Maui launches free drive-through COVID-19 testing at War Memorial in Wailuku, Jan. 3-31

The County of Maui launches free drive-through COVID-19 testing six days a week beginning today, Jan. 3, at the War Memorial Stadium parking lot in Wailuku, and continuing through the end of the month.

Testing will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; and 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and Thursday in the parking lot area next to Ichiro “Iron” Maehara Stadium. Vehicle access will be south-bound on Kanaloa Avenue.

Appointments are required with pre-registration at AlohaClear.com. When people register and are asked for their ZIP code, they need to enter “96793” for the War Memorial test site.

The tests offered at the War Memorial site are rapid PCR tests, with results available in less than 24 hours. 

Other testing options can be found at mauinuistrong/info, although available appointments are limited. Residents who make schedule appointments are asked to show up for them. If they cannot make an appointment, they are asked to call ahead to cancel. This will free up a testing appointment slot for someone else.

Maui County is offering the drive-through testing in partnership with the state Department of Health and the Kidney Foundation of Hawaiʻi.

“I want to thank the state Department of Health and the Kidney Foundation of Hawaiʻi for partnering with Maui County to provide drive-through testing for our community,” Mayor Victorino said in an earlier press release announcement. “Providing quick and accessible testing to our community helps identify positive COVID-19 cases early, keep infected individuals isolated and slow the spread of the virus in our community.”

COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Policies Revised

Last week, the state Department of Health announced it is revising its COVID-19 isolation and quarantine policies to closely align with recommendations made by the CDC. Those changes take effect today, Jan. 3, 2022.  Health officials say the new policy underscores the benefits of booster shots. People who are boosted and do not have symptoms will not need to quarantine after exposure to someone who is COVID positive.

Booster shots to be required for “full vaccination” status in Maui County 

Starting on Saturday, Jan. 8, Maui County residents will be considered “fully vaccinated” only if those eligible have had their booster shots, according to a county announcement last week.  This makes Maui County the first in the state to mandate booster shots for entry to high-risk businesses. State health officials suspect the lag in boosters may increase with more effective messaging, communicating the importance given the transmissibility of the omicron variant.