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Effective as of Wednesday, July 8, Long Island joined the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Western New York, the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, and North Country in Phase 4.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that health officials have checked and reviewed the data and gave the green light for Long Island to continue its phased reopening this week.
New York City entered Phase 3 of reopening on Monday, with Long Island and the mid-Hudson Valley entering Phase 4 earlier this week.
This is what has reopened in Phase 4:
- Low-risk, outdoor arts and entertainment, including zoos and botanical gardens can open up to 33 percent capacity;
- Indoor arts and entertainment, including museums and aquariums can open up to 25 capacity;
- Film and movie production can resume;
- Colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions can open;
- Professional sports without fans will resume.
- Additionally, Cuomo said that in Phase 4, indoor religious gatherings will be allowed up to 33 percent capacity, up from 25 percent. Social gatherings will also be allowed up to 50 people in one setting, up from 25 in Phase 3.
Cuomo said that shopping malls, gyms, casinos, and movie theaters are among the businesses that will not be reopening with regions approaching Phase 4. He also announced that there is still no set plan for schools to reopen in the fall, and that the New York State Fair in Syracuse has been canceled.
The announcement of new regions entering new phases of reopening comes as dozens of states have seen rises in COVID-19 infection rates, including nearby Vermont and Pennsylvania, causing concern for New Yorkers.
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