Is it safe to go to the gym during the coronavirus pandemic?

Is it safe to go to the gym during the coronavirus pandemic?

It depends on where you live and what precautions you and the gym take.

Experts say it’s best to stay away from gyms during COVID-19. (iStock)

If COVID-19 cases are poorly controlled where you live, experts say it’s best to stay away. But if you live in an area where the spread is being contained, there are ways to minimize the risk when you exercise.

To ensure everyone stays at least 6 feet away, gyms must take steps like moving machines, blocking areas, and limiting the number of people who can enter, says Dr. Marybeth Sexton, an assistant professor of infectious disease at the University. from Emory.

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Avoiding the locker room, bringing your own bottle of water, and using hand sanitizer also helps reduce risk, Sexton says.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also suggests registering online, rather than in person, and looking for activities that are outdoors rather than indoors when possible.

Gym personnel should clean exercise machines between uses and regularly clean other areas that are frequently touched with virus-killing products.

And experts say that facial covers should be used in the gym whenever possible.

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Sexton also suggests bringing a backup mask. If the one you’re wearing is really damp with sweat, she says it might not be as effective.

Even for those who are careful, gyms pose a risk. Many are indoors, where ventilation is limited and social distancing can be challenging. In an ongoing pandemic, if you can manage to sweat without going back to the gym for now, that’s the best option, according to Sexton.

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“If you can exercise alone outside, it’s safer than being in the gym,” he said.

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