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Disneyland, other theme parks and Universal Studios sports stadiums in California may reopen from April 1, the California Department of Public Health said on Friday. But there are caveats: The health department is demanding “dramatically reduced capacity, mandatory masking and other public health precautions” due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The number of people allowed in parks depends on the number of COVID-19 cases in the counties where they are found.
For amusement parks, counties in the “red” level of California’s four-level reopening risk system – red is the second highest risk category – will be limited to 15% capacity. In the orange level, the limit increases to 25 percent capacity and in the yellow level, to 35 percent. Participation will be limited to visitors from the State. Disneyland is in Orange County, which is currently in the riskiest “purple” level, but local reports suggest it may move to red level soon.
Outdoor sports and performance venues in California have a slightly different set of reopening criteria, and some will be able to reopen even if their counties are in the riskiest purple level, but with similar capacity limits.
“With significantly lower case rates and hospitalizations, the arrival of three highly effective vaccines, and targeted efforts to immunize the most vulnerable communities, California can safely and gradually begin to bring back more activities, by especially those that take place outdoors and where consistent masking is possible, ”Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said in a statement.
Disneyland closed on March 14, 2020 as cases of the coronavirus spread across the United States. Disney has laid off thousands of theme park workers and suffered a major financial blow as a result of the closures. In its most recent fiscal quarter, revenues for Disney’s parks division fell 53% to $ 3.6 billion, the company reported. The company said in a phone call with investors in February that it estimated “the total net negative impact of COVID-19 on the segment’s operating profit in the quarter was approximately $ 2.6 billion. of dollars”.
Disney World in Florida also closed last March and reopened in July with limited capacity and with restrictions. But California has taken a more cautious approach to rolling back pandemic restrictions than Florida, even as Disney executives pushed California officials to allow theme parks and other sites to reopen.
Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort, said in a statement posted on Twitter that with the new reopening date, Disneyland would “bring thousands of people back to work and greatly help neighboring businesses and our entire community.”
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