Amusement parks, camps in state can open

Gov. Cuomo says the trajectory of the COVID pandemic is sufficient to let recreational endeavors resume.

ALBANY, N.Y. » New York is set to let amusement parks open in early April and overnight camps open this summer as long as they submit reopening plans to the state.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that arcades and other indoor family entertainment centers can open at 25% capacity starting March 26. Outdoor amusement parks can open with a third of their normal capacity by April 9, while day and overnight camps can start planning to operate this summer.

New York is seeing a drop in coronavirus 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. Still, 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.

But the governor said the overall statewide drops are enough to allow New York to bring back recreational industries.

“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,” Cuomo said in a statement.

So far, the rules for amusement parks will include masks required on rides.

Indoor family entertainment centers and outdoor amusement parks must require face coverings, collect contact information from guests, clean and disinfect certain attractions and provide enough staff to ensure compliance with COVID-19 rules. Indoor areas have to meet air filtration, ventilation and purification standards, and tickets should be sold in advance.

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