Colorado state health department releases new guidelines on gyms
DENVER -- The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released new guidelines Thursday allowing indoor gyms, fitness classes and other indoor recreation to reopen.
The main takeaway is that indoor facilities will be able to reopen up to 25% capacity or 50 people per room, whichever is fewer.
The State detailed the guidelines to reopen for indoor gyms, indoor fitness classes, recreation centers, bowling alleys, pools and indoor sports facilities:
- Limit indoor facilities to up to 25% capacity, or 50 people, whichever is fewer, per room, so long as people can stay 6 feet apart from each other.
- Limit the pool to 25% capacity, or up to 50 people.
- It is strongly encouraged to limit pool activity to lap swim. If you permit open swim, make efforts to reduce in-pool interactions between people not in the same household.
- Teams participating in organized recreation against one another, and as a result, experiencing greater contact, should still observe the limit of 25 players, excluding coaches.
- Use a reservation system or use pre-existing electronic capacity monitoring systems if feasible to space out and limit participants gathered at one time.
- Discourage use of any shared equipment, and ensure all equipment is cleaned and disinfected in between each use.
- Take steps, such as closing off a series of lockers to promote physical distancing and reduce gatherings in restrooms, showers, and locker rooms.
- Maximize ventilation by using fans and opening windows, wherever possible.
- Provide access to hand sanitizer.
- Request staff members and patrons wear face coverings when they can do so safely.
- Conduct symptom and temperature checks for employees and refer symptomatic employees to the CDPHE Symptom Tracker (Additional Guidance).
- Employees who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms should not come to work.
- Employees who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at work should immediately notify their supervisor and be separated from others, sent home, and referred to state or company support services.
- Post signs for employees and customers outlining good hand/respiratory hygiene and safety measures being taken. Signs should be in languages customers will understand. (CDC examples)
