Maui County launches safer outside program

By KITV Web Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    Maui, HI (KITV) — Starting Wednesday, owners, and operators of restaurants, bars, and gyms in Maui County must require patrons to prove they’re vaccinated to enter their establishments.

Unvaccinated customers can eat in outdoor seating areas.

But unlike O’ahu’s Safe Access Program — patrons cannot use a negative COVID test result to sit indoors.

The owner of one local eatery argues the county did not do enough to inform businesses about the new rules.

“There’s been many, I guess trials and tribulations as we’ve all gone through these past two years that have been rolled out and then rolled back,” said Cole Hinueber of Kitoko Maui. “How much of the responsibility is put on us small business owners as compared to being at the top?”

Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino says he has been notifying businesses about the new rules about a week and a half beforehand.

Also going in effect today: Social gatherings are limited to 10 people outdoors and five indoors, spectators are not allowed at indoor and outdoor sporting events. Commercial recreational boating, tour operators, and ground transportation must also reduce capacity from 75% to 50%.

County officials say they will decide whether or not to roll back the rules in a month.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.