Gym closures a proactive way to limit spread, health officials say

While many gym owners push back against the latest restrictions, health officials insist closing gyms is an important proactive step to stopping spread.

In extreme risk zones like here in lane county, indoor gyms have to be closed.

Many gym owners say its unfair... because they aren't contributing to outbreaks -- while others say they completely understand as kezi 9 news reporter emma jerome shares -- health officials say it's all part of a bigger picture.

Emilio debess: " no mask fits perfectly so you know that stuff is pumping out based on that excessive breathing and exercise" emma jerome: "gym owners say there haven't been any workplace outbreaks at their gym.

But what do health professionals say?

And is the governor's office following the science?"

Dr emilio debess is a senior health officer for the oregon health authority's covid response team.

He says the science behind why gyms have to stay closed is cut and dry ed "in our minds it's a combined space -- viruses blow more than 6 feet -- scientific studies are telling us that's a risky situation" and as we know -- that's how viruses spread.

A statement from the governor's office said, in part ""health and safety measures only mitigate the risk of contracting covid-19, they do not eliminate it.

... .

All of the risk reduction measures in place--- including the temporary closures of indoor gyms in extreme risk counties re intended to curb human contactand reduce the frequency of those encounters."

Some gym owners say they understand jeremy steckler "we're going to be dressing warm, being outside, wearing gloves, it's going to suck, but you know when we get to tne end of this we're going to be stronger and more together than ever before" jeremy steckler, owner of eugene crossfit, says the last thing he wants to do is get someone sick.

Js "we're freakin' fighting with everything we can trying to figure out how to keep people safe, stay in the regulations and keep our business open" dr debess said data doesn't trace many outbreaks back to gyms. but the restictions are preventative -- and all part of the bigger picture ed "the number of cases are going up and the hospitalizations are going up and fatalities are going up so we need to think more proacvtively at this point " in extreme risk counties such as lane -- all indoor workout facilities are closed... the guidance for where a county falls is re evaluated every 2 weeks in eugene emma