TRENTON, NJ – After a long and hard-fought battle, gym owners across New Jersey have been granted the privilege or reopening their businesses after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy finally gave his blessing. It’s good news for gyms like Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, but even better news for gym owners who did not have their licenses revoked, sued and put in jail. While the battle to reopen may be over, for gym owners, the battle of survival remains.
Can they get their customers to come back, or is it too little too late to keep their doors open? The gym industry has been shut down nearly five months under Murphy’s executive orders.
“Today, I will be signing an executive order allowing all gyms and health clubs and indoor amusement facilities to reopen to their members and customers beginning this upcoming Tuesday, September 1st,” Murphy said. “When the doors reopen in our gyms capacity will be limited to 25 in any single time fitness classes will also be allowed to resume but their capacity must be limited to one customer per every 200 square feet of classroom space to ensure proper distancing.”
Murphy’s gym protocols will also apply to fitness activities like pilates and yoga classes that were already permitted to resume. All gym-goers are required to wear masks at all times when in the gym. Employees and staff must wear masks at all times. Trainers must keep client logs of all gym members and staff for in the facility must be maintained so should a positive test be received by someone who was in a gym our contact tracers can get right to work.
The governor said that once a positive case is confirmed in a gym, his army of 1,500 contact tracers would start notifying other gym-goers who were there with them.
Gym equipment must be spaced to allow a minimum of six feet of distance between all gym-goers. Where equipment can’t be moved, certain machines must be cordoned off so that gym goers are at least six feet apart so for example in a row of treadmills this may mean that only every other treadmill will be available for use.
Only equipment that can be properly sanitized in between uses should be made available to the public.