(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim has signed the COVID-19 Emergency Rule #12, reopening all County and State Beach Parks effective October 1, and clarifying quarantine locations.

While the new rule reopens beach parks, “all persons must abide by face covering, physical distancing, and gathering requirements of no more than 10 persons,” the rule states.

As before, the County provided a list of County parks and recreational facilities that remain closed to the public:

• All community centers and senior centers
• All gymnasiums and covered play court facilities
• Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
• Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Luau Hale
• Francis F. C. Wong Stadium
• Hakalau Beach Park
• Honokaʻa Swimming Pool ( ongoing construction)
• NAS Swimming Pool (Hale Hanakahi emergency shelter facility)
• Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens (ongoing construction)
• Shipman Gym
• Waiakea Recreation Center

Camping at all beach parks and shoreline parks remains prohibited, the new rule mandates.

Under the new rule, face coverings are not required in the following circumstances:

• Persons five (5) years of age or younger;
• Persons with health or medical conditions that prevents them from wearing a face covering;
• Persons actively communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;
• Persons obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service;
• Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines;
• Persons actively engaged in work-related activities and able to maintain a physical distance of at least six (6) feet from others;
• Persons actively engaged in exercise activity so long as physical distancing requirements are maintained;
• Persons who are engaged in outdoor activities when alone, with members of their household, or when able to maintain a distance of at least six (6) feet from others.
• A business or organization may refuse to allow entry or service to a worker, customer, or patron that refuses to wear a face covering.

The new rule also clarifies quarantine procedures, taking into account the Governor David Ige’s pre-travel negative test exemption. The rule states:

Persons requiring paid or commercial lodging while subject to the mandatory 14 day quarantine shall designate a hotel or motel as their quarantine location. Short-term vacation rentals (STVR), bed and breakfast (B& B) establishments, or other paid or commercial lodging defined by the Hawaii Revised Statutes as “transient accommodations” shall not be designated as a quarantine location except for: 1) visiting essential and critical infrastructure workers, provided quarantine restrictions are followed; and 2) persons meeting the negative test exception under Section IV.B and Exhibit B Section 4(2) of the 13th Proclamation. An STVR, B& B or other paid or commercial lodging defined by the Hawaii Revised Statutes as “transient accommodations” may not be designated as a quarantine location for a new or intended” Hawaii County resident. Persons who have pre -arranged for long-term residential housing of 180 days or longer may utilize such housing as their designated quarantine location provided that the full 14 day quarantine is served and not stopped early.

Also under the new rule, the following businesses, operations and activities shall remain closed:

• Nightclubs
• Large indoor venues (concerts, sports, conventions, expos)
• Large outdoor venues (concerts, sports, conventions, expos)
• Road races ( marathons, triathlons, etc.)