If you are one of the many New Yorkers who have missed the bench press, the elliptical, and the free weights at your local fitness center, you are in luck. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo officially gave the green light for gyms throughout New York State to open on Monday, August 24, with Mayor Bill de Blasio authorizing indoor workouts throughout the five boroughs starting in September.
Establishments will need to operate with a limited capacity and follow a slew of safety protocols. However, there are still a few things New Yorkers should keep in mind before heading back. Waleed Javaid, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains what every fitness enthusiast needs to know before heading back to the gym.
What precautions should you take when heading back to the gym?
There are three critical elements that we all need to consider:
Wear a face covering during all social interactions—this includes your gym workouts. Be sure to have on a surgical mask or a cloth face covering that shields your nose and mouth.
Hand hygiene is extremely important. When you enter and leave the gym, you should wash your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer. Also, sanitize your hands when switching between machines or using new equipment.
Maintain social distance as much as possible. Make sure you are keeping six feet away from everyone all the time. There will be exceptions to this rule when we might have to walk past somebody. That is fine, but should be limited.
Last, remember that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. So, if you are ill, you should not be going to a gym or be out in any public setting.
Are there health practices that gym goers should look for at their fitness center?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has come out with recommendations for gyms that include social distancing, masking requirements, making sure that hand sanitization is available, and limiting the amount of people who will be in the gym at any given time. In addition to the CDC’s guidelines, the New York State Health Department has issued air filtration guidance for establishments. Those planning to head to their gym should check that it regularly follows these guidelines.
I plan to hit the gym. Are there activities that are high risk for spreading COVID-19 that I should avoid?
Higher risk activities include anything that requires you to be close to another person—for example, bench presses. If your workouts involve close contact with another person, it might be helpful to have a regular gym buddy or maybe even a small group of people that you work out with regularly. But, you will need to make sure that everybody you work with or work closely with is extremely careful with their activities outside of the gym. Also, any activity that will require you to take your mask off should be avoided. For example, if you typically run on the treadmill for an hour, may not be able to wear a mask.
Everyone should prepare to adopt these key practices for next six to eight months while we work on an effective treatment or vaccine for COVID-19.
Is the virus spread through sweat?
There is no clear evidence that COVID-19 is spread through sweat. We do know that the virus is spread through contact with respiratory droplets emitted from the nose and mouth. So, if a person with COVID-19 touches their face, they can contaminate their hands and other surfaces with the virus.
Studies have shown that people touch their face, on average, five times an hour. So, in terms of COVID-19 prevention, I would not worry about sweat in the gym. I would be more concerned about wiping down equipment with a disinfectant before use.
How risky is it to head back to the gym?
I’m not sure if I can put a number on the risk. It’s important to remember that any activity that increases our social interaction is going to increase our risk. Going to the grocery store, going out on the street with many people—that is risky. Heading to an indoor gym where people might be breathing heavily and where there might be close contact with others is certainly a higher risk.
One thing that New York City has recommended is that gyms install enhanced filters to increase air circulation. In addition to wearing a face covering, practicing social distance, and having excellent hand hygiene—I believe increased air circulation in these enclosed spaces might decrease the risk.
Do you have any additional advice for those thinking about hitting the gym?
I think following COVID-19 prevention guidance is going to be important. Social distance, wear a face covering, wash your hands extensively, and stay away from those who are obviously ill.
In the case of gyms, it will be especially important to make sure that machines and any fitness equipment that you use are disinfected properly. This should enhance your ability to stay away from this illness while working out at the gym.