ALBANY (WCBS 880) — Can New York State reopen venues with rapid testing? That’s the question Gov. Andrew Cuomo is looking to answer.
The National Football League currently allows some fans into stadiums without any testing requirements, but Gov. Cuomo says he wants a different plan for New York.
“We’re looking to test a hypothesis,” the governor said. “The Buffalo Bills are going to have a playoff game. Could we allow fans to the game with testing and then contact trace after the game? That’s what the Department of Health has been working on.”
The Buffalo Bills have proposed allowing 6,700 fans in the stadium at the playoff game next month and the Department of Health is proposing testing prior to the game and contact tracing afterwards. Fans would be required to show proof of a negative result before being allowed in.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says the plan would be the first of its kind but raised concerns about the potential spread that could occur at tailgating events surrounding the game.
On Sunday, he said parties before the game would be a huge problem.
“The big issue here is tailgate parties,” he said.
He says the DOH is working on how they can control crowd flow and crack down on large gatherings outside the stadium, but is optimistic that they can get something done.
“We are extremely proud of the Bills. We’re all New Yorkers and we will get through it,” Dr. Zucker said.
Cuomo did not definitively say if fans would be allowed into the stadium and stressed that the state is reviewing the plans from the Bills.
“That is in development,” Cuomo said. “It’s never been done before and how to do it is … in the details. We would like to do it. The Department of Health is interested in the concept.”
If fans were allowed in, mask wearing would be mandatory and people would have to be spaced at least six feet apart.
Dr. Zucker said the state is most concerned about controlling fans who don't wear masks after referencing the large amount of fans that refused to do so when greeting the Bills at the airport after the team clinched its first AFC East division title in 25 years.
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