by Alfred Acenas (EBC Hawaii-Pacific)
HONOLULU (Eagle News) – Starting on September 13, customers on Oahu Island will need to show proof of either a full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, museums, arcades, and other similar establishments.
According to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, the Safe Access Oahu program was developed in collaboration with business and restaurant leaders as part of a collective effort to aggressively counteract the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases in the island. The program will also apply to employees as they need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to work.
There will be some exceptions to include the following:
1. Employees, full or part-time, interns, volunteers, and contractors, who show weekly proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (molecular or antigen).
2. Patrons or customers with proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (molecular or antigen) taken within 48 hours of entry into the covered premises, and identification bearing the same identifying information as the proof of a negative test result.
3. Children under 12 years old.
4. Individuals entering and remaining for 15 minutes or less per 24 hour period.
5. A restaurant that operates solely as take-out, delivery, or a food truck.
“Given the continued high infection rates on Oahu and the strain to our hospital and emergency medical systems, it is my belief we must take additional steps to reduce the spread of the virus,” said Mayor Blangiardi. “We want to create safe spaces for employees and customers so they can feel confident the people around them are either vaccinated or have a negative test.”
The city government will evaluate the program over the next 60 days in order to determine whether or not to make adjustments, such as requiring mandatory vaccinations, should high infection or hospitalization rates prevail.

“We recognize with the record case counts, something needs to be done. Restaurants have been and continue to be under strict guidelines since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Greg Maples, Chair of the Hawaii Restaurant Association, who also regarded the measure as “an opportunity for restaurants to demonstrate the highest standard of safety while supporting the community to return to normalcy during meal times.”
“While we look forward to a day where all restrictions on business can be lifted, we know the situation in our community and specifically in our hospitals is becoming more dire by the day,” said Sherry Menor-McNamara, president and chief executive officer, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. “We want to do everything we can to avoid another shutdown, and while businesses don’t want more government mandates, we need to work together to increase vaccinations. Requiring vaccines or a negative test to enter establishments on Oahu is an important step that will help keep our businesses and employees safe, and will correspond to an increase in vaccination rates while we rebuild our economy.”
Meanwhile, state officials such as Republican legislator Val Okimoto have expressed concern over the city’s Safe Access Oahu program, and have implored Mayor Blangiardi to relinquish any attempt on policies that may infringe on human liberties.
“Requiring vaccination to go to the grocery store or gym will have a minimal impact on the spread of the virus, but rather lasting impacts on the lives of our residents,” Okimoto wrote in a letter to Honolulu’s mayor. “Unilateral decisions are coercive and completely block our people from participating in civil society through vaccine passports. We cannot, and should not, relinquish our freedoms and self-determination at the door of a grocery store or gym.”
(Eagle News Service)