New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks to reporters during a news conference at a COVID-19 pop-up vaccination site at William Reid Apartments in Brooklyn, New York, USA, January 23, 2021.
Altaffer | Reuters
Large stadiums and arenas in New York could reopen on February 23 with limited capacity if approved by the Department of Health, government Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.
Stadiums with 10,000 people or more will be limited to 10% and everyone who enters the buildings must present a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of the event. Facial coverage, social distance and temperature control on arrival are also required, Cuomo said.
The first major event that state health officials have already approved will take place in New York’s Barclays Center, where the Brooklyn Nets will play the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 23, Cuomo said.
“Any big stadium or arena – hockey, basketball, football, soccer, baseball, music performances, performances – any big arena can open on February 23,” Cuomo said at a news conference.
Source: New York State
This is the first time since mid-March, when the coronavirus first swept through New York State and overloaded its hospital system, that stadiums could be re-admitted to fans across the state. Cuomo said Monday the reopening of the state’s economy, including theaters and large venues, through Covid-19 testing is “something where New York wants the lead”.
A large part of the state’s plan to reopen arenas is based on a pilot program it carried out in January, in which nearly 7,000 football fans were allowed to attend the Buffalo Bills ‘home playoff game for as long as they’ presented a negative Covid-19 test. Cuomo called the program “an unparalleled success.”
“It’s a balance between safe reopening,” Cuomo said.
The Democratic governor has gradually begun to lift more restrictions on businesses in recent weeks as the state rolls out more doses of Covid-19 vaccines and its positivity rate, or the percentage of all tests that are positive, continues to drop from a boom after the holidays .
New York’s positivity rate was 4.3% as of Tuesday, below the 5% threshold that experts had previously reopened. This is lower than a rate of almost 8% that New York reported on January 4 after the December holidays.
Starting Friday, New York City restaurants will be allowed to restrict their indoor dining areas for the first time since mid-December. Cuomo said the state intends to allow marriages with a maximum of 150 people, or 50% of the capacity of a venue, on March 15.
The events will similarly meet the requirements set for arenas and stadiums, including negative tests among guests and approval from the health department.