YMCA facilities say they can continue to operate safely amid rising coronavirus cases, pointing to only a handful of contact tracing events in New York. 

It's a precarious time for gyms as the pandemic is resurgent in parts of New York and around the country. 

YMCAs in March closed down as New York went "on pause." They reopened in August amid a decline in cases, but could be shuttered once again if cases rise as part of New York's "cluster" strategy.

But a survey conducted by the organization, along with the deep cleaning efforts it undertakes at its facilities has them hopeful they would still be able to operate. 

"We have data from September and October that shows just 15 times contact tracers reported positive cases at YMCAs," said Kyle Stewart, the executive director of the Capital Region YMCA. 

And if they have to close down again? Stewart expects to Ys will continue to provide services, albeit in a limited capacity as fitness centers would close. The Y is not just a place for people to work out, but a community center and a charitable organization.  

"We would hope we would be able to continue some of the services that we provide," Stewart said. "Our fitness centers would be closed, but we would hope to be able to provide our child care services, food programming, our homeless housing programming that we provide to the community."

There has also been the financial strain for the YMCA during the pandemic. Visitation has sharply declined since reopening this summer.

"When our membership hasn't come back, when people have actually canceled their membership that revenue isn't going toward are mission," Stewart said. "YMCAs are safe, we would love people to come back to the Y."