Gyms in New York can reopen as soon as Aug. 24 at 33% capacity with mandated face coverings and other requirements, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.

The requirements include ventilation requirements and distancing, Gov. Cuomo said.

He added that localities must inspect the facilities to ensure they adhere to the rules, either before the facilities open or within two weeks of them opening, by Sept. 2.

The health requirements include sign-ins at the door for gym-goers so any positive cases can be contact-traced back. The state is also recommending temperature screenings, a MERV-13 rated filtration system.

Masks must be worn at all times inside the facilities.

The announcement came at a press briefing in which the governor also noted that New York has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. The state had a rate of 0.7% yesterday, among its lowest rates since the start of the pandemic.

 

-The governor says NY has one of the lowest infection rates in the country, with 0.7% yesterday - one of the lowest since the pandemic began. 

-Hospitalizations, intubations and new patients are "basically flat," Cuomo says. Six New Yorkers died yesterday.

-66 violations were issued to bars and restaurants over the weekend by state police and the State Liquor Studio for not following COVID guidelines, according to Gov. Cuomo. "I hope establishments are getting the message, because I said we were serious about it," Cuomo says.

-Gyms can reopen at 33% capacity, but masks must be worn, and there are guidelines that must be followed with respect to ventilation. Gyms can open by Aug. 24, but localities must inspect gyms before they open or within two weeks of their opening (by Sept. 2).

-Gov. Cuomo noted that he's set to speak at the Democratic National Convention this evening.

-The governor touched on the ongoing plans for New York schools to reopen in the fall. 

-The governor also spoke about what he called "police-community relations." He noted that murders and shootings are up in New York City, but also elsewhere in the state. He said he is sending a letter to 500 jurisdictions in the state with police departments to urge action on this "urgent crisis" following his April executive order that mandating that localities review their policing situations.