Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim’s office issued a press release  Tuesday afternoon saying he wants to establish a round of post-travel testing as well as pre-travel testing for COVID-19, to ensure the safety of the community as Hawai‘i tries to reopen amid the pandemic.

“I just don’t think we should take the risk with one COVID-19 test taken up to three days before traveling,” Mayor Kim said. “There are so many variables involved in a pre-travel test that could make the tests unreliable; we have to have a second test upon arrival in Hawai‘i.”

The number of potential positive cases being introduced to the community would pose too high of a risk, Mayor Kim said.

Tuesday morning, the Star Advertiser reported that Mayor Kim had “opted out” of the pre-travel testing program and would require travelers, even with a negative pre-travel COVID-19 test, to quarantine for 14 days if they come to the Big Island.  There was no response to emails inquiring about the report sent to Kim’s press secretary, Chief of Staff, and Civil Defense Administrator.

On Monday, Kaua’i County Mayor Derek Kawakami announced that after ten days of consideration,  Gov. David Ige had denied his request to require a second post travel COVID-19 test for travelers coming to Kaua’i.  In a video, Kawakami said while the news is disappointing,  he thanked the community for their patience while everybody waited for the Governor’s decision.  Kawakami said the island already has 15,000 rapid tests ready to go and they’ll work on how to use the tests to mitigate the spread of COVID0-19 on the island.

The Mayor said he and the other three mayors on Tuesday discussed a two-test policy for transpacific travel, instead of the policy that goes into effect on October 15, whereby a single negative result of a test taken up to three days before travel would eliminate the need to quarantine for 14 days.

“We need time to work out the logistics of administering a second test, but it will be worth it,” Mayor Kim said.  He said a definitive decision would be forthcoming this week.

Currently, all travelers arriving in Hawai‘i must quarantine for 14 days after arrival from the Mainland.  Interisland travel from O‘ahu and between the Neighbor Islands is also subject to the 14-day quarantine.