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Gym safety during the pandemic: Local gym talks changes

We checked in with one local gym to catch up on the changes and see how customers are staying safe while keeping fit.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Are you back in the gym? For those of you who chose to go back, things probably look quite different. We looked into how gyms are making more changes as the pandemic hits four months in North Alabama. 

Fariba Tabarrok of 24/7 Health Club in Huntsville says things are very different than they were just a few months ago. She says, “It has been an interesting time. But, the main thing is we wanted to get back open. That was very important to our customers.” 

The gym had to close its doors for a month at the start of the pandemic. But, the doors have reopened-- with hand sanitizer, safety notices and sanitation chemicals just about everywhere you look. 

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Some changes you see before even stepping foot in the workout rooms. 

At the "Kids Zone" parents could normally go in and drop off their children before they go into work out. But, things look a little bit different now. There are sanitizers and temperature guns to check their temperatures before going in. And parents won’t be allowed past a certain point. 

Here's a post from the 24/7 Health Club Facebook page alerting customers of the Madison County masking ordinance earlier this month: 

Staff check the temperature of each child before entering. And even check their own temperatures to assure parents they’re symptom free during drop-off. Kids over the age of 2 are required to wear masks. 

When customers do make their way into the gym, they can grab a sanitizing bottle and a towel to wipe down equipment before and after using it. 

Some customers tell our reporter the cleaning supplies make them feel much more comfortable. 

According to guidelines, masks aren’t required during physical activity. But, some some members of the gym continue to wear them even when walking from one machine to another. 

Tabarrok says most of the heavy-duty cleaning happens during the day randomly as staff circulate, during their scheduled twice-daily “deep cleans" and after hours. She adds, “We have, once a week, a company that comes in and they spray every surface in this building with a chemical that meets  EPA guidelines that is proven to kill the COVID-19 virus.” 

Face masks are required throughout the building. Tabarrok tells our reporter, the changes are an adjustment. But, customers say the benefits are worth taking the extra steps for. She adds, “What we find is most people are concerned about health care issues. A gym is a great place to be if you want to bring down your cholesterol levels without taking medication. A lot of people are fighting diabetes; they need to be in here.” 

Tabarrok says, most embrace the the changes. 

“We’re getting back to ‘living’ again in the best way that we can.” 

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