Update: Public health officials now say to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people. As part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, many stadiums have been temporarily closed.
Like all public places where people gather, gyms and fitness centers are places where viral diseases (including COVID-19) can spread. The common weight, sweaty stretch areas, and heavy breathing may keep you on high alert.
But the risk of the gym is not necessarily greater than any other public places. Based on research to date, COVID-19 appears to be spread mainly through close personal contact with infected people, although public health officials warn that contact with highly contacted public surfaces may also lead to the spread of the disease.
Taking proper precautions can reduce the risk of illness. Here is what you need to know about staying away from COVID-19 in the gym.
Speaking of gyms, there is some good news: “We know that you can’t find coronavirus in sweat,” Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease doctor, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Health Safety Center, and a spokesperson. ) Said the American Academy of Infectious Diseases.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the new coronavirus, which seems to be spread mainly when people cough or sneeze and when respiratory droplets fall nearby. Manish Trivedi, MD, director of the infectious disease department and chairman of infection prevention and control at the Atlantifcare Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, said: “Strong breathing during exercise will not spread the virus.” “We are worried about coughing or sneezing [to others or nearby sports equipment. ],”He said.
Respiratory droplets can spread up to six feet, which is why public health officials recommend that you keep this distance from others, especially in public places.
Objects frequently touched in the gym, including exercise machines, mats, and dumbbells, may become reservoirs of viruses and other bacteria—especially because people may cough into their hands and use the equipment.
Consumer Reports contacted 10 large gym chains and asked them whether they had taken any special precautions during the spread of COVID-19. We received replies from some people—mainly about information about vigilant cleaning, hand sanitizer stations, and warnings for members to stay home when they are sick.
“Team members use disinfection and cleaning supplies to regularly and thoroughly clean all equipment, surfaces and areas of the club and gym floors. In addition, they also regularly complete the night cleaning of the facilities,” a Planet Fitness spokesperson said in an email to Consumer Reports Write. According to the spokesperson, Planet Fitness also posted signs at the front desks of all more than 2,000 locations, reminding members to wash their hands and disinfect equipment frequently before and after each use.
A statement from the President and CEO of Gold’s Gym said: “We always encourage our members to wipe the equipment after each use and use the hand sanitizer stations we provide throughout the gym.”
According to a company spokesperson, Life Time, a chain of luxury fitness clubs in the United States and Canada, has added more cleaning hours. “Some departments increase the cleaning effort every 15 minutes, especially in areas with high traffic. We work harder in the studio space (biking, yoga, Pilates, group fitness),” the spokesperson said in a letter Wrote in the email. The chain also began to prevent physical contact. “In the past, we encouraged participants to high-five and make some physical contact in class and group training, but we are doing the opposite.”
A spokesperson for OrangeTheory Fitness wrote that the gym “encourages members to listen to their physical conditions with extreme caution during this period, as we do not recommend signing up or exercising when they have a fever, cough, sneeze, or shortness of breath.”
In areas where COVID-19 is spreading, some local branches have also chosen to temporarily close. In a statement announcing the temporary closure, the JCC Manhattan Community Center stated that they “want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
If you are not sure whether your gym helps prevent the spread of the virus by providing extra cleaning or providing members with disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers, please ask.
Regardless of whether your gym has undergone additional cleaning, your own actions may be the most important to protect yourself and other gym members. Here are a few steps you can take.
Go during off-peak hours. A small study conducted in three gyms in Brazil in 2018 found that when there are fewer people in the gym, the risk of infectious respiratory diseases may be reduced. The study estimates the risk of influenza and tuberculosis (not the coronavirus), showing that in all stadiums, “the risk of infection increases during peak occupancy periods.”
Wipe the device. Karen Hoffmann, an infection prevention expert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, a former president of the Professional Association for Infection Control and Epidemiology, and a registered nurse, recommends using disinfectant wipes to wipe fitness equipment before and after each use.
Many gyms provide disinfectant wipes or sprays for members to use on the equipment. Hoffmann recommends that if you choose to bring your own wipes, look for wipes that contain at least 60% alcohol or chlorine bleach, or make sure it is actually a disinfecting wipe and not just designed for personal hygiene. (There are several wet wipes on the EPA’s list of cleaning products to combat COVID-19.) “Coronavirus seems to be easily affected by these cleaning and disinfectants,” she said.
Make sure that the surface is completely wet, and then wait 30 seconds to 1 minute for it to air dry. If you use paper towels, there should be enough humidity to make the entire surface look moist. Hoffman said the dried wipes are no longer effective.
Don’t put your hands on your face. Trivedi recommends that you avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth while exercising in the gym. “The way we infect ourselves is not by touching dirty surfaces, but by bringing the virus from hands to faces,” he said.
Maintain good hand hygiene. After using the machine, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Before touching your face or any part of the water bottle you put on your mouth, make sure you do the same. Do it again before leaving the gym. If you are sick, stay at home. CDC recommends that you stay home when you are sick. A post from the International Association of Health, Racket and Sports Clubs representing 9,200 member clubs in 70 countries said: “This may mean staying at home when you are only mildly ill, otherwise you may decide to supplement with exercise Energy.” According to IHRSA, some health clubs and studios have begun offering virtual courses, programming exercises for people to do at home, or personal training via video chat.
Lindsey Konkel is a journalist and freelancer based in New Jersey, covering health and scientific consumer reports. She writes for print and online publications, including Newsweek, National Geographic News, and Scientific American.
Post time: Sep-04-2021