DMV Gyms Should Close

[Anonymous]

With coronavirus infections rising, the local gyms should close for the period between Thanksgiving and New Years. This is a low impact proposition in any case since fewer people use gyms during the holidays. My gym is hosting classes in smallish studios where as many as 8 people come together in high intensity activities for almost 50 minutes. Yes everyone wears masks but it is still a risky proposition. Open gyms back up after the holidays when people increase their attendance because of New Year's resolutions, but close them down for the holidays as families socialize and cases continue to rise.

[Anonymous]

Science? Evidence of small gym outbreak? Do you have anything to support this? Story last week of trainer who exposed 50 people and none were positive likely due to masks, better airflow, and other practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With coronavirus infections rising, the local gyms should close for the period between Thanksgiving and New Years. This is a low impact proposition in any case since fewer people use gyms during the holidays. My gym is hosting classes in smallish studios where as many as 8 people come together in high intensity activities for almost 50 minutes. Yes everyone wears masks but it is still a risky proposition. Open gyms back up after the holidays when people increase their attendance because of New Year's resolutions, but close them down for the holidays as families socialize and cases continue to rise.

+1

[Anonymous]

They will not close in MoCo since Dr. Gayles is a frequent visitor. He'd rather just keep the schools closed.

[Anonymous]

Yes. At this point it's not even about the specific risk of gyms (which, if people where masks and social distance, are definitely safer than indoor dining, which should also close). It's about the fact that cases are already rising and a bunch of people are about to travel and be in close quarters with a bunch of new people. There is no evidence that people are taking the recommendation to avoid gatherings over the holidays seriously. We are on the precipice of a terrifying amount of spread.

Closing gyms, restaurants, retail, etc. isn't just about reducing spread in these locations at this point (though yes, also that). It's about forcing people to take this seriously again and get people back in their homes, and back limiting their interactions to people outside their households. It sucks for these businesses (though ultimately it will save the lives of many of the employees, I feel confident). Let's get them financial assistance and take care of people, like we did in March and April. But we are heading for a spike as bad if not worse than March or April, especially in DC which was not hit that hard in the spring, relative to other cities. But it's already clear we are not going to get that lucky this time. Look at cases in DC, Maryland, and VA. It should terrify you. We're looking at positivity rates doubling every few days. Do you remember what that looked like in the spring? That's how you go from a handful of cases to overflowing hospitals in a matter of weeks if not days. We should be doing everything we can.

That means, yes, closing gyms. They are not essential.

[Anonymous]

Shut up and cancel YOUR gym membership OP and allow the rest of us to exercise our own discretion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shut up and cancel YOUR gym membership OP and allow the rest of us to exercise our own discretion.

PP here - No pun intended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shut up and cancel YOUR gym membership OP and allow the rest of us to exercise our own discretion.

Exercise your discretion outdoors or indoors in your home or garage. Can you not walk or run? Or find a small area in which to lift free weights, do jump squats and leg lifts, or jump rope? Why do we need to bring people from so many places together in the purist of high intensity activities when infection rates are rising? Close from before Thanksgiving until two weeks into the New Year, that way you make sure the families mixing over the holidays have not been exposed to the virus. It is only six weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shut up and cancel YOUR gym membership OP and allow the rest of us to exercise our own discretion.

THIS!

[Anonymous]

Close gyms during the holidays, reopen them mid January as essential health services. Or at least suspend classes, which have the most dense concentration, during the holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Science? Evidence of small gym outbreak? Do you have anything to support this? Story last week of trainer who exposed 50 people and none were positive likely due to masks, better airflow, and other practices.

That was a great story but only because they literally had an infectious disease expert implement their ventilation plan. Other gyms aren’t doing the same. Gyms need to close as long as schools are closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They will not close in MoCo since Dr. Gayles is a frequent visitor. He'd rather just keep the schools closed.

seriously??? ugh.

[Anonymous]

Gyms are nasty when there's no covid. Now they're even worse pitri dishes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Close gyms during the holidays, reopen them mid January as essential health services. Or at least suspend classes, which have the most dense concentration, during the holidays.

LA Fitness has circles marked on the floor giving 10 ft distance between each person. Doors stay open. I don't go to any classes where there is heavy exertion involved, but I do go to yoga and even wear a mask during class.

There are ways to make classes safer...but not all gyms are the same

[Anonymous]

I vote keep gyms open but cancel the group exercise classes.