Commercial gyms and indoor classes in Suffolk will be allowed to reopen on Monday, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced today.
Each facility will be subject to a county health inspection to ensure proper protocols are in place and adhere to State guidelines to protect customers and staff.
Hotel, office, higher education, and residential gyms will be allowed to reopen on Monday, Aug. 31.
The county will host a virtual meeting with gym and fitness center owners tomorrow to review guidance, provide clarifications and answer any questions to ensure each business is able to reopen safely. Those interested in participating should register here.
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services will begin inspections on Monday for commercial gyms, Bellone said.
Prior to the inspection, gym owners and managers will have to complete the affirmation for each facility location, which can be found on the NY Forward website, that they have reviewed and understand the New York State guidelines and will implement these protocols. Once an attestation form is submitted, Suffolk County will begin the process of scheduling inspections. Each facility will receive an automated email with a scheduled date and timeframe for the inspection, along with other critical information.
Facilities will be required to close communal showers, whirlpools, saunas/steam rooms, water fountains and self-serve bars and samplers. While classes will be allowed to proceed, the following guidelines must be met, in which the most restrictive guidelines should determine maximum class capacity: six feet of distance in all directions for all class participants, class size will be limited to 33% capacity of total class size, no more than 50 people.
Additional requirements include sanitizing stations, acceptable face coverings that do not include bandanas, buffs, and gaiters, and the limitation of physical contact activities such as boxing and martial arts. In addition, at each inspection, businesses will receive a gallon of NYS Clean hand sanitizer.
“With our infection rate holding steady at or below 1% and a robust testing system in place, we are confident we can reopen gyms in a way that is both safe and responsible,” Bellone said.
“I want to remind our residents and gym owners that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. The tides may shift in this battle at any minute and we must do everything we can to prevent a second wave. So be smart, wear a mask, and follow all safety protocols.”
Gym owners can call Suffolk 311 or visit the Suffolk County BRU website, to answer questions or learn of the latest updates.
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