Owners of Planet Fitness locations throughout Oregon are appealing to Oregon Governor Kate Brown to roll back her restrictions on fitness centers, and allow their fitness centers to open at minimal capacity starting January 1, 2021. To date, no public health data has been provided by the Governor’s Office or the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to allege the spread of the virus through fitness clubs or to support the complete closure of fitness centers. To the contrary, recent data from multiple states has shown that the virus spreads mostly through small and large home gatherings and among close groups of friends and family members, not fitness centers. Only five states (Oregon, Washington, California, Minnisota and Pennsylvania) have closed their fitness centers to the public. As recently as December 9, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo specifically stated that fitness centers should not be closed because they do not contribute to major spreader events. Several other governors around the country have come to the same conclusion. There have been more than 1.2 million Planet Fitness member check-ins in Oregon through November 30 with .00119 percent later testing positive for COVID-19, and there is zero evidence these positive cases originated at Planet Fitness. That’s 1.19 cases for every 100,000 check-ins.
While fitness centers were able to operate at a limited capacity from May to November, recent restrictions imposed by Governor Brown have shuttered them entirely, while allowing restaurants, salons, tattoo parlors, liquor stores and other commercial services to continue to operate. Currently, 20 Planet Fitness locations around the state are closed indefinitely, resulting in 260 layoffs and leaving 140,000 members without a safe and affordable place to exercise. This comes during a critical time in the pandemic, as winter begins in the Pacific Northwest, when people will be stuck indoors with limited access to fitness options that allow them to stay healthy, both physically and mentally.
Oregon Fitness Centers Following State-mandated Safety Protocols
Additionally, when the pandemic began, Planet Fitness and other independent fitness centers around Oregon followed state requirements, spending thousands of dollars on ventilation systems, sanitization efforts, enforcing mask and physical distancing requirements and reorganizing their facilities to keep members safe from COVID-19. Planet Fitness has a 98-page safety and training manual specific to COVID-19 precautions to keep their members safe and ensure the facilities and machines are sanitized to prevent the spread of the virus.
“It makes zero public health sense that Oregonians are allowed to stand in line to buy a cheeseburger or a gallon of liquor, or be within inches of someone for an extended time getting a tattoo, but they are prohibited by the State from visiting their fitness center to run on a treadmill safely distanced from other members,” said Dan Afrasiabi, Planet Fitness franchise owner in Oregon. “As 45 other states and many countries throughout the world have realized, fitness centers are part of the solution, not the problem. Many of our members rely on our fitness centers to get exercise and help improve their chronic health conditions, whether it’s managing their diabetes or getting their weight under control, along with their mental well-being. This is a larger issue around equity and health that is being ignored without evidence to back it up by our state leaders.”
Opening Fitness Centers and Gyms at Limited Capacity Helps Address Health Inequity
The Planet Fitness owners in Oregon stressed that where someone lives or what their income is should not determine whether they have access to physical fitness. Planet Fitness is an affordable, accessible option for most people. Most Planet Fitness members, who pay a $10/month membership fee, don’t have the resources to purchase a home gym, and visiting their fitness centers is the only way they can get exercise. Planet Fitness locations give members access to cardio and strength-training machines, free fitness training, shower facilities and much more for a small monthly fee.
“Our top priority is the health and safety of our members and Oregonians. We are not asking Governor Brown to roll back all restrictions, and commend her for the work she is doing to help guide us through this pandemic. But we want to open our businesses, even at an extremely limited capacity, like other industries have been permitted to do. The health and welfare of thousands of Oregonians and hundreds of our furloughed team members depends on it,” Afrasiabi adds.
Local Oregon Leaders Back Fitness Center and Gym Owners
Appreciating how reasonable and informed the request is, several Oregon state representatives are urging the Governor and OHA to allow Oregon’s Planet Fitness owners and others to reopen their facilities at an extremely limited capacity.
Equipped with the state’s own health data, Oregon legislators on the state Health Care Committee peppered Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen with pointed questions last week about why fitness centers and gyms are facing tougher restrictions than other industries. Those questions remain unanswered, while Planet Fitness locations remain closed. Owners have decided to refrain from charging members fees while facilities are closed, yet they are left scrambling to pay rent, forced to furlough hundreds of workers and preventing thousands of Oregonians from getting the exercise they need to stay healthy and well.
“January is a crucial time for Oregonians looking to fulfill health and fitness goals at the beginning of the New Year. If restrictions aren’t loosened, the state risks the loss of more jobs and businesses that help keep all Oregonians healthy, not just those who can afford to workout at home,” says Afrasiabi.
Oregonians are encouraged to express their support for reopening fitness centers and gyms by sharing their opinion with Governor Brown online.
A separate effort by the Oregon Health & Fitness Alliance (OHFA) to get gyms and fitness centers reopened is also underway.
