ALBANY (WCBS 880) — New York State will allow 6,700 fans to attend the Buffalo Bills playoff game in Orchard Park next month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.
In a tweet, the governor said the state’s Health Department and the Buffalo Bills had come to an agreement which would allow for some fans to attend the team’s “Wild Card” playoff game at their home stadium.
During a press briefing, the governor said the outdoor arena was a “controlled venue.”
Every fan must test negative before the game, wear a face covering for the duration of the game and all fans will be socially distanced.
As previously mentioned, some sections in the stadium will be closed entirely to ensure fans are not seated too close together.
After the game, which is set to take place Jan. 9 or Jan. 10, the state Health Department will conduct contact tracing to “find out exactly what happened,” Cuomo said.
The governor called the playoff game a “pilot” program to see if similar venues can reopen at reduced capacity.
“This is a pilot to find ways where we can smartly and safely reopen businesses,” Cuomo said. “Can you start to reopen businesses safely, smartly by using rapid testing? That’s the question.”
The governor added that New York State is in the process of distributing the COVID-19 vaccine but, residents will “have to be safe.” He agreed that the state can’t remain closed down for an extended period of time, but he says he does not want a reopening process to result in widespread infections.
On Wednesday, New York State reported 144 new COVID-19-related deaths. There were also 13,422 new cases, bringing the state’s positivity rate to 8.66%.
Nearly 8,000 people in the state are currently hospitalized with the virus and Gov. Cuomo says it’s clear the holidays have played a role.
“There has been an apparent increase, post-holiday gatherings, let’s call it,” the governor said. “We’re going to have to watch this.”
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