Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Monday extended until Oct. 19 the city’s restrictions on large gatherings, saying the Covid-19 pandemic still has not ebbed enough to let people gather in big groups.

Under current restrictions, indoor gatherings will remain limited to 10 people, while outdoor events can have 25.

Blangiardi said he was grateful that case counts have dropped to a seven-day average of 484 from more than 700 in early September. Meanwhile, 88.8% of people eligible for vaccines have gotten at least one shot, the mayor said.

Approximately 66% of the total population has been vaccinated, Blangiardi said.

The mayor said there were no specific numbers that will trigger an easing of he restriction, but he said Honolulu is going in the right direction.

“We’re coming down. We’re relieved by that,” he said. But he added, “We’re not out of the fire yet.”

Help power our public service journalism

As a local newsroom, Civil Beat has a unique public service role in times of crisis.

That’s why we’re committed to a paywall-free website and subscription-free content, so we can get vital information out to everyone, from all communities.

We are deploying a significant amount of our resources to covering the Maui fires, and your support ensures that we can pivot when these types of emergencies arise.

Make a gift to Civil Beat today and help power our nonprofit newsroom.

About the Author