(BIVN) – Tourists returned to the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole on Thursday, as Hawaiʻi reopened to out-of-state arrivals under the pre-travel COVID-19 testing program.

Under the Safe Travels Hawai‘i program, travelers now have the option of taking a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test from a trusted testing partner. With a negative result for COVID-19, travelers are allowed to bypass the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Hawaiʻi County is also requiring a second antigen test for travelers upon arrival.

Dr. Scott Miscovich, MD, the president and  founder of Premier Medical Group Hawaii, explained the process during a video interview at the airport.

image of Dr. Scott Miscovich from video by Lynn Beittel, Visionary Video

On the second antigen test, Dr. Miscovich stated:

“This test will be done in a period of about twenty minutes. Our goal is to have people wait not much longer than they would have to normally wait for their bags to come off the baggage ramp. I have over 50 machines here. We have up to 30 staff that are here on site, that are going to be here, ultimately, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.”

Dr. Miscovich said Kona was scheduled to have over 1,100 visitors arriving on Thursday.

This story has been updated.