Safely Reopening Recreational Venues-New State/Federal Vaccination Sites Identified

All of our decisions are guided by science and data and we adjust as the virus adjusts. With continued decreases in the infection and hospitalization rates, we are able to take steps in our post-COVID recovery and we are now in a place where we can bring back our recreational industries with the proper safety protocols in place. Indoor family entertainment centers will be able to reopen with 25 percent capacity and health protocols starting Friday, March 26th. Outdoor amusement parks can open with a 33 percent capacity starting Friday, April 9th. As we've said time and time again, our success will be determined by our actions and as long as we stay united and keep carrying this progress forward we will be able to see more and more sectors of our economy reopen.

Photo of the Day: 83 year-old Jorge Caceras received the 50,000th vaccination dose at the Westchester County Center site today

Here's what else you need to know:

1. Four major vaccination sites will open in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Yonkers in partnership with FEMA. These four vaccination sites outside of New York City will vaccinate approximately 1,000 New Yorkers each day beginning the first week of March, and appointments will be initially reserved for members of the community in which the sites are located. These sites will help us in our goal of ensuring vaccine access in socially vulnerable communities, and we thank the federal government for their partnership. More details will come soon.

2. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 6,574. Of the 169,963 tests reported yesterday, 6,092, or 3.58 percent, were positive. There were 1,273 patients in ICU yesterday, up two from the previous day. Of them, 854 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 109 New Yorkers to the virus.

3. As of 11am this morning, 91 percent of first doses allocated to the state have been administered. This represents 2,068,561 first doses administered of the 2,263,960 first dose allocations received from the federal government. So far, 942,833 second doses have been administered out of the 1,231,325 second doses received. To date, NYS distribution sites have administered 94 percent of first doses received for weeks 1-9. See data by region on the State's Vaccine Tracker: ny.gov/vaccinetracker.

4. There are now a total of 82 known cases of the UK COVID variant in New York State. Twelve additional cases of the UK variant were identified: Eleven in New York City and one in Broome County.

5. Day and overnight summer camps in New York State can begin to plan for reopening. The Department of Health will issue specific reopening guidance, including details on timing, in the coming weeks.

"Deep Breath Moment": Candy hearts are one way to share affection on Valentine's Day but for penguins, rocks are perhaps the better love language. The staff at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, NY, helped the zoo's Humboldt penguins decorate their nests with Valentine's Day messages using non-toxic painted rocks. Two of the birds, Luis and Elmer, were very excited to choose colorful rocks for their nests.

Ever Upward,

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo