Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor John Husted announced Thursday that gyms and fitness centers will be able to open May 26th in Ohio, subject to regulations.
The announcement came as the state announced reopenings for several types of businesses Thursday.
The guidelines are as follows:
For Facilities:
- Limit capacity based on available space and ability to social distance with six feet between members/clients, except where instructors must be in close proximity
- Set facility up for social distancing by spacing equipment to provide a six foot radius or by disabling equipment
- For class settings, set up work areas before arrival of students, allowing at least a six foot radius around users
- Reinforce spacing through training with employees and reinforcement with members/clients
- Remove excess seating though the facility to discourage lingering
- Reduce class sizes to accommodate the required six feet of social distancing
- Eliminate lost and founds
- Establish log-in procedures for members/clients, and maintain that information for potential contact tracing
- Hand washing or sanitation upon entry to facility
- Use sanitizer products that meet the CDC guidelines
- Have sanitizer available through the facility for employees and members/clients
- Provide cleaning products, EPA-approved disinfectants or disinfecting wipes for sanitizing equipment before and after use by clients
- Routine disinfection of high-contact surfaces, desk workstations, restrooms, pool ladders as well as equipment
- Deep cleaning after hours or during low-use times for 24-hour facilities
- In entry, post signs requiring social distancing and recommending face coverings
- Remove or disable water fountains, but allow bottle filling stations, if they are no-touch stations
- Post reminder signage for hand-washing, sanitization of equipment, distancing, etc.
For Locker Rooms and Public Restrooms:
- Disable, or mark every other or every third locker for non-use to enforce social distancing
- Remove any casual seating other than benches by lockers as necessary
- Clean and disinfect public areas and restrooms every 2 hours, particularly on high-tough surfaces
- If independent showers are available and used, they must be attended and sanitized between each use
- Disable or close-off communal style showers except for rinsing off before and after any pool activity
- Make sure supplies for handwashing are fully stocked every time the bathroom is cleaned.
- Disable or close-off steam rooms and saunas
- If towels are provided, they are to be stored in covered, sanitized containers that are clearly delineated clean vs soiled.
- Restroom facilities should limit the numbers of users at any one time based on the facility size current social distancing guidelines
For employees:
- Provide instruction/education on COVID-19 prevention
- Encourage employees to take their temperature and perform a self-assessment and not report to work if they are ill or symptomatic
- Businesses must require all employees to wear facial coverings with execptions
For members/clients:
- Check-in upon arrival at facility
- Members/clients must conduct self-assessment and not enter a facility if they are experiencing symptoms
- When participating in class training, do not arrive more than 10 minutes prior to class
- No socializing or extra-curricular activities
- Partners exercising together and sharing equipment must maintain group segmentation from others exercising
- At child-centric training/instructions, limit parents/guardians to one individual
For Indoor sports:
- Social distancing of six feet will be adhered to unless drills and personal instruction require less separation
- Members/clients will use their own balls/rackets/paddles/equipment
- if balls are passed, they must be disinfected after the training session
For the full list of guidelines, you can see them at Ohio’s coronavirus website: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/Gyms-Dance-Instruction.pdf
The governor says the state is following the guidance of an advisory group, made up of about 40 people who run fitness centers and related businesses.
As soon as the protocols are listed by the state, this story will be updated with the protocols.
Lt. Gov. Husted said, “These protocols are designed to do the things we love while also keeping our families safe.”
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