Reopen NY: Mid-Hudson region enters Phase 4 reopening

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York 's Mid-Hudson region entered Phase 4 of its reopening Tuesday, joining much of the state in further emerging from the coronavirus pandemic.

For those who live in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties, Phase 4 means higher education, low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment, media production, and professional sports with no fans can resume.

However, movie theaters, gyms, and malls will not be permitted to reopen during this phase as previously thought.

New York state's neighbors are also pausing their reopenings.

Connecticut had reopened just about everything except for bars which will now remain closed. Venues that are open will have to maintain their strict capacity limits.

And in New Jersey, gyms, indoor dining and movie theaters will remain shut down after the positive test rate ticked up above one percent.

"I want us to be able to deliberately and responsibly continue down our road back. I do not want to have to hit another pause on our restart because a number of New Jerseyans are being irresponsible and spreading COVID-19 while the rest of us continue to work hard to stop it," New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said.

All of these changes come after a Harvard researcher suggested air conditioning may be rapidly spreading the virus down south where states quickly reopened.

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Total count of NYC, Long Island COVID-19 cases based on patient address