Hawaii to Allow Visitors from Japan with Negative Covid-19 Test to Bypass Quarantine

A Japan Airlines aircraft in Tokyo

Officials in Hawaii gave approval to the Covid-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test, known as NAAT, that was authorized by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, to allow individual with negative test results ot bypass the state’s 14-day quarantine requirement upon arrival.

Travelers will be able to take the NAAT test at an approved partner within 72 hours of departure for Hawaii.  The state’s health department is currently negotiating with various potential testing partners.

The program will be similar to the current program in place for U.S. residents traveling to the Hawaiian Islands. A negative test from any of 13 trusted partners will allow the visitor to bypass the quarantine in the same manner. The list of partners includes AFC Urgent Care, CVS Health, Kaiser Permanente, Quest Diagnostics, and Walgreens.

Hawaii reported 91 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, with two in Maui, 13 on Hawaii Island, 74 on Oahu, and two out of state.  Since February 28, when the state began tallying new Covid-19 infections, there have been 13,764 new cases.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)