Coronavirus News: Long Beach limits beachgoers to residents only

LONG BEACH, Nassau County (WABC) -- When beaches reopen this Memorial Day weekend only Long Beach residents will be allowed to use the beach, but no one else.

Starting Saturday, unless you are one of the 30-thousands residents who live in Long Beach, you can't get on the beach.

Officials say it will help them maintain state requirement of not allowing the beach to get more than half full.

Long Beach had been an option for New York City residents after Mayor Bill de Blasio said city beaches will not open for now, saying it's not safe for city residents to take public transit to the beaches.

The decision comes on heels of Nassau County's executive decision to also restrict Nickerson beach to county residents only.

That leaves state beaches - Robert Moses and Jones Beach - as options, but they will close their gates once they reach 50 percent capacity.

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