COVID-19

The United States, the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic , on Sunday recorded 59,747 new cases over the last 24-hour period, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. The number of cases in the US has rocketed in recent weeks, hitting a record of 66,528 in 24 hours on Saturday. The country has now registered a total of 3,301,820 infections, the Baltimore -based university said in its latest data as of 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Monday). The death toll stood at 135,171 with 442 additional deaths counted. The surge in cases has forced some state governors to retreat from earlier efforts to reopen their economies, with some now embracing the wearing of masks. President Donald Trump’s administration on Sunday again pressed for full school reopenings in the fall despite resurgent Covid-19 infections.

Capacity. It’s the topic all fitness studios and gyms are thinking about. Long gone are the days of packed fitness classes and gym floors. Instead, we need to rethink our spaces and adjust to a new normal of less staff, smaller class sizes, and unoccupied treadmills. Our members will have to do the same. As the co-owner of a studio myself, I’ve had a variety of questions spinning around in my head. I’ve asked: How many clients will we allow in our space at any given time? How can we ensure six feet of distance (or more) between each client  and  staff member? Will we need to reorganize our space and equipment? Will we need to restructure our fitness classes? How will this impact our revenue? Is there some sort of calculation for this? (Help!) As we think through these types of questions, we’ll need to research government guidelines for occupancy. Keep in mind some state and local guidelines may require certain amenities remain closed (e.g., pools, saunas, showers, daycare, et