New York to open theme parks in coming months following pandemic shutdowns

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 with 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 for reopening this summer.

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.

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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.

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