(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth signed the Mayor’s COVID-19 First Amended Emergency Rule No. 14 on Monday, easing certain restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our community has been working diligently to reduce the spread and keep our numbers low, and I believe that because of their ongoing efforts that it is safe to begin relaxing some of our restrictions,” said Mayor Mitch Roth in a news release. “These amendments will allow us to expand business operations slowly, get back to the recreational activities that keep us healthy and strong, and have functions where we can incorporate members of our extended ʻohana — safely.”

According to the County announcement, the amendments include:

• Increases OUTDOOR gatherings (only) from 10 to 25;
• Builds in a Commercial/Business Gatherings request process (Exhibit 6), with guidelines (the County added that a request form for Commercial/Business gatherings will be made available via the Hawaiʻi County website shortly);
• Updates references of Seventeenth Proclamation to Eighteenth Proclamation;
• Better cross-references text of the rule to specific Exhibits;
• Broadens open P&R facilities;
• Increases pick-up games limits from 10 to 25; and
• Corrects punctuation and grammatical issues

The County says “the amended rule takes effect immediately and shall continue through April 12, 2021, unless extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended by my subsequent order, or as otherwise provided by law. The amendments were made in concurrence with the Office of the Governor and the State of Hawaiʻi.”