Michiana gyms taking precautions against coronavirus

GRANGER, Ind. - With already one confirmed case of the coronavirus in St. Joseph County, the fear it will spread is already leading to events being canceled, schools and work having to choose online options, and local businesses increasing their cleaning efforts.

Local businesses, like gyms, are also being affected.

“We were slow as is with Notre Dame being on break so it was already expected to be a little bit slower but now with the coronavirus going around, people are anticipating the worse,” Alec Bradley, a manager at Orange Theory Fitness said.

“Some of our older members that have had medical issues are staying home staying away until this blows over,” Rebecca Stone, the General Manager at World Gym said.

That’s why gyms in the area are adding in extra cleaning sessions.

“Clorox wiping everything down between classes, whether it’s the cards we have here for our treadmills and rowers or just the benches stuff like that, keyboards,” Bradley said. “Try to prevent it from getting worse than it could already be.”

“We wipe down all the equipment,” Stone said. “Anything that people would sweat on sneeze on cough on. We have extra hand sanitizers out here.”

If you are sick, with coronavirus or something else, gym staffers encourage you to stay home.

“If you’re not feeling well, please stay home,” Stone said. “Let's keep this area healthy for everyone else.”

“You want to make people as safe and comfortable as they can especially when they’re working out. This is supposed to be a safe place where they don’t have to worry about anything,” Bradley said.

With more and more cases popping up around the state gyms here want to make sure that members who are sick and have to miss classes or workout, will not be negatively affected or charged.

“We’ve had a couple people ask about it, people have been saying that they are sick. We’ve been generous with them, working with them” Bradley said. “This is something no one could have predicted or expected to get as crazy as it has gotten."

Residents tell ABC57 they aren’t too worried.

“No fear just take the preventative precaution as far as the sanitizing, the disinfectants,” Jennifer Lubelski said.

“We come to the gym regularly and I have always been a person who wipes the equipment down prior to and after using it and I am continuing to follow that same procedure,” Cynthia Moore said.

“Just stress their cleaning,” Jim Grutzius said. “I don’t think there should be a big fear or panic at this point.”