24 Hour Fitness Announces their New Safety Protocols for Reopening of Gyms in Texas

Last night we learned, through an email alert, of 24 Hour Fitness’ planned reopening in the state of Texas, and the approach they’d be using in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. These reopenings are to take place on May 18, 2020.

This comes at a time amidst widespread talk of re-openings in a country which for weeks has been filled with stay-at-home orders and varying levels of lock-down. The degrees of which depend upon which city and state you happen to be looking at.

According to their website, the gym has 430+ Clubs in 14 States. In New York State, they’ve got gyms within 13 counties and/or cities. Texas would be the focus of this page.

From April to May, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a number of Executive Orders allowing for the reopening of certain businesses, services and activities as long as a 25% capacity directive was obeyed. Certain travel restrictions would be lifted as well. These orders were to go into effect on May 1. On May 6, he would issue another Executive Order expanding upon his previous ones.

The Health Fitness club detailed a string of new safety protocols as listed below:

• Workout reservations made through their 24GO® app,
• Touch-Free Club Check In using the app,
• Enhanced Sanitation which involves 30 minute club cleanings before and after every workout (in addition to their overnight cleaning and disinfecting),
• PPE (gloves and masks) wearing personnel,
• Reimagined Floor Plan for the sake of social distancing,
• Dedicated time window (at some locations) for seniors.

Concerning the above, as a member of the club, I’ve never been fond of their finger scan which involved pressing one’s finger on a fingerprint scanner prior to entering one’s phone number. Good to see their touch-less approach. Something I fathom the rest of the world to be heading towards.

Also, my local gym always had a cramped feel about it to begin with. I’m afraid, such as been the case with other NYC gyms I’ve been to (of which I’ve visited many). Social distancing is a welcomed rule when it comes to being at the gym.

Their Health First Page mentions their approach to cleanliness and sanitation. 30 minute cleanings would take place before and after every reservation. Their would also be overnight cleanings while the clubs are closed. Throughout the day, their workers would be striving to keep the workout areas clean through continued wiping down of equipment.

IF, this protocol were to become the norm in New York City then it may very well make their gyms here the cleanest spots in the Big Apple. It would be a day to night transformation considering the bad rap fitness areas were getting during the onset of the pandemic. At that time, and even now, they would be considered as the worst places to be in. Maybe this chain will be showing everyone what’s possible?

Their Health First Video below:

Now if you go to their site’s homepage you’ll find a button labeled:

“See What Areas Are Reopening
Government and public health agency guidelines vary from county to county.”

Pressing that button takes you to a page where Texas is listed at the only State. Click on it and you’ll get the locations set to open on May 18.

The cities listed there are: Lewisville, Arlington, Fort Worth, Mansfield and McKinney.

Since the Covid-19 crisis began, I’ve gotten five email alerts from these folks. Contrary to the usual overbearing stream of emails I’ve been accustomed to.

On March 7, one alert instructed me on the best methodology to use towards remaining safe and healthy. At that point in time, New York was just on the cusp of dealing with the virus. It was on March 1 that we’d gotten the first confirmed case in the state.

March 16’s email would tell us that all 24 Hour Fitness Clubs would close as of midnight that evening. Days earlier, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a State of Emergency for the city. Days later, Governor Andrew Cuomo would be talking about a partial lockdown at first, followed by a full scale lockdown (or as he would call it, ‘New York on Pause‘.

On April 1, we’d learn that their clubs would be closed for an extended period of time.

Their April 21 email would talk of reopening. This comes on the heels of Government talk about reopening parts of America. ‘Reopening’ would also find its way in the vocabulary of New York’s Governor in the past weeks.

Then there would be last night’s email speaking about the exact subject of this page: Actual Reopening in Texas.

I look forward to one day finally getting back to a good workout. Whether it’s at 24 Hour Fitness or any of the other gyms I frequent. I wish them the very best of success with this approach. Many of us couldn’t even imagine returning to such a world with all that we’ve been through while adhering to the demands of social distancing. This gym’s approach really looks promising. If they’re able to pay the bills and still carry this out? Then God Speed!