Covid, gyms may reopen in mid-July in UK

"The date for reopening gyms at the moment, is in just a couple of weeks' time", said PM. Reopening of pubs has irritated gym managers.

Boris Johnson will unveil further details about to reopen gyms within days. The government would make this decision for the sector if Brits follow the rules of lockdown easing.

Johnson may reopen gyms within days

The ministers are concluding the reports that will allow the sector to reopen in complete security. According to Whitehall sources, Gym can reopen on “mid-July“, which is as soon as next week. Health official warned about the risks, in fact they claimed to reopen indoor gym with strictly measures of social distancing.

In the reports, the government is considering measure to reopen swimming pools, beauty salons, nail bars, bowling alleys and casinos. Unfortunately, theaters and nightclubs may remain closed until further notice. The guidance will contain a reduction of the number of people allowed to work out and a constantly disinfection of the equipment. Changing room could be closed and people would have to use the same clothes.

Boris Johnson seems to be ready to move the next steps.

Obviously, he can implement new restrictions to the sector, if Covid cases increases and people don’t respect the rules. Chancellor Rishi Sunak alluded that gyms could reopen while unveiling his new Eat Out to Help Out vouchers in the Commons yesterday. The Prime Minister told LBC: “The best way forward for the country is to get the economy moving again. We are going to reopen gyms as soon as we can do it in a Covid-secure way and I think that the date for reopening gyms at the moment, if we can do it, is in just a couple of weeks’ time.”

Debate over the reopening

Sammy Wilson from the DUP, joked: “I think the clothes shops might welcome it as well, as once we’ve eaten our way through a month’s half-priced meals, we might all be visiting them”. Sunak replied: “Perhaps alongside ‘Eat Out To Help Out‘, we can make progress on reopening our gyms, so at the same time we can deal with that side of the equation.”

Gym owners have been critical to the government choice about reopening pubs before gyms. It sent poor public health message, in their opinion. “Gyms have posed a particular challenge because of the nature of their business. They basically involve having a large number of people indoors, sharing equipment and getting out of breath. When you are dealing with a respiratory virus that is obviously a challenge”, said a Whitehall source.