DATA SUGGESTS EXERCISING IN A GYM CAN BE SAFE

From the time our clubs reopened last September 2, 2020 until March 14, 2021, there have been over  211,000 check ins across our network of clubs in the Philippines. From this number, we’re pleased to share that there have only been 13 Covid-19 positive cases reported among our membership base – which translates to about  1 reported case per 16,200 member check ins. There is also no evidence to date of any transmissions within our gym environment, whether to other members or staff, and we attribute this to everyone’s cooperation in adhering to the health and safety guidelines.

Our data is consistent with several other studies from around the world including Fitness Australia, ExerciseNZ and Sheffield Hallam University, which demonstrate that with the right precautions and protocols in place, attending a gym can be regarded as relatively low-risk. It is widely reported how exercise is a critical component to overall wellbeing, physical health, mental health, and general immune response – especially at a time like this.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we introduced a set of protocols aimed at mitigating the risks of contracting the virus in our clubs, including increasing the frequency of cleaning within our clubs, providing hand sanitizers and additional disinfectant sprays, asking members to ensure they wear a mask at all times, and wiping down equipment with disinfectant before and after use.

During the General Community Quarantine, we worked closely with the local authorities as well as our other industry counterparts to develop a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the fitness industry such as proper social distancing, operating at limited capacity and no group fitness classes – all of which have been strictly implemented in our clubs upon reopening.

With the right  protocols in place, and when these are adhered to closely by all members and staff, exercising in a gym is as safe as it can be.