(BIVN) – Several popular coastal Hawaiʻi state parks on the Big Island will join County beach parks in a two week closure in an attempt to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Today the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources issued a news release, saying:

At the request of Mayor Harry Kim and to mirror the County of Hawaiʻiʻs latest Emergency Order, closing all county beach parks, the DLNR Division of State Parks is closing all Big Island coastal and beach park areas effective this Friday, September 4 continuing through September 18. This effort is aimed at preventing large unauthorized gatherings and suppressing the increasing spread of COVID-19, particularly during the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend. At all affected parks, gates will remain locked and parking lots will be closed.

Here is the list of state park that will be closed:

• Lapakahi State Historical Park
• Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
• Kekaha Kai State Park
• Kiholo State Park Reserve
• Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park (Land areas closed, bay waters open for boating and ocean recreation under COVID restrictions)
• MacKenzie State Recreation Area

The Hawaiʻi DLNR says “transiting through the closed parks to access allowable ocean activities is permitted.”