After five months of mandatory closure, fitness facilities in New York can reopen starting Aug. 24 with stipulations, according to an announcement from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The requirements include operating at 33 percent capacity, having proper ventilation in place and ensuring that everyone wears masks at all times.
Local elected officials may choose to delay the reopening of gyms and fitness centers until Sept. 2 to, in part, provide time for required local health department inspections, which must be done prior to gyms reopening or within two weeks of reopening, according to the announcement. Local officials may also delay the resumption of indoor fitness classes beyond Sept. 2.
New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio indicated that the city’s health department is busy inspecting schools and day cares so they can reopen on time. Because of that the department does not have time to focus on gym inspections, which may delay gym reopenings in the city beyond Sept. 2.
“We're going to be cautious with that local decision making and choose to take a conservative approach,” the mayor said on a local program called Inside City Hall.
The mayor’s office gave no timeline for gym reopenings, but the mayor already said he will not allow indoor fitness classes and reopening of indoor pools, according to an article by the New York Post.
“We’ll be developing a fair and rigorous inspection system for other gym setups in the coming weeks,” Mitch Schwartz, a spokesperson for the mayor, told the Post.
The requirements for gyms in the state are as follows:
- Capacity: 33 percent occupancy limit.
- Access: Sign-in with contact information and health screening required.
- PPE: Appropriate face coverings required at all times.
- Distancing: Six feet of separation at all times.
- Hygiene/Cleaning: Cleaning and disinfection supplies made available to customers; shared equipment cleaned after every use; staff must also be available to clean and disinfect equipment in between uses; rental equipment must be cleaned and disinfected between customer use.
- Classes: By appointment/reservation only; maximum class capacity capped at number of people that can adhere to the 6-feet social distancing rules, but in no case more than 33 percent of the typical class size (i.e., leave stations, cycles, etc. vacant); classes should be scheduled to allow additional time for cleaning and disinfection in between each session.
- Amenities: Water bottle refill stations permitted, but not shared water fountains; communal showers are closed, but individual showers/stalls can remain open so long as they are cleaned in between use.
- Air Handling Systems: Gyms should operate at MERV-13 or greater; if they are unable to operate at that level, they must have a heating, ventilation and air conditioning professional document their inability to do so and adopt additional ventilation and mitigation protocols from American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Inspection: Local health departments shall inspect before or within two weeks of the gym/fitness center opening to ensure compliance.
New York is now at a daily positive COVID-19 test rate of less than one percent. Despite the state having been in the final stage of reopening since mid-July, the governor had kept gyms closed during this time. Statewide, clubs were closed on March 22 to slow the COVID-19 spread, but in New York City, clubs were ordered closed on March 16.
"While it's encouraging that we've reached the point where it's acceptable for them to begin reopening in our communities, this is not the time to forget that the pandemic is ongoing,” Gov. Cuomo said in the announcement. “New Yorkers must closely adhere to the guidelines and local health departments are required to strictly enforce them to help ensure gyms and fitness centers reopen safely and protect the public health."