With cases, hospitalizations and deaths going down, more and more places are decreasing, if not eliminating Covid restrictions. That’s not to say they can’t be reinstated – we never know when someone will get Covid and becomes the host of a new, highly contagious and deadly variant that sets the world on its ear again. But for now, at least, things are looking pretty OK for a lot of us.
Both Hawaii and New Orleans have been extraordinarily careful when it comes to the coronavirus. Hawaii’s Governor Ige has appeared to be genuinely concerned about the health and well-being of his constituents. And New Orleans, after centuries of winding up with all different kinds of epidemics over the centuries (yellow fever, cholera, bubonic plague, etc.), well, they just know better. So when you see headlines that both places are cutting down on their respective Covid restrictions, you know that things there are really doing OK.
Here’s the scoop…
Hawai’i
Covid-related restrictions associated with the Safe Travels program for domestic tourists visiting the state of Hawai’i will be lifted on March 25.
Effective March 26, domestic visitors will no longer have to show proof of COVID vaccination or the results of pre-travel testing to enter the state. Visitors will also no longer need to go through a mandatory quarantine if they’re unable or unwilling to produce that proof. All pre- and post-arrival COVID screenings will end, including post-boarding screenings at airports with participating airlines.
Visitors will also no longer need to provide information about their trip or create a Safe Travels account.
Also, effective March 1st, the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai will no longer require proof of vaccination or negative tests at restaurants. The same will be true for the islands of on Ohau, effective March 6th.
Heads up that not all the Covid rules are done. Hawai’i’s statewide indoor mask mandate remains in place until further notice (it’s currently set to expire on March 25th, but no word yet on whether or not it will be extended again). And, of course, people coming from international flights will still need to adhere to federal requirements.
New Orleans
New Orleans reports they will be lifting their indoor mask mandate, effective Thursday, March 3rd, at 6 am.
Also, effective March 21, customers may no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a recently negative Covid test for entry into bars, restaurants or other venues. However, that ruling will be dependent upon how much illness there is in the 3 weeks post-Mardi Gras season.
Health officials will closely monitor data in the coming weeks and expect the number of infections to rise, given the influx of Carnival crowds. How those infections affect hospitalization rates will be key to deciding whether to go through with the lifting of proof-of-vaccination requirements on the 21st.
The city will still strongly support individuals’ decisions to continue masking and the rights of businesses to continue masking requirements.
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