Gym re-opening.

Systematic re-opening of gym facilities.

I feel that gym could start to re-open when lockdown is eased. The simple way to do it would be to cut the maximum capacity by 75% - so, if a gym was previously able to accommodate 100 persons then now it would be 25. I would then also make it mandatory for additional cleaning & antibacterial stations to be provided at each available piece of equipment in the gym. Council run (or gyms run in partnership to the council) would be easy to monitor to assure compliance with guidelines. Private gyms should be made to sign a consent form, making them aware that they may be subject to EHO (Environmental Health Officer) visits at any time during their posted opening hours. If they do not wish to sign then they simply cannot re-open yet. The same social distancing signage that is in supermarkets could be provided and it could be made mandatory for the signage to be displayed. A door marshal could be posted at the entry/exit to monitor numbers.

I feel that this idea is an important one as keeping fit and healthy has benefits that go beyond just looking good. A fit and healthy population will be less likely to need the NHS for minor health complaints - which would be beneficial now more than ever, especially considering the extreme pressure COVID-19 has put on our healthcare system. Keeping active has other benefits for people. It's well known that exercise can keep people mentally healthy also.