Covid-19: New York to reopen sports stadiums and arenas

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Places that will be allowed to reopen

• A new sign of hope in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic! New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has given the green light to reopen stadiums and sports arenas with more than 10,000 seats as of February 23, 2021.
• The first venue to reopen on February 23 will be the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The hall will host a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Sacramento Kings. “The success of this event, and similar events in the coming weeks, will help kick-start the process of reopening smaller venues,” writes the governor.
• In the meantime, other major events are already scheduled. The New York Knicks NBA team have announced that they will face the Golden State Warriors in their Madison Square Garden lair on February 23. Another game planned: on February 26, 2021, the New York Rangers hockey team will host the Boston Bruins, still at Madison Square Garden.

The sanitary conditions put in place

• These reopenings will obviously be done under a very strict health protocol. Stadiums and places of entertainment must limit the number of spectators to 10% of their maximum capacity.
• Spectators will have to respect the rules of social distancing, be confined to an assigned seat, wear a mask and leave their contact details for possible tracing. Another measure: everyone’s temperature will be recorded at the entrance.
• Last but not least, spectators and organizers alike must have passed a PCR screening test for Covid within 72 hours of the event.
• This initiative shows that the deployment of PCR tests does appear to be the solution to relaunch tourism and leisure as quickly as possible. Since January 26, 2021, the American authorities have also required the presentation of a negative PCR or antigen test to travelers authorized to travel to the United States. Screening tests, coupled with vaccination, are the key!

Stay informed… and support us!

• Even though things are progressing slowly, the borders remain closed for tourists wishing to travel to the United States. See our article on entry requirements to the USA for the first quarter of 2021. To be informed of the opening of the borders between Europe and the USA and of tourist news in New York, subscribe to our newsletter. It’s free ! Enter your e-mail address below and click on “I subscribe”:

• In this difficult period for tourism, know that the entire CNewYork team remains on the bridge! Support us and polish your next trip by ordering our Destination New York paper guide. Also sign up for an exciting virtual tour of New York with Laurène. This will give you a taste of New York and support the team. Thank you !

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