Gyms look for solutions!
When can Gyms open?
A member sends me an email on the first day of lockdown extension, and this was what he said;
“Please try to accommodate some sort of plan for us, as this is physically and mentally quite draining.”
Fully vaccinated members are keen to get gym access despite lockdown. The focus has shifted to the mental benefits of exercise. Lockdown is “draining”!
This is a question on everyone’s mind! Going without the gym is not a pleasant experience for an increasingly health conscious public. The fitness industry predict demand will grow as lockdown ease and vaccination resume.
He went on to write,
“Could you please give me some sort of package where I would be able to visit the gym and do my workout. Home workout plans or anything of that sort is really not for me.”
Everyone is hoping the lockdown will slow Covid-19 transmissions. If not, we risk further extension.
Gym owners are frantically looking for ways to address these concerns. We must come up with solutions!
Everyone is supportive of HPA Guidelines. Gyms and Members alike want a safe exercise environment. But the huge spike in transmission in May is not a comforting thought. Positive cases doubled and daily infections have spiked from around 100 per day to over 1,000 per day. Total infections doubled nationally. There are hopeful signs of a slight drop in transmissions this week.
So what can Gyms & members do?
Vaccination is top priority!
We have asked all our Members to share their vaccination status. A direct & trusting relationship between the Gym and Member is both ideal and practical.
We have run out of vaccines. Gyms and members alike are nervously waiting for vaccination to resume. Some 92.000 people are awaiting the second dose of Covishield. However, 35% of the population have been vaccinated. Health Minister Ahmed Naseem said he hopes to have most of the population vaccinated by end of August this year. Sputnik is to be added to the the list of approved vaccines. Covishield, Sinopharm & Pfizer are already listed.
We would advise our members, who have not got themselves vaccinated, to opt for whichever vaccine is available first.
Ventilation
The less addressed risk of aerosol transmission is now the priority. This is something Gyms take seriously. Exercise involves deep breathing. We inhale lots of oxygen and exhale lots of carbon dioxide. Respiratory droplets in aerosol can carry the virus. We must ensure Gyms are NOT super spreaders!
Gyms need excellent ventilation. There is such a thing as the ideal exercise environment. Lots of fresh air, controlled humidity, optimal temperature and constant air circulation constitute the ideal gym environment.
Ventilation is an essential measure. That is, the gym must have constant inflow of fresh air and constant outflow of stale air. We reduce the risk of aerosol transmission. Regulations on levels of ventilation are necessary for gyms if we are to operate in the post pandemic and post vaccine environment.
Temperature scanning, hand hygiene, social distancing, sanitizing gym equipment is already in place. Strengthening compliance with existing guidelines is absolutely necessary.
Economic Stimulus
Gyms depended on government assistance to survive after last years’ lockdown. Trainers were suddenly out of a job. Bills piled up. As a budding industry, most gyms simply did not have the capacity to go online. Protective measures such as ventilation has unfortunately become a trailing priority. Government have announced a round of Covid-19 relief loans.
Ten months after last year’s crippling lockdown, Gyms are struggling to recover. Should this lockdown extend past the current 9 June deadline, gym closure could extend into a second month..
We are holding our breath as we start our final week of lockdown. If everything goes well, we will be open Thursday 10 June.
