure. Looks like some patience might have saved you a lot of privileged heartache, huh? Mhmm. Make your own damn mai tai and stay away. We prefer guests that have class and patience for the obvious pandemic we are trying to counter. Take your own risks, sure, but don’t expect us to have aloha when you don’t. And aloha includes patience. Not entitlement.
Yes, push back and learn to have a voice..appropriately. However, since your business is travel your motives aren’t truly pure
We who live here are kind and tolerant of tourists because ournlivelyhoodbis based on that..because of active Colonization.
So, we can understand the expense and frustration many are experiencing yet those same tourists and travel agents just don’t seem to understand these common things:
*Coming to an isolated region of the USA during a world pandemic is selfish and makes no sense whatsoever right now.
* Putting their need to vacay over anyone’s life ie those they are around in both airports, passengers on planes, the last of an Indigenous culture ravaged by White Colonialism and still happening.
Stay home or go somewhere on the mainland..oh but manybstates are also requiring the same requirements of Hawaii yet we see no complaints from you or travelers about that.
We’re pushing back against you and tourists who are upset were trying to live, and it’s our right. Dont likenit..stay home. That’s not being mean, were setting out boundaries and saving our communities until this is over.
Honestly, no justification younger any tourist has is relevant at all. Stay home and come back when the virus is gone, no matter what our Government Officials are saying. This is OUR right to live over yours to travel.
Gene, You are full of it my kupuna never worked in the tourist industry! Lol! Go have your hissy fit with your cult leader! You sound like dum donald just make up stuff and lie! Don’t come here you have bad energy and you will attract that!
This is stupid highlighting one problem vs the thousands who made it through these measures. This issue is so rare and we don’t hear this happening to the extent that this article is portraying. My test was uploaded but it was still registering so the gentleman asked if I had another copy which I was able to show from my email. I’m sure this family acted like Karens and felt entitled to enter but maybe having some respect would have made a difference. Even at the height of the lockdown, locals were staying home and tourists were sneaking out. Everyone is at fault one way or the other but this article is misleading. And maybe he needs to do some research because “Hawaiian” is not the same as a resident of Hawaii.
My fiancé and I came here on November 2 with negative test results. Once we landed we quickly learned that the lab we went to is not acceptable here in Hawaii – I instantly got very frustrated because I did not know how I was going to walk our dog. They were very careless on my situation. I still can not understand why it matters on where you go. I wish they were more clear on all of their rules and regulations.
It’s very clear. It’s on Hawaii’s government websites as well as their tourism authority website. Alaska airlines also very clearly linked to the approved testing places when buying a ticket to big island recently. That was as recent as two days ago.
What u seem to not understand is we are an island a deadly virus could kill half our population in less then a yr ,, history has proven that on more then one occasion ,, it’s not the mainland where you can just get up and go so yeah we need to be mindful of tourist our lives literally depend on it ,, remember ALOHA means hello and goodby
This story is full of holes. The state Health Department does not read the Covid test results. The results are displayed in your travel app. If CVS did not post your results prior to arrival, you must quarantine. “Hawaiians” are a native people. Hawaii residents are the multicultural people who make up Hawaii citzens. There is no “Hawaiian police department.” The author of this story served as a stenographer for this disgruntled family and obviously did not check his “facts.’ Covid-19 has been particularly deadly against Pacoific Islanders and being a visitor-based economy, has hit the state hard. That we are now expected to throw all this sacrifice in the toilet so people can enter the state without a negative test result is absurd. Since March, we have spent limited resources tracking quarantine breakers who had no intention of following the rules. We know where our bread is buttered but do we have to die so you aren’t inconvienced? And of course, you can get tested out of quarantine. This reportimg is flawed. But the, who is liveandletsfly.com anyway?
This is one of example of bureaucracy system of Honolulu Hawaii is not working…if you live in Honolulu and dealing with government or state bureaucracy for any issues, you are dealing with no common sense… you do not want to live in Hawaii
I’m still pissed off that we have to test inter islands and the the test cost more than the flights
Someone from the state or hotel please show real regards for these visitors and gift them an all expenses paid holiday.. ….I’m willing to help with what little I have …let’s make aloha real Hawaii!!! Not just talk and news. Family holidays are very beautiful and regenerate love in a home.
Hi, again. Thank you all for your kind responses.
Here is just a little more perspective for future visitors to keep in mind..
Even though Hawaii is a state, the entire population among all the islands combined is about the same as just the city of San Jose, California.
If you live in San Jose and need something you can’t find in the city, you still have all of the San Franciso Bay area easily available to you—especially medical facilities. However, if you get a serious illness or injury on the big island of Hawaii, for example, you have to be airlifted to Oahu by medivac helicopter for treatment. Most of the islands do not have substantial emergency medical facilities even in the best of times.
And once Oahu’s intensive care beds are full, there is nowhere else to go. The medical helicopters do not have the 2,500 mile range needed to reach the west coast.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a local or a tourist—once the beds are full they are full for everyone. So if you are planner travel soon to Hawaii, please understand your risks of obtaining medical care for any number of reasons while the system is under stress. In the best of times, the hospitals see a lots of tourists who have sudden problems with pre-existing conditions, heart attacks, strokes, vehicle accidents, and injuries suffered from swimming surfing, hiking, etc.
I live here and I think all these so called officials are idiot brainiacs. No one should come to Hawaii. Don’t waist your time. It’s not like merchants and business are offering rock bottom deals. They need to make up for the year by overcharging and taking. This place will be here years from now with no limitatations. SAVE YOUR MONEY!
We are not going to Hawaii for a long time. Hola Mexico
Wow way to uphold every single negative stereotype! You chose to disregard indigenous peoples’ complicated relationship to both foreigners and the diseases they bring. You acknowledge their limited medical infrastructure but still act entitled to abuse it by bringing your family from LA OF ALL PLACES (how’s your spike of cases going there, by the way?). And then finish this self important essay by saying plainly- Hey, I am *gifting* you all this tourism money, why aren’t you kissing my feet? A grotesque attitude at any time but truly mystifying considering the global pandemic that we’re still very much dealing with. And for the record, Hawaii (and many others) could be an independent nation if colonizer bullies the world over would allow people to utilize their own natural resources to the betterment of their own communities. Instead Hawaii is pillaged by Monsanto and international land developers. Your perspective on Hawaii’s slavery to tourism dollars reminds me a lot of Elon Musks sweet little twitter quip regarding Bolivia’s coup and his interest in their lithium: “We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it.”
Your myopic haole entitlement stinks, don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.
Is Hawaii part of my country, our country, or not?
I am not Kanaka and can’t speak to the sovereignty movement, which has many different factions within. However I can say that there are many in Hawaii and beyond who would say they are not part of the United States- that they were illegally occupied, that their monarchy was overthrown and that their matriarch was imprisoned and signed the initial treaty under the threat of death. This is basic Hawaiian history. So your little easy one-liner gotcha question isn’t as simple as you posit, it’s actually really complicated. Their statehood is also complicated; I saw someone in the comments above say that the people of Hawaii voted to become a state by a 93% majority. But they don’t round that figure out with reality. At the time Hawaii was to be become a state, 90% of the people who lived there were US citizens. Hawaii’s kanaka had already been decimated by years of disease (hello!). And the political ruling class were a bunch of rich whites. You are choosing to view the situation with blinders on.
As it stands now, they are a state and they are entitled to enact states rights. You don’t have to go. And I don’t have to feel sympathy for out of touch tourists with too much money. Hawaiians make up nearly 40% of the homeless population. Pacific Islanders and Hawaiians are primarily the ones who are dying from Covid, by a huge margin. Funny how people are so desperate to visit but literally could not care less about the living and working conditions of the labor force that serves them.
Hawaii has stated that until results are read and confirmed, visitors still need to quarantine. This includes returning Kama’aina as well as tourists. I realized halfway through your article that you’re making an assumption as to what happened and the visiting family had misunderstood the expectation. The notification they revived at home upon return doesn’t sound like a correction but a confirmation. Probably not a good idea to tell folks to push back, but rather get clarification of what they’re being asked to do. Hawaii is doing all we can to keep COVID numbers down because we are obviously a small island chain with fewer resources than mainland. The numbers of cases in some of your states would be detrimental to ours by comparison. Remember—you’re visiting our home as a guest.