At least 61 at Hamilton cycling gym infected

When a spin studio opened in Hamilton, Ont., in July, its owners took several measures to prevent a novel coronavirus outbreak.

They removed about half the studio’s stationary bikes to allow room for social distancing, Elizabeth Richardson, the city’s medical officer, said Tuesday. Workers increased sanitation measures. Riders were asked to wear their masks into the studio and only remove them while exercising, in accordance with local rules.

Now, despite appearing to have complied with public health regulations, at least 61 people linked to the studio have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“They had done all sorts of things to remove the potential for spread,” Richardson said. “Unfortunately, gyms are a higher-risk place because of the fact that generally people are taking off their masks, they’re breathing at a higher rate.”

Although Hamilton requires masks to be worn in most public settings, the law includes an exemption for anyone “actively engaged in an athletic or fitness activity.” In keeping with that policy, the studio, SPINCO, allowed riders to remove their masks once clipped into their bikes, and told them to cover up again before dismounting.

In a recent Instagram post, SPINCO’S owners said they had been “hesitant” to reopen after getting the green light in July, and would not resume classes “until it is safe to do so.” Health officials have said the studio is temporarily closed and its management is co-operating fully with the investigation.

“We took all the measures public health offered, even added a few, and still the pandemic struck us again!’” the company wrote. SPINCO has more than a dozen locations across Canada.

As of Tuesday, 44 cases linked to specific classes were detected. An additional 17 instances of “secondary cases” were found among other contacts.

Barbara Yaffe, Ontario’s associate chief medical officer of health, told reporters on Wednesday that the province is reviewing its recommendations for spin studios and other gyms in response to the outbreak.

“Even though they followed guidelines, there was obviously significant transmission,” Yaffe said, “so I think we do need to review the guidelines.”