By Ben Chapman and Joseph De Avila

New York City movie theaters can reopen at limited capacity on March 5, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, after being closed for nearly a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Cuomo said at a news briefing Monday that theaters in the five boroughs must follow social-distancing protocols that were already being used in other parts of New York, where theaters reopened in October.

"Movie theaters in New York will be brought in line with the rest of the state," Mr. Cuomo said.

The Democrat governor said movie theaters in New York City will be limited to 25% capacity, must use assigned seats and require the use of masks. No more than 50 people could attend a screening and theaters must employ enhanced cleaning and ventilation protocols, he said.

National Association of Theatre Owners Vice President Patrick Corcoran said in a statement that New York City is a major market for moviegoing in the U.S. and reopening there is an important step in the recovery of the entire industry.

"We look forward to expanding the capacity from 25% to 50% in the very near future so that theaters can operate profitably," Mr. Corcoan said.

New York and California are North America's two largest theatrical markets. The forced closure of theaters in both states have played a key role in Hollywood studios delaying the release of their highest-profile film releases, movies like MGM Holdings Inc.'s latest installment of the James Bond franchise, "No Time to Die," and Walt Disney Co. Marvel spinoff "Black Widow."

Last weekend only 38% of North American theaters opened their doors, according to media measurement company Comscore. Pre-pandemic, New York state represented nearly 7% of the domestic theatrical market, Comscore says. AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. has 13 theaters in NYC, mostly in Manhattan, out of its roughly 950 world-wide.

But Mr. Cuomo's decision is unlikely to spark any immediate changes in Hollywood's release strategy, which has included temporarily shelving films that cost in excess of $100 million to $200 million until moviegoers return to theaters en masse.

Disney's "Black Widow" is currently slated to debut in early May, making it the first major Hollywood franchise film to be released this year. Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently said he planned to stick with releasing the film theatrically amid speculation the company might premiere the potential blockbuster on the company's Disney+ streaming service.

While the majority of domestic theaters have remained closed during the pandemic some of Hollywood's major studios are focusing on building up their streaming platforms by selectively releasing some new movies on their services.

Mr. Cuomo also said weddings and other catered events would be permitted to resume on March 15. The events will be limited to 150 attendees and venues can't exceed 50% capacity, he said.

Mr. Cuomo said officials were working on a plan to allow for the reopening of pool halls in New York after the state lost a lawsuit challenging their closures. He said the plan could allow pool halls to reopen at 50% capacity with the use of assigned tables and mandatory face coverings.

Mr. Cuomo said infection rates in New York continued to decline. The state's seven-day average positivity rate on Sunday was 3.52% and New York City's was 4.48%, according to an official count.

Meanwhile, Connecticut is shifting its Covid-19 vaccine-eligibility requirements to an age-based system and plans to open up appointments to the general public by early May.

Gov. Ned Lamont's administration is axing previous plans that would have expanded vaccine eligibility based on health conditions and occupations, like many other states have done, including New York and New Jersey, in an attempt to simplify and speed up the process.

People between the ages of 55 and 64 will be eligible for a vaccine beginning March 1, Mr. Lamont said Monday. On March 22, it will open up to people between the ages of 45 to 54. On April 12, it will expand to ages 35 to 44. And on May 3, everyone between the ages of 16 and 34 will be eligible for the vaccine.

"My goal is to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible, and I believe this is the best path to meeting that challenge," Mr. Lamont said in a statement.

Educators and child-care professionals will be eligible to be vaccinated in March at designated clinics, Mr. Lamont said. The Connecticut Department of Public Health will also set targets to ensure that vaccines are administered to people living in the highest-risk communities in proportion to their population, he said.

The state rolled out its vaccine program in December with initial eligibility for healthcare providers and nursing homes. Eligibility expanded in January to include people over the age of 75 and certain congregate settings. People aged 65 and older qualified for vaccines in mid-February.

Nearly 17% of Connecticut's population has received at least one dose of the vaccine and nearly 8% has received two doses.

Charles Passy and R.T. Watson contributed to this article.

Write to Ben Chapman at Ben.Chapman@wsj.com and Joseph De Avila at joseph.deavila@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-22-21 1836ET