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Leilaniâs on the Beach is open for business Tuesday. Restaurants are having to follow new county rules that limit occupancy to 30 percent. Outdoor dining areas are not subject to capacity limits, but must adhere to CDC guidelines for at least a 6-foot separation between tables and chairs. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Local bar and restaurant owners say the ever-changing rules and new restrictions placed on their businesses are growing more difficult, with one owner saying “it’s definitely killing us.”
On Saturday, new county rules took effect that reduce inside occupancy from 50 to 30 percent for bars and restaurants and require closures by 10 p.m each night. This was in addition to bars being asked to shut down for two weeks leading up to Christmas, as county and state Department of Health officials pointed to COVID-19 clusters attributed to bars and “bar-like” behavior. The county said it made its decision based on DOH cluster reports.