NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo said beaches and pools across New York will open with six-foot social distancing for Memorial Day weekend.
His goal is to open all beaches and pools statewide at 100% capacity by the Fourth of July.
"If the numbers keep going the way they're going, we're going to be able to do that so we would actually be able to have a normal summer, finally, in beaches and pools and that's what we're striving for," Cuomo said. "We have to get ready for a great summer — the weather is turning, the winter is over, we have to get on with life and we want to have a great summer."
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran welcomed the news.
"It's good news that the State is expanding capacity at pools and beaches, and I believe we should continue working towards reaching 100% as soon as possible," Curran said. "The case I've been making to the State along with Senator Kaminsky is that we can get to 100% sooner rather than later given our high vaccination rate, the low risk of outdoor transmission, and importance of the beach and recreation to our local economy."
The governor's announcement came as he revealed that as of Wednesday, 7,972,909 New Yorkers ages 18 and up — or 50% of the state's adult population — have been fully vaccinated.
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