Indoor health courses in N.Y.C. can restart on Monday, the governor says.

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Indoor fitness classes in New York City are allowed to resume on Monday, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said at a news conference on Wednesday.

New York will also lift restrictions on Monday in so-called “yellow zones,” where the state has placed stricter restrictions on restaurants and other businesses due to problematic coronavirus data.

As of Wednesday, there were only five yellow zones in the state: two in the Bronx, one in Queens, one in Manhattan, and one in Orange County north of New York City.

In these areas, restaurants were limited to just 4 people at a table, and outside gatherings were limited to 25 people – even as the state allowed larger events like weddings and the reopening of arts and entertainment venues.

Mr Cuomo also said the state would end a 11 p.m. curfew on April 5 for casinos, cinemas, bowling alleys, pool halls and gyms. There will be a similar curfew on restaurants, bars and catering events.

The announcement for indoor exercise classes came after a number of gym owners protested outside City Hall on Tuesday.

When the governor ordered local governments to allow gyms to reopen across the state last September, he allowed local officials to decide whether or not to allow the return of indoor fitness classes as well. Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City declined, citing fears of an increased risk of transmission in these rooms.

Last month a group of gyms sued Mr de Blasio and Mr Cuomo over their right to reopen.

Fitness classes, like gyms in the state, are limited to 33 percent capacity and customers are required to wear face covers while exercising.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently advised fitness centers to take various measures to prevent outbreaks, including enforcing proper mask use during exercise and keeping users two meters away. It also says that fitness facilities should ensure good ventilation. Gyms in New York must meet certain air filtration and ventilation standards.

The CDC found that heavy breathing during intense physical activity in confined indoor spaces can increase the chances of transmission, and fitness instructors providing exercise instructions to members may also have contributed to the spread.