Hawaii Wants To Give Away COVID-19 Tests, But Not For Big Island Airport Screening…The state Department of Health in January provided tests from its large stockpile for the Big Island program, credited by county officials as keeping case numbers low, but now says it’s not a suitable use.
Hawaii health officials donated part of a large stockpile of rapid COVID-19 tests for the Big Island to screen arriving visitors at its two airports.
But now, the state Department of Health says they can be used only if the Big Island and its testing contractor replace them later, at a cost estimated at about $1 million, because the stockpile is not intended for airport screening. Yet the department would not explain why it initially found that use acceptable.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is still accepting requests for the DOH stockpile of 720,000 rapid COVID-19 tests, which expire this month unless an analysis shows they are still giving accurate results. But the Big Island screening, which has turned up 123 positive cases since October and is credited by county officials for keeping down case numbers, is not among them.
