New York's sports teams will be able to welcome fans back to their home games later this month, if all goes according to plan and the state's fight against COVID-19 continues to produce results.
Starting on February 23, arenas and stadiums in the state can reopen to 10 percent capacity, provided they meet a number of state-mandated, CDC-recommended safety measures.
Barclays Center is the first major New York City venue with approval to open. The Brooklyn arena will do so on Feb. 23 when the Nets take on the Sacramento Kings.
The new comes after Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor dining in NYC could resume, starting Friday, Feb. 12, two days earlier than the previously announced date of Sunday, Feb. 14.
The state's coronavirus positivity rate has been steadily declining for over a month. It now stands at 4.02 percent.
Gov. Cuomo also announced Wednesday that the state is establishing more large-scale vaccine sites for minority and underserved communities. The first two will be York College in Queens and Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.
Yankee Stadium opened on February 5 as a mass vaccination site for eligible Bronx residents. Citi Field opened Wednesday as a mass vaccination site for eligible Queens residents, including TLC drivers and food delivery workers.
Starting Monday, NYC residents with underlying conditions will be eligible to start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
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