Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker offered an update Sunday on the future of gyms and fitness centers across the state as modified restrictions to the stay-at-home order are set to take effect Friday, May 1.
At Sunday’s daily coronavirus press briefing Pritzker said he’s not sure exactly when fitness centers would reopen but expects it to be a challenge.
“I think it will be obviously very strenuous,” he said
before lightheartedly acknowledging it’s not his expertise. “I can’t tell you
exactly because I’m not in that business I don’t understand exactly how all of
it works. I certainly have been to a gym, on occasion.”
A concern for Pritzker aside from the challenge of social
distancing in a gym setting, is keeping equipment clean.
“I can say that you would have to have a lot of staff,
frankly, to wipe down everything on a constant basis to make it sanitary for
people,” he said. “I think it would be just an extraordinary undertaking but it
is necessary.”
Last Thursday, Pritzker announced the statewide stay-at-home order will now be in effect through May 30, and although some changes will be put in place, including modified restrictions on some Illinois businesses, gym and fitness centers door are to remain closed.
“If we were to reopen those and at some point, and we will,
we would need to make sure that people are safe- people who work there as well
as people who are using the equipment.”
