Movie theaters outside NYC can reopen Oct. 23
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that movie theaters outside of New York City will be allowed to reopen on Oct. 23.
Theaters will be required to cap capacity at 25% with a maximum of 50 people per screen.
Reopening is limited to counties that have a positivity rate below 2% for an average of 14 days and have no cluster areas.
“So this will be Long Island, not NYC, Nassau-Suffolk, Westchester, not Rockland-Orange, not some counties on the Southern tier, not Green.”
Moviegoers will be required to wear masks except when seated and eating or drinking.
Theaters will be required to meet enhanced standards for air filtration and ventilation.
Cuomo has come under pressure from cinema operators for not allowing theaters to reopen sooner.
Cinema operators have been buckling under the financial strain of the pandemic.
Attendance at the world's largest movie theater chain, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc, has slumped 85% compared to last year, since its cinemas reopened after lockdowns were eased in some states.
