Cuomo to Allow Wedding Receptions to Resume With Restrictions in March

Brides across New York can rejoice as Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that marriage receptions can resume in accordance with state guidelines in March.

As infection and hospitalization rates improve following the post-holiday coronavirus surge, Cuomo said wedding receptions can be held starting March 15 but must be approved by the local health department. All patrons must be tested prior to the event, he said.

Additionally, there will be a 50 percent capacity limit and no more than 150 people can attend the event.

“We are developing more rapid testing capacity all across the State. We’re also developing an app which a person, once they receive the test, can have on the app,” Cuomo said. “We’re also developing guidance, much like, much like marriage receptions for events where you can do testing and you can do monitoring and the local health department can regulate it.”

He added that indoor dining in New York City can reopen at 25 percent capacity on Valentine’s Day.

“As data on infection rates and hospitalizations continue to improve, we must begin taking steps to jumpstart our economic recovery as long as public health can be protected,” Cuomo said. “This is a great development, but we cannot become complacent now.”

Here is the latest coronavirus data in Westchester & Putnam 

Coronavirus cases in Westchester County increased by 732 on Friday, bringing the total number of positive cases to 92,794 since the start of the pandemic.

There are now 10,812 active cases, a decrease of 381 over the previous day, state data shows.

The county’s daily positivity rate is 5.25 percent, with 13,954 tests administered on Wednesday, according to the state tracker. Overall, more than 1.75 million COVID tests have been dispensed in Westchester since March.

The county reported nine more deaths, bringing the COVID-19-related death toll to 1,884. This week 38 people have died from the virus in Westchester, with 209 fatalities since the start of the new year.

As of Tuesday, there are 569 virus patients in Westchester hospitals.

Putnam County’s total caseload has reached 7,239, with 68 additional positive cases recorded on Friday, state data shows. The county’s daily positivity rate is 5.50 percent, with 1,236 tests administered Wednesday.

Putnam currently has 1,027 active cases, a decrease of 68 over the previous day.

There was one coronavirus-related death reported on Friday, raising the death toll to 80 since the start of the pandemic, state data shows. Four people have died from the virus this week, with 13 overall fatalities since the start of 2021.

Statewide there were 12,579 new positive cases on Friday, state data shows. The daily positivity rate is 4.65 percent.

The state recorded 151 additional COVID-19-related fatalities, bringing the death toll to 34,893 since last March.

Statewide hospitalizations stand at 8,357, a decrease of 163 over the previous day. Across New York there have been 1,387,059 positive coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

Vaccine Update

As of Friday, New York’s health care distribution sites have received 1,387,840 first doses and administered 95 percent or 1,316,032 first dose vaccinations. There have been 78 percent of first and second doses administered.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said that the Westchester County Center, the county’s only state-run mass distribution site, has inoculated 15,715 people as of Wednesday.

Click HERE to see if you’re eligible to make an appointment. 

Westchester Active Coronavirus Cases by Municipality 

Here are the active cases by municipality in Westchester as of Friday. With a lag between the total number of cases confirmed by the state and the tally of cases by town, the total number of municipal cases might be slightly different than what the county’s active cases reflects.

• Ardsley – 36
• Bedford – 145
• Briarcliff Manor – 63
• Bronxville – 56
• Buchanan – 24
• Cortlandt – 337
• Croton-on-Hudson – 49
• Dobbs Ferry – 102
• Eastchester – 205
• Elmsford – 45
• Greenburgh – 412
• Harrison – 188
• Hastings-on-Hudson – 57
• Irvington – 54
• Larchmont – 69
• Lewisboro – 71
• Mamaroneck Town – 102
• Mamaroneck Village – 204
• Mount Kisco – 108
• Mount Pleasant – 219
• Mount Vernon – 840
• New Castle – 80
• New Rochelle – 957
• North Castle – 105
• North Salem – 28
• Ossining Town – 76
• Ossining Village – 391
• Peekskill – 324
• Pelham – 80
• Pelham Manor – 44
• Pleasantville – 79
• Port Chester – 326
• Pound Ridge – 23
• Rye Brook – 79
• Rye City – 113
• Scarsdale – 81
• Sleepy Hollow – 230
• Somers – 187
• Tarrytown – 154
• Tuckahoe – 79
• White Plains – 590
• Yonkers – 2,764
• Yorktown – 370