Restore Chester County
Economic Action Steps — Gyms and Wellness Facilities
Gyms & wellness facilities include fitness and physical therapy businesses. Adaptation in this sector has seen businesses commit to robust sanitizing practices, move activities outdoors, and make remote class instruction available to clients when possible. Some gym operators have witnessed higher-than-average usage after reopening, likely due to pent-up demand during mandatory lockdowns.
Current Gym and Wellness Facility Practices:
The following practices are being implemented by various gym and wellness facilities around the county and nation to address COVID-19-related disruptions. These practices may be helpful for gym and wellness businesses not currently using them.
- Provide services by appointment only.
- Offer virtual fitness instruction.
- Extend operating hours to allow for social distancing among customers.
- Demarcate socially-distanced 'boxes' on the floor for customer activity.
- Assign equipment to specific customer users.
- Relocate equipment and programming outdoors when possible.
- Provide loyal customers with an appreciation gift or value added service.
- Coordinate with other local businesses to locate underutilized space for temporary expansion.
- Work with local press outlets to publish stories about safety measures that have been taken.
- Offer home visits for customers.
Actions to Support Gym and Wellness Facilities
The following actions by governments, economic development organizations, trade organizations, and others would provide support to gym and wellness facilities during the current COVID-19 crisis.
- Provide technical assistance with social media/marketing, COVID-19 testing, e-commerce, and navigating federal assistance/tax policies.
- Provide regulatory assistance with relaxing service restrictions.
- Secure and distribute grant funding for COVID-19 testing, detection and mitigation equipment.
- Facilitate a safety 'self-certification' program that features consistent branding and signage.
To see recommendations for other industries, click on the industry link below:
