Governor Cuomo Announces Additional Reopening Guidance and Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress during COVID-19 Pandemic

 

Large-Scale Outdoor Event Venues Can Increase Spectator Capacity from 20% to 33% Beginning May 19

Casinos and Gaming Facilities Can Increase Capacity from 25% to 50% Beginning May 15

Offices Can Increase Capacity from 50% to 75% Beginning May 15

Gyms/Fitness Centers Outside of New York City Can Increase Capacity from 33% to 50% Beginning May 15

Social Distancing, Masks, Health Screenings and All Other State Health/Safety Protocols Remain in Effect

Statewide Positivity Rate is 2.39%; 7-Day Average Positivity is 2.13%, Lowest Since November 8

3,174 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide; Lowest Since November 26; Down 609 Over the Last Week

729 Patients in the ICU; Lowest Since November 30

454 Intubated; Lowest Since December 4

41 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that spectator capacity at large-scale outdoor event venues, including professional and collegiate sports and live performing arts and entertainment, will increase from 20 to 33 percent beginning May 19. This increase will coincide with the previously announced increase in large-scale indoor event venue capacity. Social distancing, masks, health screenings and all other State health and safety protocols remain in effect.

The Governor also announced that capacities would be increased throughout several industries that have proven to safely reopen in accordance with the State's COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, starting May 15:

• Gyms and fitness centers outside of New York City will increase from 33% to 50% capacity.
• Casinos and gaming facilities will increase from 25% to 50% capacity.
• Offices will increase from 50% to 75% capacity. 

"We are making tremendous progress in the fight against COVID-19 — our vaccination rates are going up and the positivity and hospitalization rates are going down, so now we are going to open the valves of our economy even further," Governor Cuomo said. "We are increasing the capacity limits throughout several industries, including gyms outside of New York City, casinos, offices and large-scale outdoor event venues. This is all great news, but we are not out of the woods yet. Washing hands, wearing masks and staying socially distanced are critical tools each of us can use to slow the spread as we continue our efforts to defeat COVID once and for all."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 126,953
• Total Positive - 3,039
• Percent Positive - 2.39%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.13%
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,174 (-24)
• Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -609
• Patients Newly Admitted - 306
• Hospital Counties - 54
• Number ICU - 729 (-13)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 454 (-6)
• Total Discharges - 174,087 (+312)
• Deaths - 41
• Total Deaths - 41,849