Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Tuesday that gyms and fitness clubs can soon allow customers back inside, but limited the number of people in a facility to no more than six clients. Update: The governor’s office originally said indoor facilities would be limited to six people total. The office said Wednesday that it will allow six people, excluding staff.
It’s a very modest change to what some gym owners had considered draconian restrictions, and an association of club owners called the slightly relaxed rules “completely unreasonable.”
Gyms, theaters and other indoor activities in counties categorized as “extreme risk” have been under closure orders since November, when Gov. Kate Brown implemented a “freeze” order in reaction to a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections.
The governor subsequently modified some elements of that order, and allowed gyms to reopen for outdoor activities, but indoor fitness remained off-limits at gyms for most Oregonians – including those who work out in the Portland area.
The new rules allow theaters to open in “extreme risk” risk areas, too, but with the six-person restriction. Indoor dining remains off limits in those areas.
Over the past 11 days, though, the number of new infections identified each day has fallen sharply. The number of hospitalizations are down considerably, too.
“We have seen over the last several weeks that Oregonians have largely complied with risk levels to the point that we have not seen a surge in hospitalizations that would have jeopardized hospital capacity,” Brown said in a statement Tuesday. “This means we are able to make these adjustments for Extreme Risk counties, which should assist both businesses and Oregonians as we continue to work to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
The changes take effect Friday. They allow six people in spaces of at least 500 square feet, and individual personal training in smaller spaces.
The Oregon Health & Fitness Alliance, which formed last fall to lobby against the governor’s closure order for gyms, said it is “extremely disappointed” with Brown’s new framework. The organization said most gyms require 10 to 15 staff to operate.
“Unfortunately, this means that most of Oregon’s well-known health and fitness clubs, which serve so many vulnerable and elderly Oregonians who need access to the unique health and wellness services these facilities provide, will not be allowed to reopen under these extreme, irrational and unworkable limitations,” the alliance said.
The safety of indoor workouts is hotly contested. Fitness centers have noted that few COVID-19 cases have been traced back to gyms, but contract tracing is notoriously incomplete in Oregon and most other states.
A widely cited November study found gyms had been among the most likely places to contract the coronavirus, but those findings were based on data from last spring. Mask wearing and other precautions adopted since then may have reduced risk.
Update:
-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699
