(BIVN) – The County of Hawaiʻi explained in a Wednesday morning radion message that – going forward – it will be providing information on COVID-19 testing sites every morning at 7 a.m., and a situational update at noon at the same time the State of Hawaiʻi releases the new infection numbers for the day.

Free, drive-through COVID-19 testing will take place today (Wednesday, October 21) at the following locations:

• KONA: Keauhou Shopping Center, 9 a.m. to Noon
• HILO: Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Please enter from Kuawa Street entrance.

“No insurance is necessary to be tested, but please bring your insurance card if you have one. No co-pay for individuals being tested,” the County says. “Please be sure to wear a face covering at all times, and observe social distancing.”

Meanwhile, the office of Lieutenant Governor Josh Green reports strategic surveillance testing has begun for travelers. From the Lt. Governor:

The Safe Travels Testing Evaluation Program (or strategic surveillance testing program) began yesterday. The program will evaluate the percentage of arriving passengers who test positive four days post-arrival to Hawai‘i and is intended to add an additional layer of safety and evaluate the effectiveness of the Safe Travels Hawai‘i pre-travel testing program. Participants are randomly chosen and represent 10% of all arriving passengers. The second test is free and voluntary for selected individuals to participate. The program is being led by Dr. F. DeWolfe Miller, epidemiologist and professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM), with help from participating UH faculty. Pharmacies, healthcare facilities, and hotel properties have been identified as testing sites.

Letters of notification have already been emailed to selected individuals whose information is in the Safe Travels digital system. The letter includes a program overview and list of testing locations. The program is expected to pilot for 60 days and is being run state-wide, except for Maui County which is conducting its own second-test program. Maui County intends to share its results with Dr. Miller’s team. Dr. Miller and his team are conducting the study independently and will release data as appropriate.