Planning to travel to Maui soon? I’m sure many of you, myself included, are excited about finally being able to travel to Maui again, or any of the Hawaiian Islands, but before you go, there’s lots to know about entry requirements so be sure to do your research. Here are some helpful tips from a reader who was just in Hawaii. The other thing you should know about is the State of Hawaii’s official COVID-19 exposure notification app. The County of Maui Public Health Emergency Rules now require the download of the AlohaSafe Alert application or other Google-Apple exposure notification system application for all travelers on the Safe Travels program and those who obtain a limited quarantine exemption.
The AlohaSafe Alert app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Using it is simple and can go a long way towards helping to fight COVID. The more people use it, both residents and visitors, the better the chance of controlling the spread of the virus.
How does it work?
-Devices running the AlohaSafe Alert app will anonymously “ping” each other and measure distance and duration through Bluetooth signal strength. Location, name and other identifiable information will not be shared.
-The app will notify you if you are exposed to someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19.
-You’ll receive a notification if you were within six feet of a confirmed COVID-19 positive case for a minimum of 15 minutes within the past 14 days.
-If you test positive for COVID-19, you will receive a text message from DOH with a verification code to enter into the app to anonymously notify others about their possible exposure.
Good to know
The AlohaSafe Alert is personalized. Each notification is pertinent to you and only triggered if minimum thresholds of exposure are met. You can opt in or out of notifications at any time. The app does not track your location or identity. It anonymously keeps track of devices you’ve been in close contact with without accessing GPS or user data.
AlohaSafe Alert uses the Google Apple Exposure Notification (GAEN), which is based on Bluetooth technology. GAEN enables devices to anonymously communicate with one another. By notifying you if you’ve been exposed, this app will allow you to take the appropriate measures to prevent further spread. It’s simple to use and the more people who use it, the more valuable it and the information it provides is.
