Question: Isn’t the state’s indoor mask mandate still in force? I went to the Kaneohe commissary for the first time in a long time (my husband is retired military), and many people were not wearing masks; I felt very uncomfortable. Can the base have different rules?
Answer: Yes to both questions.
The most recent COVID-19 emergency proclamation issued by Gov. David Ige maintains the rule that people wear a face mask indoors, in public settings, regardless of vaccination status. However, it does not prevail at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, which allows fully vaccinated people to go without masks indoors on base, except in high-risk settings. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam also has dropped the mask requirement for fully vaccinated people, to answer other readers’ questions. They and other U.S. military installations are federal property, not state.
Prior to Oct. 19, both bases required face masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. We contacted the public affairs office at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command asking why this change was made, whether it applies at all U.S. military installations in Hawaii and whether it conforms with federal health guidance, but did not hear back by deadline. A spokesman said he would reply; we’ll publish the details when we get them.
Marine Corps Base Hawaii posted an update on its website dated Oct. 20 saying that fully vaccinated individuals on base only have to wear face mask indoors in areas “identified as high risk,” which includes school and child care facilities, medical and dental treatment facilities and locations providing services that require close contact with workers. Another post says the face mask requirement was dropped for fully vaccinated people at the commissary on Oct. 19. The changes apply only on base. “While off-base, all individuals must follow state of Hawaii guidelines,” the website says. Read more at https://www.mcbhawaii.marines.mil.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam also changed its policy Oct. 19, according to a public post on its Facebook page, which states that “mask wear for fully immunized personnel (14 days beyond final dose) is no longer required when indoors or outdoors onboard the installation, IAW higher headquarters policy.
Personnel who are not fully immunized shall continue to follow applicable DOD mask guidance, including the requirement to wear masks indoors. At this time, masks shall be worn in Child Development Centers (CDCs) and School Age Care (SAC) Facilities (due to the inability to immunize those children in that age group). Note that individual tenants and base services may be more restrictive in mask wear policy, especially in high risk locations. Please continue to follow city and state guidance when off installation.”
IAW means in accordance with, and DOD stands for Department of Defense.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should “wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.”
As of Thursday the agency’s COVID-19 data tracker listed Oahu as having substantial community spread and said “everyone in Honolulu County, HI, should wear a mask in public, indoor settings.” See details at https://808ne.ws/datatrack.
As for the state’s mask mandate, you can read it at https://808ne.ws/emepro. See Exhibit A.
Q: When will the state announce whether Hawaii’s Safe Travels program will align with the United States’ new policy for international travelers, which takes effect Nov. 8?
A: The federal guidance was delivered Monday and is still being reviewed, the governor’s office said Thursday.
The CDC has posted details about the new federal policy at https://808ne.ws/inttrav.
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.
