Is It Safe To Go To Spin Class This Winter?
Across the country, temperatures are dropping. As athletes, we’re committing to staying fit even when the weather isn’t cooperating. In the interest of time and convenience, it’s no surprise many cyclists spend at least part of the winter training indoors. If your indoor cycling is at a spin studio, it may be worth reconsidering this year.
There was a good reason gyms and spin studios were some of the first businesses to face restrictions and closure orders at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and why these facilities were some of the last to reopen in the fall. The risks are obvious. Exercising indoors, close to numerous people, breathing heavily, with any number of fans moving air around is a recipe for trouble. Researchers in South Korea set out to document the risk earlier this year and found the risk is very high.
Gym participation is lower in the summer months, with cold weather bringing more and more people indoors. That has already caused one outbreak at a Spinco indoor cycling facility in Canada. According to reports, at least 69 positive cases were the result of members taking spin classes at the studio. Of the 68 cases, 46 were primary cases, with the remaining infections caused by primary cases bringing the virus home or the workplace. Well over 100 people were potentially exposed.
What might be most concerning is that the region of Hamilton, Ontario, where the studio is located, has had a very low positivity rate and the virus was not considered to be widespread in the area. That has health officials concerned that even one or two carriers may have infected any number of locals due to the ease of transmission at Spinco.
In its defense, Spinco was doing everything it could to prevent this exact situation. Bikes were spaced six feet apart, handwashing was encouraged, and the studio had advocated that members self-monitor for symptoms. While masks were required when arriving and leaving, Spinco did not require face masks during exercising, exactly when cyclists were breathing their hardest and expelling the most droplets.
Such an elevated risk should discourage anyone from heading to the gym this winter, but especially those with close contact with friends or family members that may have underlying health conditions or the elderly. Those with children attending in-person school should also be aware of the added exposure their family may have when deciding where to work out, especially if your local gym has seniors who may not be able to safely workout outdoors.
To keep moving this winter, there are options. The prevalence of indoor trainers and at-home spin bikes, plus software like Zwift, TrainerRoad, and Peloton do a lot to bring the social and entertainment aspects of the spin studio home, with the added convenience of skipping the commute. It will also be a great season to take up outdoor activities like running, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing to help maintain normal winter activity levels without exposing yourself or others to the virus.
The CDC has released very helpful guidelines for gyms to keep its employees and patrons safe. It’s worth checking out the list of tips and making sure your gym is following the rules if you do choose to return.