Fitness Australia insists gyms will be among the FIRST to open again

Fitness Australia has said gyms across the country are prepared to reopen now with a strict safety and hygiene plan in place, despite industry experts predicting that centres would likely remain closed until spring.

The federal government shut gyms on March 23 along with cinemas, nightclubs, churches and pubs, clubs and hotels to slow the spread of coronavirus.

With infection numbers falling across the country, businesses were eagerly awaiting the government’s green light to reopen, and Fitness Australia’s CEO Barrie Elvish said gyms are willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ to resume operation ‘sooner rather than later’. 

He said they the Australian industry body he heads has been working with counterparts overseas to develop ways to incorporate social distancing into gym operations so they could open as soon as possible.

‘The fitness industry, like all Australians, want to ensure there is no further spread of COVID-19 as restrictions are slowly eased back. However, there’s no reason why gyms can’t be one of the first sectors to reopen,’ Mr Elvish said in a media statement.

‘We believe gyms can safely reopen with social distancing and hygiene requirements in place, which is why we have prepared a strict reopening framework for all fitness facilities and personal trainers.’

The protocols would include checking the temperature of clients on arrival, high frequency cleaning and sanitation, spacing out of equipment, protective wear for both employees and members, and reduced capacity for classes.

‘Unlike other establishments such as bars, restaurants and retail outlets, gyms also have a key advantage when it comes to instant contact tracking, with all members having to swipe in and out or book in for a class,’ Mr Elvish said.

‘Should it be necessary, no other industry has the ability to provide to health authorities this real time data.’ 

Mr Elvish said the importance of exercise in both physical and mental health meant it would help people get through the coronavirus shutdown in good condition.

Mr Elvish said the role exercise plays in our overall health and mental wellbeing cannot be underestimated and it will become more apparent as restrictions are eased back

Fitness Australia’s CEO Barrie Elvish

‘During the important phase of isolation, there has been a drastic increase in demand for mental health services such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue as well as a steep increase in alcohol consumption and online gambling.

‘This coupled with people being less active has the potential to not only affect the long-term health of our whole community but also future Health Budget outlays.

‘Exercise and a regular fitness routine play a very important role in maintaining an individual’s immune system and their overall physical and mental health.’      

Despite Mr Elvish’s enthusiasm, many in the industry are concerned gyms will be among the last businesses to resume normal operations as restrictions are lifted.

Pictured: A Willoughby council worker places hazard tape on outdoor gym equipment at Gore Hill on March 30 in Sydney

Pictured: Gym junkies get their last session in on March 23 before the government shut gyms across the country at midday 

The Fitness Playground CEO Justin Ashley, who runs four successful gyms in Sydney, told Daily Mail Australia while they are very much in the hands of the state government.  

‘We know it won’t be business as usual immediately. However, if gyms were able to open even at a reduced capacity, that would be a positive step for the industry as well as for the health and fitness of our community as a whole. 

‘While we look forward to being able to get back to operating our gyms in the future, through this period we will continue to support our community and members online, via The Virtual Playground.’

‘The Virtual Playground’ is an online extension of The Fitness Playground network of gyms.

A personal trainer at Snap Fitness said while he ‘misses’ the gym, a resumption of normal operations may not be possible, with 24-hour access probably having to be abandoned.

‘Social distancing would be next to impossible at a 24-hour gym, however we could remodel so there’s no 24-hour access for a period of time.

‘Implement that, then we definitely could implement strict cleaning – we already did that – and limit numbers in the gym at any one time.’

The personal trainer added he had ‘no immediate concern’ about catching coronavirus if his gym was to reopen.  

‘However, there would be compulsory things put in place which would highly change our job,’ he said.  

The Fitness Playground CEO Justin Ashley, who runs four successful gyms in Sydney, says they are hopeful doors will be open sooner rather than later – but admits they are very much in the hands of the State Government

The federal government shut gyms along with cinemas, nightclubs, places of worship and licensed premises in hotels and clubs from midday on March 23 to slow the spread of coronavirus

The president of the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Professor Phil Russo said opening gyms would be ‘quite challenging’ due to their operation in confined spaces.  

‘Gyms I think are going to be quite challenging when it comes to rolling back these decisions,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. 

‘Purely because they gather a large number of people in small areas.’

Prof Russo said there ‘may be a concern’ that people who are exercising in gyms will be more inclined to cough during their workout.

But the main concern keeping gyms shut is people congregating in an indoor space and sharing equipment, he said.

‘COVID-19 is spread by person to person to contact and contaminated surfaces,’ Prof Russo explained.

Prof Russo said there would be a ‘staged roll out’ when gyms eventually open.

‘It may start with an aerobics class that once had 40 people, it would start with 10 in it,’ he said.

Exercise bikes could be spaced at least 1.5 metres apart from each other and gym classes could run for less time, he added.

Australian National University microbiology professor Peter Collignon said it would be ‘very difficult’ for gyms to open their doors in the coming months. Pictured: Outdoor gym gear is taped in Sydney

When gyms eventually open, Prof Collignon said they would not immediately return to normal operation. ‘[It would be ] A gradual thing where physical distance rules are going to have to be respected for quite a while and hand hygiene,’ he said

Prof Russo said the gradual loosening of restrictions would need to be analysed over a period of a few weeks to ensure they don’t contribute to further COVID-19 outbreak.

‘Those things would be well planned and gradually introduced,’ he said.

‘You want to make sure that it’s not causing further spread.’

Additionally, gyms may need to change their cleaning regime with equipment.

‘I’m not sure what the standards are now but it may need to be more frequent than what’s normal,’ Prof Russo said. 

A personal trainer from a small studio on Sydney’s North Shore said she would love for gyms to open soon but was aware of the health implications. 

‘I would love for gyms to open soon but I know that they will probably be one of the last places to open purely because there’s more opportunities for diseases to spread. People sweating, spitting and sharing machines,’ she said. 

‘I’m really lucky that I work in a small personal training studio where everyone who comes in has a session so we can clean at a more efficient rate and we know where everyone has been so there’s no chance of someone coming back from overseas and contaminating our studio but the big gyms will struggle.’

She is hopeful the gyms will be opened up at a ‘reduced rate’.  

Pictured: A closed sign is displayed outside ClimbFit in Sydney on March 26, 2020

‘So many people rely on exercise for their mental health and it also gets them out of the house away from their family,’ the Sydney-based personal trainer said. 

‘But I definitely think the smart thing to do is to wait until we have more of a reduction of community transmitted cases because as soon as we open the doors every man and their dog will be in the gym and then we’ll be back to square one.’ 

Australian National University microbiology professor Peter Collignon said it would be ‘very difficult’ for gyms to open in the next few months, with social distancing restrictions unlikely to be changed until after winter. 

Prof Collignon told Daily Mail Australia there were ‘a lot of things on the list’ before gyms, including schools opening their classrooms to students. 

‘We need more data, we need to assume all those things will be closed until the end of winter,’ he said. 

‘Unless we get more good news before then and more data.’

Australia’s winter season runs from June until the end of August.

Pictured: A man uses an outdoor gym on March 30 despite the government shutting non-essential services

When gyms eventually open, Prof Collignon said they would not immediately return to normal operation.  

‘[It would be] A gradual thing where physical distance rules are going to have to be respected for quite a while and hand hygiene,’ he said.

People who have respiratory issues also shouldn’t be allowed to use gyms, he added.  

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison moved to close gyms, he suggested the measures could be in place for six months. 

Shoppers across Australia have stripped the shelves of Kmart of exercise equipment in a bid to keep their fitness on track while they’re stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic

Department stores such as Rebel Sport experienced a rush on gym equipment by those who wanted to keep fit 

Fitness warehouses and online retailers who sell gym gear quickly became unexpected winners of the health crisis as shoppers rushed to stock up on equipment and create their own at-home gyms.  

It was the same story at Kmart, where the shelves were stripped bare as shoppers desperately attempted to get their hands on exercise equipment.   

Disgruntled customers posted on Twitter, where they shared images of the bare shelves, writing: ‘Let’s buy weights and yoga mats, every single person in Sydney said #coronavirus’.

It wasn’t long before others said they were also struggling to get their hands on any of the discount store’s gym equipment.

‘Forget toilet paper, our local Kmart has been cleared of gym equipment? #COVID-19,’ one woman posted. 

Australians keen to get their daily dose of exercise in during the health crisis have flocked to parks and coastal walks for their workouts. 

Outdoor gyms and playgrounds are also closed and councils have taped the equipment to make sure gym junkies don’t try and break the rules.