As daily COVID-19 cases continue to decline in Hawaii, the island of Maui is lifting some of its pandemic-prompted social restrictions.
Only a couple of weeks ago, the county's Mayor Michael Victorino announced that booster shots would no longer be needed for residents and visitors to be considered fully vaccinated.
Now, Maui has entirely dropped its requirement that patrons (ages 12 and over) provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative test in order to access indoor bars, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers.
The rule had been in place since mid-September in an effort to control a late-2021 COVID-19 surge. At that time, the mayor's executive order also dictated that bars and restaurants had to close by 10:00 p.m.
The latest move to ease community restrictions comes as the daily number of new cases declines within the Aloha State and around the nation. As of Saturday, February 19, the average daily case count came in at 341-that's 66 percent lower than February 5 levels.
Certain other social restrictions do, however, remain in place on Maui and across the other Hawaiian Islands, including the required wearing of face masks in indoor public spaces. Hawaii is the last state in the union to retain its indoor mask mandate at this stage.
According to USA Today, Governor David Ige told local television station ABC4 on Thursday that he's working with the state health department to "determine when the time is right" to drop the mask requirement.
U.S. travelers aren't required to be fully vaccinated in order to visit Hawaii, although proof of complete vaccination does entitle them to bypass the state's compulsory five-day quarantine once they've arrived.
Unvaccinated travelers (ages five and older) can also obtain a quarantine exemption by uploading a negative pre-travel NAAT test taken within 72 hours of the final leg of their flight to Hawaii. Note that the state will only accept test results from one of its trusted testing partners, and vaccinations verified through its Digital Health Pass Partners (CommonPass, CLEAR and AZOVA).
Domestic travelers must create an account online via Hawaii's Safe Travels portal and enter their trip information, as well as vaccination or pre-travel testing documentation if they hope to qualify for a quarantine exemption.
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