City explains reasoning behind food and beverage restrictions at Oahu events

As Oahu prepares for the resumption of large events following Mayor Rick Blan­giardi’s loosening of COVID- 19 restrictions, food and beverages will be banned at events like football games even as movie theaters continue with soda and popcorn concessions.

According to the new rules, starting Wednesday there can be full capacity at large outdoor and indoor seated events where everyone in attendance must be vaccinated — but only water can be served.

Large indoor “interactive events” such as concerts can be held at 50% venue capacity or a maximum of 150 vaccinated patrons, with food and beverages allowed.

Functions categorized as outdoor interactive events, such as weddings, luau and funerals, have a 500-person maximum with full vaccination required and food and drinks allowed.

Movie theaters are categorized by the city as a “covered premises” along with bars and restaurants, and are restricted to 50% capacity and parties of no more than 10 people. Movie theaters and restaurants fall under Safe Access O‘ahu and patrons are required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the past 48 hours. The city plans to extend those mandates through the end of the year.

Figuring out COVID-19 rules and restrictions, including the latest directives on food and beverages, can be daunting.

According to the city, it’s all about capacity.

The reasoning behind banning food and drinks at large outdoor and indoor seated events is the high capacity being allowed at those venues compared with the interactive event venues, explained city spokesman Tim Sakahara.

“A venue … they would be like the stadiums, would be able to go to full capacity without the physical distancing requirements, but to be safe, at this point at least, the food and beverages were restricted to just water only,” he said.

“Whereas the interactive events like the weddings, or funerals per se, are capped … and those are also at the smaller venues as well that can’t have the 9,000 people or what have you.”

The trade-off is the number of people allowed in the venue in order to serve food or drinks.

And capacity rules for large events will change again Nov. 24.

At interactive indoor events the limit will increase to 300 vaccinated people maximum. Outdoor interactive events will be allowed to operate at full capacity. The city will allow food and drinks to be served at both indoor and outdoor interactive events.

Sakahara explained that the reasoning holds for when outdoor interactive events move to full capacity Nov. 24 because the outdoor venues that accommodate interactive events will still be smaller than the outdoor venues that accommodate seated events.

“I don’t think anyone is planning a wedding for, like, T.C. Ching field, looking to fill up the stands there for their nuptials,” he said.

“It’s just a different type of venue.”

Sakahara emphasized that full capacity does not mean unlimited crowds, and businesses will need to abide by their required COVID-19 mitigation plans and venue capacity limits.

Venues should also decide which type of events they would like to host while the restrictions are in place. For example, a venue should not be acting as a seated outdoor venue one weekend and the next weekend become an interactive outdoor venue.

“The business should stick with their decision, at least through the end of this year, for the next couple of months,” Sakahara said.

“None of this is intended to be permanent. We’re not going to live … like this forever.”

There is not yet a time frame for when concessions would be allowed at seated outdoor events, but it is the city’s intention to allow that when it is safe.

Under Safe Access O‘ahu, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the past 48 hours is required of patrons. The city plans to extend those mandates through the end of the year.

However, the large events that will resume Wednesday are not under the Safe Access O‘ahu program, and patrons will be required to be vaccinated. The option for a negative COVID-19 test will not be available.

Blangiardi explained during his announcement Wednesday that this is so that people will feel as safe as possible.

“I don’t know how else we can tell people that they’re safe. Testing simply means you’re not sick yet,” he said.

“We want to be able to ease into it and do it that way.”

The city is still waiting to hear from Gov. David Ige whether bars, restaurants and gyms will be allowed to expand capacity beyond 50%. However, Blangiardi did expand operating hours for establishments to as late as their permits and licenses allow beginning Wednesday.