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Kauai Will Move Back To Tier 3, Restrictions On Gathering

AP Photo/Caleb Jones
People sit at the bar at Rob's Good Times Grill in Lihue, Hawaii on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Kauai County will roll back Thursday to Tier 3 of its COVID-19 business and recreational guidelines due to a surge in new cases over the past two weeks, the county said.

Kauai's seven-day average of new cases was eight with a 2.6% positivity rate, the highest of the state's four counties. There are 73 active COVID-19 cases, according to the county--many of them acquired within the local community.

Credit County of Kauai
Kauai Business and Recreational Guidelines for COVID-19, Updated May 6, 2021

Ahead of the tier change, the county has proposed modifications to the guidelines such as allowing indoor and outdoor team sports. 

The county also wants to alter the social gathering limit to five people indoors and 25 people outdoors. The current Tier 3 guidelines allow 10 people indoors and outdoors. 

Governor David Ige will have to approve the modifications.

“We are revising our tier chart to allow outdoor activities such as sports, while further limiting indoor group sizes," Mayor Derek Kawakami said. "If you must gather with people outside of your home, stay outdoors and wear your mask.”

Over 60,000 doses of vaccine have already been administered to residents, and all Kauai residents aged 16 and older now have the opportunity to be vaccinated. Vaccination is free and appointments are widely available, including on weekends and evenings.

Kauai rejoined the Safe Travels Program on April 5, allowing travelers with negative pre-travel COVID-19 tests to bypass a 10-day quarantine.

Updated May 6, 2021: Gov. Ige approved the updated Tier 3 guidelines on Thursday as the county rolled back into Tier 3.

Credit Hawaii Department of Health
Hawaii COVID-19 Summary Metrics, Updated May 4, 2021

Sophia McCullough is a digital news producer. Contact her at news@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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