PROBLEM UNCOVERED
Man quits gym over lax face-mask enforcement.
Gyms, like churches where people sing in close proximity to each other, are some of the most dangerous places to be right now.
It’s “very easy to have a superspreading event where one person can infect a large number of people,” said Dr. Jason Knight, chief medical officer at Houston Methodist in The Woodlands and an emergency department doctor.
Why? Just breathing harder increases the chance for aerosolization, in which the virus is converted into particles light enough to be carried on the air.
“When you lift something heavy, you’re naturally inclined to grunt, breathe hard or increase the pressure in your body to lift heavier,” Knight said. “Breathing in that way, you’re much more likely to project spit and breath and that will spread the virus.”
On treadmills and other cardio equipment, a person not wearing a face covering will project their breath much farther than 6 feet, Knight said.
Ben Park, 35, stayed away from the gym for three months. And it was starting to take a toll on him.
He exercised at his Conroe home with resistance bands, but it did not come close to filling that need for a hard workout.
“There’s some part of me where I just feel better when I’m able to get a workout in — they’re those mental and physical crutches that we rely on; it’s hard to rationalize,” Park said.
Park works at a university, and he and his family are not immunocompromised in any way. He felt comfortable to return to the Conroe Gold’s Gym the day after Gov. Greg Abbott mandated everyone wear face masks indoors, even while exercising. That was July 2.
The first day, the gym wasn’t packed, and nearly everyone, from staff to members, wore a mask, Park said.
By Day 2, the share of gymgoers in masks was down to about a half; on Day 3, Park said, only a quarter of people in the gym were adhering to the mask mandate.
He asked a staff member at the front desk for clarification on the gym’s mask policy. He was told that people are instructed to wear masks when they walk in the gym, and they’re advised to observe social distancing, but there would be no official policing of members on the gym floor.
Park messaged Gold’s Gym Houston on Instagram, which he found was the easiest way to get a direct answer. In the messages, he said he felt unsafe being surrounded by at least 20 people without masks, as well as staff members who weren’t wearing them or wearing them on their chins.
Screenshots from this conversation show that the Gold’s Gym Houston was not following mask mandates set by Montgomery County, the state of Texas or an official statement from Gold’s Gym corporate media relations.
In a message, the Houstonarea gym told Park that it is working hard to make the gym experience safe for everyone while following the government orders.
“We contacted our local government for more clarity, and inside the gym, if there is 6-feet of distance, then no mask is required as exercise is an exception,” reads a message from Gold’s Gym Houston from July 8.
According to the Montgomery County government website, face coverings must be worn inside gyms and fitness centers, including when exercising. The same rule applies for the entire state, per the governor’s executive order.
Members are required to wear their masks upon entry throughout the gym if they cannot maintain physical distancing, according to a July 24 statement from Gold’s Gym Houston via a corporate media relations representative. This is to coincide with the government mask mandate.
Exceptions are made for those with a medical condition that prohibits them from wearing a mask, but those people are encouraged to receive further guidance before going to the gym.
“All team members are required to wear masks at all times throughout the gym and regularly walk the floor to ensure all members are adhering to the rules,” the statement continued. “If a member refuses these state mandates, their membership may be revoked.”
Finally, the statement encouraged members “who observe another member not following these safety guidelines … to alert a manager.”
On July 24, Park was sent two photos from a friend inside the gym. Both photos showed at least 10 people not wearing masks in close proximity of each other. He did not share the photos with Gold’s Gym Houston.
Mask requirements have been set at at least two other Houstonarea gyms: Life Time and the YMCA of Greater Houston.
Life Time implemented a nationwide mask mandate July 27, including in states and markets with no existing government orders. People must wear the mask while walking through all areas of the club and must keep them on while exercising. Masks will not be expected to be worn “when not safe or practical,” say, when a person is eating, drinking, showering or swimming, or if the person has a physical or psychological disability that precludes them from wearing a mask.
At the Y, masks must be worn upon entering the building, in hallways, lobbies and common areas. They must be worn while using cardio equipment and before or after indoor group exercise classes, or swimming. Group exercise has been moved outdoors to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and provide more space, according to trainer Shelby Saylor; therefore, masks aren’t required during class.
They must be worn while using weight machines, free weights, on the indoor track and in all changing facilities and restrooms.
There is a much lower risk of transmission with outdoor exercise classes because of physical distancing and open air, Knight said. It’s still smart to wear a mask if you’re near others.
Knight wants to ask people which they prefer: running on a treadmill in a crowded gym with a mask or running outside with no mask on and practicing physical distancing. Plus, being outside requires no membership fee.
“There are so many good alternatives, and I encourage people to do that (instead of going to a gym),” Knight said. “It’s equally beneficial for your health, so I’m not sure why people would go to a gym right now.”
Exercise is crucial to Park’s mental health, but he has decided to stop going to the gym. It’s too much of a risk, he said.
“I want to see the gym put in the effort that could give me an excuse to go back to the gym consistently,” Park said.