Question: Are Honolulu restaurants and bars supposed to be verifying that a vaccination card is legitimate somehow, or is just seeing it good enough?

Answer: Businesses covered by Safe Access O‘ahu must have customers 12 and older present proof of U.S.-authorized vaccination against COVID-19 (or a negative test result for the disease), but they don’t have to verify that the proof is genuine, according to oneoahu.org, the Honolulu County website that explains this and other pandemic-era restrictions.

Here are some related FAQs for covered businesses, from the website:

Q: “What if an individual refuses to show proof of vaccination at an establishment that’s included in the emergency order?”

A: “An individual who refuses to show proof of vaccination may not enter except for very quick and limited purposes (such as using the bathroom, picking up food, paying a bill, or changing in a locker room).

“When entering a venue for such limited purposes, the individuals must wear a face mask.”

Q: “Do I need to verify that the proof of vaccination is real?”

A: “No. However, if you suspect the proof of vaccination is fake, you do not need to accept it.”

Q: “What if someone presents a fake vaccination card?”

A: “If you suspect someone is presenting a fake vaccination card, you may decline to accept it.”

Q: Hawaii’s vaccination numbers have gone up since delta hit and some employers started requiring vaccination, but does the number include people who are getting a third shot? That could skew things.

A: Yes, the raw number the state reports on its COVID-19 portal includes first, second and third doses, but the Department of Health excludes third doses to accurately calculate the percentage of people in Hawaii who are fully vaccinated, Libby Char, the department’s director, said Wednesday on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Spotlight Hawaii show.

As of Wednesday, 66.8% of Hawaii’s population was fully vaccinated, according to the portal. Looking only at that portion of the population eligible to be vaccinated (people 12 and older), the figure rose to 78.2%.

Reader Tip

“Regarding the reader who will be hosting a guest from Japan (808ne.ws/922), please let them know that the Japanese citizen can apply in Japan to have their vaccine document issued in English as well. Pfizer is widely used in Japan, as the reader said, so this should be a solution. The Japanese citizen should apply well before traveling, as the paperwork can take a little time. They could check with their local health office wherever they live in Japan.” — Jet-setter

Jet-setter was one of several readers who reminded us that Japan now issues “vaccination passports” in Japanese and English, to ease international travel for people vaccinated there. According to the Japan Times, the document includes the holder’s name, date of birth, passport number, type of vaccine, dates of inoculation and the municipality where it was issued.

As the earlier Kokua Line column said, the Safe Access O‘ahu program does allow restaurants, bars and other businesses that are required to screen customers and employees for COVID-19 to accept vaccination documents issued outside the United States, as long as the vaccine is accepted in the U.S. (currently Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) and the document is comprehensible.

Mahalo

As a leukemia patient the last four and a half months, I was at Pali Momi, Straub Hospital and The Villas rehab. I want to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff members. I offer a very big “thank you” to all who took good care of me. I’m getting better and stronger. — With deep appreciation, E.T.T.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.