Many gyms allow people to take off their masks during workouts, as if the coronavirus will politely refrain from infecting others during exercise. Of course it will not. Even if it’s legal to practice without a mask where you are, it’s not a good idea.
The CDC recently highlighted some cases of super-distribution opportunities at gyms. In a gym in Chicago, 81 people were exposed to the coronavirus during classes and 55 came down with symptoms. The gym put people at a distance of six meters apart, needed mask on their arrival, and examined temperature controls and symptoms to rule out someone who was ill.
But, as we all now know, you can be contagious a day or so before your symptoms start. So a person can show up for class without knowing they are sick, and then take their exercise class without a mask. The CDC report also found that people sometimes showed up in class while waiting for the test results. Surprisingly, this is all an excellent way to spread the virus.
We’ve seen it before. Remember the Canadian cycling studio that complied with all the rules, including how the rules allowed maskless classes? Or the outbreak in Hawaii gyms where masks are not needed?
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A room full of people who breathe heavily, without masks or adequate ventilation, is a risky place to be during a coronavirus pandemic. For those who complain that it is annoying or even impossible to practice with a mask, I say: if you can not do it with a mask on, do not do it indoors around other people.
The CDC report on the Chicago Gymnasium says to make exercise safer, emphasize me:
To reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission in fitness facilities, participants must wear a mask, even during high intensity activities if they are 6 m apart. In addition, facilities should enforce physical distance, improve ventilation, and encourage participants to isolate after the onset of the symptom or receive a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result and to quarantine after a possible exposure to SARS-CoV- 2 and while waiting for the test results. Exercising outdoors or practically exercising can further reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
If your gym does not require others to wear masks, it is safest to simply not go. If you choose to take the risk and attend it anyway, consider avoiding heart classes where everyone is breathing heavily, and reduce the amount of time you spend in the building.
We also have a summary of ideas for home exercises. Watch an exercise video! Use a group fitness app! Get some dumbbells or resistance bands! Cancel your membership and invest in a whole home gym! Head outside and go jogging! And if you’ve tried it all, we have some ideas what to do if you are bored with your homework.