While summer day camps have the green light to start up later this month, sleepaway camps in New York are sitting this season out.

State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker issued a statement Friday saying risks of COVID-19 and the difficulty to enforce social distancing and mask use are a few of the reasons.

The health commissioner says he has fond memories of going to sleepaway camp himself saying, "I understand the role they play in childhood development and the disappointment this decision may bring to families across the state. But amid the worst public health crisis in a century, my number one priority is the health and safety of all New Yorkers."

Day camps have a new set of guidelines to follow this summer.

"We are keeping kids in pods of 10 kids, and we're staying in those groups throughout the summer and obviously will do some of the standard stuff that they're asking so we will do temperature checks," said Ed Metzendorf, owner of Next Level Day Camps.