FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Owners and staff members at commercial gyms and hair salons across South Florida are dealing with a list of new rules, as well as some confusion as to when they’ll be able to reopen, nearly two months after COVID-19 shut them down.
In Fort Lauderdale, gyms were allowed to reopen on Monday with “major adjustments” as part of the state’s multi-phase strategy.
Gym members said this couldn’t have happened soon enough.
“I miss being active. I miss the endorphin of being in the gyms,” said a man.
“It’s definitely really eerie to get back to it,” said a woman.
Jonathan Larkin, the owner of Upload Fitness, said he’s prepared to make sure everyone follows the guidelines to the letter.
“We’ve mandated our members to sign a waiver that they’re actually going to use best practices and clean the equipment, as well as stay six feet apart,” he said. “We had a company come in with hazmat outfits, and they fogged the whole place.”
Barbara Fleming, who owns the CycleBar gym in Fort Lauderdale, said she’s also ready to welcome back her members.
“We are focusing on a touchless operation, as well as deep cleaning and sanitizing and health checks for our staff,” she said.
In a statement issued Sunday, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis listed the safety precautions gym owners must comply with in order to stay open:
- Gyms cannot exceed 50% of their capacity.
- Employees are to wear face masks and have health checks before they start work each day.
- Patrons are required to have their temperature checked upon entry and are denied access if they have a fever.
- Machines and equipment stations must be spaced six feet apart and sanitized after each use.
- Fitness classes must maintain the six-foot distancing requirement between participants.
- Showers will be closed.
- Hand sanitizer must be provided at all entrances, and all patrons and employees must sanitize upon entrance.
Meanwhile, salons also opened in several municipalities under new rules.
“We’re checking everyone’s temperature at the door. We’re doing everybody six feet apart,” said Hamlet Garcia from His & Hers Parlour in Miami. “Every single cape that we use, we have a disposable section just for the capes.”
Hair salon employees are also sanitizing before and after each client.
While gym owners are trying to work out the details of health and safety, residents are dealing with what they described as a lack of clarity about a reopening timeline for local gyms.
“There’s so much confusion with what gyms are open and aren’t open,” said a gym member.
A major source of confusion stems from mixed messages by Trantalis and Broward County Mayor Dale Holness.
Holness said gyms cannot open just yet, but Trantalis gave his city’s gyms the green light.
“The gyms should be allowed to open today, OK? The county interjected and made a policy that they don’t want gyms to open anywhere in the county, so we’re working on that now,” said Trantalis. “We’re trying to avoid the confusion that seems to permeate this entire community. Whether or not they choose to open is at their own discretion.”
Holness briefly addressed the conflict on Monday morning.
“There’s some disagreement there as to the legality as to whether or not they can, and that will be worked out by the lawyers,” he said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also weighed in on the matter on Monday.
“Their members want to get back in. It’s not just the public crowds. I mean, these are people who actually pay to be members of these places,” he said.
With that in mind, Fleming has been renting her gym’s bikes to members for the past several weeks so that they can take part in virtual workouts.
Fleming said CycleBar in Fort Lauderdale is now aiming for a Memorial Day opening, even though Trantalis said they can open now.
“People are very anxious to get back, and we’ve been advertising some of the things that we are doing to help keep them safe, so they feel comfortable,” she said. “We want to make sure that we were fully prepared, and the staff are completely trained in order to be able to open up properly.”
Commercial gyms in Miami-Dade County remain shut down.
It’s still too early to tell whether the dispute between the mayors will end up in court.
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