Cuomo: NY amusement parks can reopen in April

NEW YORK - Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that amusement parks in New York will be able to open with restrictions beginning in March and April.

Indoor family entertainment centers and amusement parks will be able to open at 25% capacity on March 26, while outdoor amusement parks will be able to reopen on April 9 at 33% capacity.

Anyone visiting the parks will be required to wear face coverings and social distancing will be required for all customers and staff. Customers will also be required to have a health screening with temperature checks prior to entry.

• Disney World to still require masks for those who get COVID-19 vaccine

New York is seeing a drop in infections statewide — though at a slower pace than the nation. The state has the nation's second-highest rate of new COVID-19 infections per capita, with 55,000 new infections recorded over the past seven days. That's down 7% from the previous seven days.

New York also has the nation’s highest rate of COVID-19 patients per capita on a seven-day average. Hospitals in the state recorded about 6,600 COVID-19 patients as of Monday, down 16% from the previous Monday.

In addition to face coverings, social distancing and mandatory health screenings, all indoor family and entertainment centers and places of amusement, and outdoor amusement parks, must follow the below guidelines:

• Contact information must be collected from each party to inform contact tracing, if needed;
• High-touch areas, attractions, and rides must be cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout the day;
• Attractions must close if they cannot ensure distancing and be frequently cleaned/disinfected;
• Sufficient staff must be deployed to enforce compliance with rules, including capacity, distancing and face coverings;
• Tickets should be sold in advance, and entry/exit and waiting times should be staggered to avoid congestion;
• Indoor areas must meet enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards; and
• Retail, food services and recreational activities must abide by all State-issued guidance.

"In New York, we base our decisions on the science and data and adjust as the virus adjusts," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "With continued decreases in the infection and hospitalization rates, we have been able to take steps toward beginning our post-COVID recovery and we are excited to now be in a place where we can bring back our recreational industries with safety protocols in place. As we've said time and time again, our success will be dictated by our actions and as long as we stay united and keep carrying this momentum forward in a positive direction, we will be able to see more and more sectors of our economy reopen."

The state said it would release more specifics in coming weeks.

With the Associated Press.