Kauai officially concludes its resort bubble trial

Kauai's resort bubble has officially ended. The island will no longer mandate quarantine for visitors in a resort bubble. Mayor Derek Kawakami stated that the requirement is no longer necessary as vaccine exemptions take effect.

The mayor announced a revised emergency order terminating the program as Kauai County transitions to "Tier 5" on Thursday, July 8. Hawaii is projected to achieve a 60% vaccination rate among residents this week.

Mayor Kawakami mentioned, "Starting Thursday, Tier 5 will permit gatherings of up to 75 people outdoors and 25 indoors. Restaurants, gyms, buses, and attractions can operate at 75 percent capacity."

He mentioned that Tier 6 is on the horizon, stating, "Once Hawai'i achieves a 70 percent full vaccination rate, we will advance to Tier 6 and lift all restrictions."

The Hawaiian island had some of the strictest COVID-19 regulations among the islands, as I reported back in January. Initially, during the pandemic's early phase, the island was completely closed to tourists, but earlier this year, it implemented a mandatory 72-hour quarantine as part of its new "resort bubble" approach.

Previously, Kauai enforced a full 14-day quarantine since it opted out of the state's "test-out program."

This program permitted tourists to book stays at one of six resorts on the island, allowing them to remain in a "resort bubble" for three days before undergoing another COVID-19 test and then being released from quarantine.

Mayor Kawakami stated, "The Resort Bubbles played a crucial role in protecting Kaua'i from community spread of COVID-19 by keeping travelers isolated until they could take a post-arrival test, as advised by the CDC," but noted that the program is now unnecessary.

If you're planning a visit, you can even get vaccinated in Kauai. Many pharmacies and clinics on the island are accepting walk-ins. Check out kauai.gov/vaccine for more information.

Visitors to Hawaii will still need to follow these steps (as outlined by the state of Hawaii):

• Upload one of three vaccination documents to your Safe Travels Hawai'i account before traveling to Hawaii. You must upload one of the following:
• A CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card
• VAMS (Vaccination Administration Management System) printout or
• DOD DD Form 2766C
• Sign the online legal attestations on Safe Travels Hawaiʻi, confirming the uploaded documents are true and accurate.
• Bring a printed copy of the vaccination documentation to show screeners at the gate before boarding and/or upon arrival in Hawaii. Screeners will review and verify the vaccination documents, match them with photo IDs, name, and date of birth, and confirm that the attestations are signed.

We've compiled a complete list of what you need to know before visiting Hawaii here.