Here’s how big your Thanksgiving gathering can be in each county

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - This Thanksgiving, health experts are urging Americans to keep holiday gatherings small ― and only include those you live with.

Everybody else, they say, should join virtually or promise to attend next year.

Depending on where you live in Hawaii, there are different rules for gatherings.

The rules are strictest on Oahu, which is seeing an average of nearly 90 new COVID-19 infections daily. Gathering rules are the most lenient on Kauai.

Here’s a county-by-county look at the rules for your holiday table:

On Oahu, there is significant concern that Thanksgiving gatherings will drive up COVID-19 cases.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has asked residents to forgo the usual holiday gatherings and only share a holiday meal with those in your immediate household.

And he pointed out that he’s doing that, too.

Caldwell will be eating Thanksgiving dinner with his wife and daughter on Oahu rather than traveling to the Big Island to celebrate with extended family, he said this week.

Under Oahu’s current emergency order, social gatherings ― indoors or outdoors ― can’t have more than five people.

A social gathering is defined as any event that brings together people from multiple households.

For more on Oahu’s rules, click here.

In recent weeks, the Big Island has seen periodic spikes in new COVID-19 cases.

And officials say the bulk of those jumps are linked to gatherings.

That’s why they’re urging residents to take extra precautions when coming together this Thanksgiving.

Under the county’s emergency rules, gatherings with people from multiple households cannot have more than 10 people. And even at that size, masks and social distancing are encouraged.

In Maui County, social gatherings are also limited to 10 people.

And county officials are asking residents to take additional precautions when inviting anyone over, including by opting for outdoor events, socially distancing and wearing masks when appropriate.

Kauai is in Tier 4 of its reopening strategy, which carries the fewest COVID-19 restrictions.

Under the rules, social gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors. Those attending gatherings, however, must socially distance and wear masks when not eating.

For more on Kauai’s tiered system of reopening, click here.

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