Gyms still not ‘fit’ enough to open
VIJAYAWADA: EVEN during Unlock 2.0, there are several sectors which are yet to resume operations. Fitness industry is one among them. In the wake of spike in Covid-19 cases across the country, the government has not permitted gyms to reopen. But trainers and fitness experts, who have been rendered jobless due to the nationwide lockdown, are of the view that reopening of gyms would help combat coronavirus effectively as workouts enhance immunity of people.
As the nation is getting ready for Unlock 3.0 from August, gym owners have urged the government to allow them to reopen their fitness centres by promising that they will strictly adhere to Covid-19 protocol. Vijayawada has around 150 gyms, including the elite ones run by the leading fitness clubs. P Ramesh, owner of Durga’s Gym, who has been in the fitness industry for the past 15 years, told TNIE that he never faced this kind of crisis before. “I have to pay `50,000 per month towards rent for my gym spread over 4,000 sq ft at Gollapudi and salaries to trainers and housekeeping staff. Six families are dependent on the gym for their livelihood. We are finding it difficult to make ends meet due to corona-induced lockdown.
With no signs of permitting gyms and fitness centres to reopen in near future, several owners in the city have shut shop unable to bear huge maintenance costs with zero income,” Ramesh said, urging the government to allow them to resume operations. M Siva Rama Krishna, a fitness trainer in Durga’s Gym, said, “We have been rendered jobless for over three months. How can the government deny permission to reopen the gyms during coronavirus when immunity is the key to fight the pandemic. With the closure of gyms, a section of people are finding it difficult to carry out their daily workouts for improving their immunity. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in its recent guidelines has also stressed the need for carrying out daily workouts to improve one’s immune system, apart from taking a healthy diet. Keeping this in view, the government should permit gyms and fitness centres to reopen.”
Despite the fact that gyms help boost people’s immunity, some medical experts are of the view that it may cause havoc. At present, the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing steadily in the country. People should consider their health risk before going back to gyms. While exercising in gyms, individuals breathe out and the breath is more than normal and so there is a scope for the spread of virus. In the present scenario, it is advisable for people to do daily workouts at home and follow the health advisory strictly to stay fit, said Dr N Gopi Chand, Head of Epidemiology Department, New Gove r nment General Hospital.