Gyms can start reopening as soon as next week with restrictions, Cuomo says

Gyms in New York State could begin reopening as soon as next week after more than five months of closure, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this morning.

Masks will be required for both employees and patrons at all times. Capacity will be limited to 33%, and gyms must meet strict ventilation and air filtration requirements.

“These are difficult guidelines,” Cuomo said. “A lot of people are gonna say, I don’t want to be on a treadmill with a mask. But that’s a very effective piece.”

Full guidance detailing all the requirements to reopen gyms will be released later today, Cuomo said.

New York’s gyms have been closed for more than five months after Cuomo issued a statewide shutdown order for most businesses and services on March 16.

Gyms were originally slated to reopen when most regions reentered the fourth and final stage of reopening in June, but their reopening was postponed indefinitely as state health officials monitored the state’s coronavirus caseload. Thousands of New York gym owners, including several in Riverhead, have joined a class-action lawsuit against the state in response to the shutdown.

After today’s announcement, gyms and fitness centers can begin reopening as soon as next Monday.

Local officials can choose to push the reopening date for gyms in their municipalities back to September 2, but no later than that, Cuomo said. Local officials can also choose to keep indoor fitness classes closed indefinitely, he said.

Local officials must inspect gyms either before they open or within two weeks of opening.

Bowling alleys, which have also been closed since March, are permitted to begin reopening at 50% capacity today.

Movie theaters and casinos remain closed, and there is not yet guidance on when they will be allowed to reopen.

“We started with the most essential businesses that posed the least risk, and then it was a gradation down to the least essential businesses that pose the most risk,” Cuomo said. “On a relative scale, a movie theater is less essential and poses a high risk. It’s congregate, it’s one ventilation system, you’re seated there for a long period of time.

“Even if you are at 50% capacity, when there’s one or two seats between the two of you, this is a risky situation,” he said. “On the index of essential, movie theaters are not that high on the list of essential.”