Here you will find current press releases on the low risk of COVID-19 infection in fitness centers.
EAWAG 09.02.2021
Wie hoch ist das Risiko, sich mit dem Coronavirus über den Kontakt mit Gegenständen und Oberflächen zu infizieren? Sehr gering – wie neue Studien zeigen.
Wie hoch ist das Risiko wirklich, sich mit SARS-CoV-2 anzustecken über Oberflächen, die von vielen Menschen häufig berührt werden? Zwei Studien, zu denen das Wasserforschungsinstitut (Eawag) beigetragen hat, zeigen, dass es keinen Grund zur Sorge gibt: Die Wahrscheinlichkeit, sich mit SARS-CoV-2 auf diese Weise anzustecken, ist viel geringer als auf vielen anderen Wegen.
Um dies zu untersuchen, testeten Biologen von April bis Juni 2020 fast 350 Proben auf der Oberfläche von Ladentüren, Müllcontainerdeckeln, Geldautomaten, Benzinpumpenpistolen und fussgängernahe Druckknöpfe. In 29 Proben, also acht Prozent der Fälle, wurde tatsächlich das genetische Material des Virus nachgewiesen. Sie waren also positiv. Die Konzentrationen waren jedoch so niedrig, dass Wissenschaftler die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Ansteckung durch diese kontaminierten Flächen als sehr gering einschätzen: “In weniger als 5 von 10.000 Fällen wäre diese Menge ausreichend”, sagt Timothy Julian von der Umweltmikrobiologie der Eawag. Die Studie wurde von zwei Forscherinnen der Tufts University in Somerville, einer Stadt mit 80.000 Einwohnern am Stadtrand von Boston (USA), geleitet.
SafeActive study 01.12.2020
SafeActive study – Data on the Europe-wide study published
As European society moves through the second wave of COVID-19, it is essential for the European health and fitness industry association that the industry, and EuropeActive’s national fitness associations in particular, have the facts to determine whether fitness facilities are safe for public use during the pandemic.
This study was conducted in collaboration with various research groups from Spain and England in order to collect relevant data and provide information on safety in fitness facilities. Over a period of six months, the research groups collected the attendance figures and positively reported coronavirus cases of visitors from 14 countries in 63,000 fitness facilities and then analyzed them statistically.
A total of 115,384,737 visits to fitness clubs and leisure centers over 25 weeks (May to the end of October) are available as data. There was a rate of positive reported COVID-19 cases of 1.12/100,000 visits (from 1,092 reported cases from members and 196 reported cases from employees). The data shows a stable flat trend in reported cases in fitness clubs/recreation centers and is independent of the partially exponential development of case numbers in the general population in each of the 14 countries. This flat trend is particularly relevant with regard to the second wave.
Furthermore, the data collection showed that considerable measures have been taken to implement protection concepts in accordance with industry guidelines to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the facilities.
SafeActive study 27.10.2020
SafeACTiVE study – Preliminary results show extremely low Covid-19 risk in fitness clubs
This article summarizes a recently published study that was carried out in European cooperation. The study shows once again how low the actual reports of positively tested gym visitors are. From 62 million visits to gyms in 13 European countries, an infection rate of 0.78 per 100,000 visits was determined. Two renowned universities analyzed the data collected. In this article, the director of one of the two universities emphasizes the importance of fitness in mitigating the course of the disease and calls once again for all citizens to continue to have access to fitness through gyms and not to make it more difficult.
fitness Management 06.10.2020
SafeACTiVE study’ provides independent figures on the risk of infection in the studio
As part of the digital European Health & Fitness Forum 2020 (EHFF), EuropeActive presented a new project for the first time that aims to provide independent figures on the actual risk of COVID-19 infection in Europe’s fitness and health studios. The project aims to provide independent and objective figures on the risk of infection in European gyms. Although the full analysis will not be completed until the end of October, there is already good news for the industry: In view of their initial results (which have so far only been presented online as part of the EHFF 2020), those responsible for the study assume that the risk in the studios is significantly lower than is currently being discussed in many places in the media.
Espanaactiva 30.09.2020
Manifesto for sports centers to continue to actively contribute to the system to combat COVID19, both in the prevention of infections and in the recovery of those affected
A statement from the National Federation of Sports Facilities FNEID and the Espana Activa Foundation assesses the situation surrounding Covid-19 and visits to gyms as follows: A recently published study from England shows that only 0.34 positive cases of corona can be detected for every 100,000 visits to fitness centers. These results are in line with a study at the University of Madrid, which is still running until October and the results of which will be published in the coming weeks. The protection program in the Spanish studios is very extensive and, according to current knowledge, is being strictly adhered to. The statement concludes with five points that summarize the relevance of gyms for the Spanish population as facilities for immune-boosting activities and for improving general health in the fight against covid-19.
Club Industry 02.09.2020
Health clubs are not spreading COVID-19, study finds
After 49.4 million visits to American fitness centers in three months since reopening, only a small percentage of Covid-19 cases have been detected. This is according to an American study that collected data from 2,873 fitness centers. The CEO of the IHRSA, International Health, Racquet&Sportsclub Association, confirms that the other Covid-19 cases within the population are 500 times this percentage within the same age groups. This article also emphasizes the importance of fitness centers in building and maintaining the immune system, especially in the fight against Covid-19.
ouest france 28.09.2020
The gym owners do not understand the government’s decision…
For every 25 million visits to French gyms, only 200 members tested positive. The article expresses incomprehension about the government’s decision to close gyms again in some areas. The figures of just 0.76 covid cases per 100,000 visits have given gym representatives something to talk about on social media and TV shows. They see jobs at risk and the fitness and health of many French people affected by this decision.
UKactive 19.09.2020
The fitness and leisure sector reports a COVID rate of 0.34 per 100,000 visits since the reopening in England
This article looks at the number of visitors to gyms since they reopened in England at the end of July and the number of people who tested positive who had worked out in the gyms immediately before their diagnosis. According to the authorities, the infections occurred outside the gyms and the virus was not spread by these people in the gyms. The article names gyms as a very important sector for increasing the fitness of the population in England and thus also strengthening the immune system in the fight against Covid-19.
Fitness.org 13.08.2020
Gyms are not a hotspot for COVID-19: industry questions latest comment
In this article, the CEO of Fitness Australia Barrie Elvish is critical of the prejudice that fitness centers should be described as hotspots for the spread of Covid-19. For him, categorization as a hotspot is inaccurate and damaging to the industry. Since the reopening on June 13, 6.26 million visits have been counted and no transmissions of the Covid virus. According to him, the importance of the fitness industry in maintaining mental fitness and strengthening the immune system and general well-being is important.
Globenewswire 07.07.2020
Sweat as a carrier of COVID-19 in the gym?
Can COVID-19 be transmitted via sweat in the gym or not? The International Society for Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating) has investigated this myth. The shocker: not only have experts so far considered it unlikely that COVID-19 viruses can actually be found in sweat glands in significant quantities – above all, experts clarify in this article that sweat has an extremely high antimicrobial effect due to its high nitrate content. The nitrate is chemically altered on contact with the skin and air and produces nitrite oxide as a by-product: Known as a highly potent antimicrobial that kills viruses, fungi and bacteria alike. The proven transmission routes are contact with aerosols, droplets or the secretions of mucous membranes containing the virus. The clear message of this article: So far, there is only evidence that makes the transmission of COVID-19 in sweat unlikely and rather speaks for the opposite: Sweat can help prevent a COVID-19 infection.
Fitness Management 29.05.2020
Physical performance and COVID-19: staying healthy through fitness training
In his article, Prof. Dr. Arne Morsch (DHfPG) explains the contribution that gyms can make as competent health partners in the context of prevention. Studies have shown that physical training in particular can increase the activity of T cells, which determines the severity of the course of the disease in the event of an immune response to a Covid-19 infection. In addition, regular fitness training protects against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Good physical fitness can therefore be seen as an important protective factor for health.
How can these findings be placed in the current situation?
Good physical fitness provides an important basis for successfully coping with the disease and is an important protective factor against serious courses of infectious diseases such as Covid-19. As it can be assumed that the corona pandemic will keep us busy for some time to come, people who have not yet exercised and people with pre-existing conditions should also become physically active (after a medical check-up) in order to create the best possible conditions for a favorable course of the disease in the event of an infection. To this end, it is necessary to offer as many people as possible the opportunity for professionally supervised training, for example in fitness and health facilities.
