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Beginning Monday, Maui County will drop its booster requirement for patrons of bars, restaurants or gyms.
Instead, the booster requirement will be a "recommendation" from the county.
Patrons will still need to show proof of vaccination.
Victorino said during the county news conference Friday afternoon the change comes as new COVID-19 cases are trending downward statewide and in Maui County.
"The steady downward trend in new COVID-19 infections has also lowered demand for Maui County healthcare facilities," said Victorino in a news release. "After speaking with leadership of Maui Memorial Medical Center, I'm comfortable with relaxing this rule. I want to thank the operators of restaurants, bars and gyms, as well as their customers, for their care and cooperation during the past few weeks while our only acute care hospital was being strained."
When the omicron variant first emerged in late November 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strengthened its recommendation for those age 12 and older to get a booster shot five months after receiving their initial Pfizer or Moderna two-shot series or two months after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the county said.
The county began implementing the booster requirement for eligible individuals on Jan. 24.
For a list of vaccination locations across the county, see: www.mauinuistrong.info/vaccination-locations