Governor Cuomo Announces Ski Resorts Allowed to Reopen With 50 Percent Indoor Capacity Beginning November 6

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that ski resorts can reopen with 50 percent indoor capacity and with strict health and safety protocols under state-issued guidance starting Friday, November 6.

"Scientists have told us the virus is going to become more aggressive in the fall, and right now, we are all feeling COVID-fatigue, but our micro-cluster strategy is a smart, data-driven and less disruptive strategy to get us through this season. And so far, the data shows the micro-cluster strategy is working to bring infection rates down in our red zone areas," Governor Cuomo said. "Beginning next month, Ski resorts will be allowed to reopen with limited indoor capacity, which will allow New Yorkers to have some outdoor activity this winter without having to quarantine when they come back."

State guidance on the reopening of ski resorts includes the following precautions:

• Masks required at all times, except when eating/drinking or skiing.
• Social distancing between parties required at all times.
• Restrict gondolas/lifts to members of the same party.
• Limit ski lessons to no more than 10 people.
• Thorough cleaning and disinfection of shared/rented equipment.
• Shuttles, food & beverage, retail service must conform to State-issued guidance.
• Reduce outdoor capacity on mountain by 25% during "peak" days or if multiple trails are closed due to unseasonable conditions.

The Governor also updated New Yorkers on the State's response to COVID-19. In "Red Zone" focus areas included as part of the Governor's Cluster Action Initiative, the positivity rate for test results reported yesterday is 3.19 percent - down from 4.34 the day before.

Within the "Red Zone" focus areas, 4,642 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 148 positives or a 3.19 percent positivity rate. In the remainder of the state, not counting these "Red Zone" focus areas, 124,121 test results were reported, yielding 1,242 positives or a 1.00 percent positivity rate. The state's overall positivity rate is 1.08 percent with focus areas included. The "Red Zone" focus areas are home to 2.8 percent of the state population yet had 10.6 percent of all positive test results reported to the state yesterday, and 11.5 percent of all positive case results reported to the state this past week.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization - 913 (-16)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 118
• Hospital Counties - 42
• Number ICU - 200 (+5)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 102 (-1)
• Total Discharges - 78,362 (+127)
• Deaths - 7
• Total Deaths - 25,644

Each region's percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

Each New York City borough's percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

Of the 484,281 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

Yesterday, there were 7 deaths due to COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total to 25,644. A geographic breakdown is as follows, by county of residence: