‘No touching’
Houston gyms ramp up cleanliness, in wake of coronavirus pandemic
No hugs, no hands-on adjustments, no touching.
While classes remain on the schedule at Houston’s Black Swan Yoga locations, common practices have been changed to handle COVID-19, the new coronavirus that has been officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
“We (usually) have props in the studios — blocks and straps you can use to get in poses, but we’ve removed all the props from the rooms and are encouraging students to bring their own,” said Olivia Keller, owner and instructor at Black Swan on White Oak Drive.
Mats, too. Cleaning routines have been amplified to a rinseand-disinfect process between each class. While class is in session, door handles, the front desk, bathroom surfaces and the studio’s most-touched areas are wiped down. After each class, the yoga floor is mopped.
The studio has even leveled up the types of cleaning solutions it uses, shifting from cleaners with all-natural ingredients to full chlorine and other bacteria-killing chemicals, Keller said.
And, of course, students are being encouraged to stay away if they feel sick and to wash their hands.
“I definitely want to be there for people (whose plans have changed),” she said. “The daytime classes haven’t taken a dip at all.
I’m wondering if everyone is staying home and coming out during the day.”
It begs the question: Should you go to the gym during the coronavirus pandemic?
No governmental agency has advised against it. But if there was ever an “Enter at Your Own Risk” scenario, a building with the sole purpose of making you sweat is it.
The virus is thought to be spread mainly person to person, from people who are in close contact with one another (6 feet or less) through respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There’s no word on sweat, though.
While it may be possible to contract the virus by touching a surface or object carrying the virus before touching their own mouth, nose or eyes, the CDC does not believe that’s the main way the virus is spread.
IHRSA, a global community of health and fitness professionals, recommends enhanced cleaning procedures and communication with members on cleaning policies. The organization recommends gyms post new signage to remind clients to wash their hands regularly, wipe down equipment before and after use, cover coughs or sneezes and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
But with how quickly the virus is spread, it’s important to stay home when you feel sick — period.
Jordan Seff, co-owner of Savarese
Fight Fit, a Houston boxing club, will waive cancellation fees for people who are nervous about community spread or are feeling sick.
Twice a week, the gym’s rubber mat floor is cleaned by a Viper, a sort of miniature-Zamboni, that’s filled with disinfectant fluid. The yoga mats and punching bags are cleaned after every use with individual sanitizing wipes.
The boxing gloves, which are provided for clients, are doublecleaned and dried after each use. The hand wraps are dry-cleaned at the same rate, and clients are encouraged to bring their own and are given the opportunity to wash and dry them at the gym, and leave them in an assigned locker.
“We have a ton of Purell hand sanitizer around, especially for the kids’ classes on the weekend (plus) a ton of wipes,” Seff said. “I know it’s a bit overkill, but (my partner and husband) both told me how disgusting mats can be. That really kind of made me (obsessive compulsive) on how we clean the gym in general.”
The CDC and WHO is recommending “social distancing” and staying away from large gatherings for the foreseeable future.
However, working out with others at a gym may be that sense of normalcy people are seeking amid Cancellation 2020.
Cleanliness is top priority for Debrah Hall, owner of DEFINE Bellaire, which offers barre, indoor cycling, trampoline, yoga and a class on mindfulness.
The yoga and barre mats are steam cleaned thrice weekly, up from once a week. Since the outbreak started, clients are wiping
down their area before class and afterward, Hall said.
At O Athletik, president and co-owner James Cooper said a seventh person has been added to the cleaning crew, with one person dedicated to the bathroom and shower area. With 2,000 clients coming in on a weekly basis, coronavirus concerns were addressed early and cleaning takes place during operating hours.
“We have a high utilization rate, so we make sure everything is clean,” Cooper said. “The important thing to understand is even if (our clients) are healthy and strong, that’s no reason to take chances and be dirty. You come in, you wash your hands and clean yourself.”