While far from the January-February peak, new cases of covid-19 have been increasing. Nationwide each day for the past several weeks, covid cases have varied between 100,000 and 180,000 per day. In Tulsa the current average is about 92 cases per day and is on an upward trend. So covid-19 is not going away. As I’ve heard said more than once, “We may be through with covid-19, but covid-19 is not through with us.”
Gyms and health clubs have seen a resurgence in visits, now that most covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. But is it safe to go back to the gym?
Covid-19 is most effectively transmitted in respiratory aerosols, which are suspensions of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air. Such aerosols are able to contain and transmit the Covid-19 virus. In recent experiments, exercisers were analyzed to see how much aerosol was expelled at various levels of activity and various types of exercise. At rest, men and women breathe out about 500 aerosol particles per minute. But during strenuous exercise, such as a spin class or boot camp, women and men may exhale as many as 76,000 particles per minute, thereby greatly increasing the likelihood of transmission of respiratory illnesses.
How can the risk of disease transmission be reduced in congregant settings such as gyms? There are several useful strategies to reduce transmission risk:
Get vaccinated.
Insist on good ventilation and air exchange. Open windows if possible and make sure that your gym’s air conditioning units have adequate filters and that they draw in outside air.
Be sure that there are fans in the exercise rooms that can help keep air from stagnating.
Practice social distancing of at least six feet, and ideally 10 feet or more.
Arrange for classes to not be back-to-back but instead be separated by gaps of 15-30 minutes. This can allow the air to clear between sessions.
Wipe down your equipment before and after each use.
Wear a mask.
Choose a gym with higher ceilings that allow for more air circulation and dispersion of aerosols.
In times of high virus transmission in your community, consider moving your exercise routine outside until case numbers begin to decline.
Don’t stop exercising. Instead exercise wisely in spacious and well-ventilated facilities.
Check out this link for more information.