As graduation season begins this weekend, Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth released guidelines for post-graduation gatherings.  The guidelines are meant to reinforce the emergency rules in place related to the COVID-19 pandemic while reinstating best practices to limited social gatherings.

Gathering sizes remain limited to 25 persons outdoors and 10 persons indoors. Gathering size limitations will remain in effect until June 10 unless terminated or superseded by a separate proclamation, or whichever shall occur first.

“As we begin celebrating our graduates, we are relying on our residents to be accountable to their loved ones, neighbors, and community,” said Mayor Mitch Roth in a press release.

Below is a list of Mayor Roth’s post-graduation gathering guidelines:

• Spread out and distance as much as possible
• Provide proper sanitation materials, such as hand sanitizer, wipes, and masks
• Refrain from using shared drinking dispensers (i.e. kegs, pitchers, punch bowls, etc.)
• Encourage guests to bring their own coolers for beverages
• Utilize individualized serving containers for food, if possible
• If serving buffet-style food, have designated servers to handle utensils.  All servers should be masked and wearing gloves and food should be covered whenever unattended by servers
• Masks should be worn as much as possible
• Keep track of all persons who attend the gathering in the event that someone tests positive for COVID19 in the days to follow Following these guidelines for both