Amended Maui Emergency Rules to Loosen Restrictions Takes Effect this Weekend

An amended version of the County of Maui’s Public Health Emergency Rules to loosen restrictions, was approved by Governor David Ige and take effect this weekend. The new rules include:

• Increasing social gatherings to 10 indoors and 25 outdoors.
• Extending times for bars and restaurants from 10 p.m. to midnight.
• Inviting 10 guests per table
• Unvaccinated patrons who receive a negative COVID-19 test 48 hours prior to dining, may be allowed to dine indoors.
• Inviting spectators for outdoor organizations to stay in their household pods of 10, but to keep gatherings at a minimum–no more than 25 in a particular group.

“We just want to continue to keep the numbers down, the spread low, and more importantly, let’s go out and enjoy our children,” said Mayor Victorino.

A complete explanation of Maui’s amended Public Health Emergency Rules is available for viewing online here.

“Our case counts have continued to trend downward, and now that 86% of all of those eligible for vaccinations are either fully vaccinated, or have had at least one dose, we are getting closer to where we need to be to protect our community,” said Mayor Victorino.

State health officials said that despite a 70% full vaccination rate in Hawaiʻi, they continue to urge vigilance. There are still more than 426,000 Hawai‘i residents who have not completed vaccination. 

• Nearly 102,000 eligible Hawai‘i residents have not started vaccination, and 
• Approximately 117,000 Hawai‘i residents have initiated, but not completed vaccination. 
• There are also 207,492 children between the age of 0-11 who are not yet eligible for vaccination. 

“I want to remind everyone, that there is still talk [in] November, December, [or] January–the winter months–CDC and other experts are claiming we’re going to have another spike, another surge. I’m hoping they’re wrong. Let’s prove them wrong by doing what is right,” said Mayor Victorino.

When asked if he will keep vaccine or testing requirements in place at bars, restaurants and gyms into the future, Mayor Victorino said, “For the near future, I will say ‘yes.’ We will continue to have vaccination as part of this, and unvaccinated and all the rules and protocols that we have in place. What will change, I guess, will be when we have numbers, and we have positivity rates that are in the single digits, and that people are vaccinated–as many as possible. There’s so many metrics that we use–our hospital, our medical facilities–these are areas that we constantly watch each and every day.”

Mayor Victorino continued, “But for the near future, and I would say for the next six months or longer, many of these rules will probably stay in effect unless I see, and the state sees… this is also where the state Department of Health would be a big part of it–what they mandate. They continue to look at changes. They continue to look at ways of reopening, and reopening safe–whether it’s Safe Travels, whether it’s gatherings, commercial or private gatherings for you personally. We want to make sure that you have the opportunity as citizens to enjoy your family, but in a safe and healthy manner.”