Have You Been Or Would You Go Back To The Gym?

Motion-of-the-Ocean

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These last three months have sucked due to the closings and I've been trying my best to keep some state of fitness, but I've basically been limited to muscle maintenance over gains with my basic free weights at home and zero cardio. So when it was announced our state was allowing gyms to reopen with 75% capacity 2 weeks ago, I still was hesitate because I feel things are being lifted too soon, especially given our rising positive cases and lackluster testing. I also feel if there is going to be a second wave due to inadequate social distancing and sanitation it's going to be in an environment like a gym.

Despite this and the fact now that the gym is now allowed 100% capacity, I figured I check it out; just to see for myself if it was worth the risk. Since the treadmills were set two apart from each other I figured I'd limit my workout to light cardio for 30 minutes and get a lay of the rest of the land even though my priority is to get back to hitting the weights. What I saw did not give me much confidence.

While there wasn't nearly the amount of people there as it was pre-lockdown, but the weight area still seemed busy. The free weight area, always a popular spot, was the most packed with the usual crowd of curls-for-the girls group of young guys who I have no doubt would be there even if someone was hacking up their lungs right next to them. I only saw two people wearing masks in the whole gym and one or two just walk away from a machine without cleaning which was nothing new even pre-Covid. The workers, always understaffed, hung around the front desk as they've always done even though the guidelines claim they are supposed to disinfect equipment between uses. Not that I'd count on their spray bottle stuff killing any viruses since I think it's just pink water.

So like I said, none of this gave me great confidence to resume my weight training and now I find myself debating if I should go back three days from now when my days off roll around. I figured I could go at a slower time, but I have no idea when that will be and neither does the staff. Add to that their usual 24 hours are limited due to our county being under a curfew and that leaves out going in the morning or at night even if I was willing to get up early or stay up late. It seems risky, but the question is just how much? There is also the simple fact that unless I cancel the membership, they have stated they still will take money out whether I go or not; which of course by catering to the no-shows is how they make their money.

So I would welcome opinions and advice from anyone whose gyms have already opened and they've either been back or are thinking about. If you have went back did you weigh the risk versus your goals and how did you come to your decision? If you haven't why not? If you are still thinking about it, what is keeping you from doing it and what will make you decide to go? And if your gym hasn't opened yet, would you go back or not once they did and why or why not?
 
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Sailingbear

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Ours are not open yet, I sure need it, but have to make sure not to bring the virus home. O2 seems to be getting ready, And has several shutdowns during the day to clean. If I could catch it after a cleaning I think it would be safe. I understand the steam, sauna, and showers will be closed. I need to buy my own sauna I guess. Just need to find a place for it.
 
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I haven't seen science to support how deadly Covid-19 was ORIGINALLY thought to be. With that being in mind, I have been at the gym for the past 10 days and LOVING it. I missed it so much. The gym is great for your physical health but also your mental health. I'm so much happier and ready to get my speedo body back!!!
 
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Our gyms here opened today and I was right there. It was ENTIRELY too long with no training other than a couple dumbbells with small weight plates. The first couple weeks back will be slow and easy since I know I'm gonna be sore again, but this time I look forward to the soreness. It's gonna take a while to get fully back on track, but as long as the gyms stay open, I'll be there rebuilding. In the words of 8X Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman........YEAH BUDDY!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOO!!!!!!
 

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I miss the gym but unless they’re checking people are being careful and equipment is being wiped clean regularly I’m not going back in a hurry. Too many people still think the virus doesn’t apply to them for some reason.
 

sd425

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My gym hasn't re-opened yet, but I would not go back unless the proper guidelines were observed by the guests and enforced by the staff. I'm concerned about exactly what you described: gym rats who are not concerned about unintentionally spreading the disease to others. I get that they probably don't need to worry about dying from Covid-19 since they're young and healthy, but it's disappointing that they can't be bothered to wear a mask to protect the community. Why is it so hard for people to understand that the sooner we get the outbreak under control, the sooner things can go back to semi-normal? I'm not in a high risk category so could go back once my gym opened, but I know I'd be too annoyed to work out if I were the only one wearing a mask. My gym also has a lot of people who you'd expect to see at one of the protests against stay at home orders too so I'm not hopeful that people will follow the guidelines.

A few other factors I'm weighing:
  • I clean the equipment after I use it anyways out of common courtesy so it's not a big deal for me to clean it before I use it too. I'm not too worried about staff not disinfecting the space often enough because surface transmission of the virus is not very common. We should be washing our hands more anyways.
  • New research suggests that superspreading events might be responsible for 80% of infections. These events happen when a bunch of people are indoors in a small, confined space and breathing heavily because they're talking loudly (to be heard over the crowd), singing (like the choir practice in WA), or exercising (a dance class in South Korea). This is very preliminary, and more research needs to be done on this. But it is a promising finding that can help you make a decision. I haven't seen anything on how risky the free weight area is, but it seems safer than something like an indoor yoga or Cross Fit class or basketball court.
  • Whether or not infection rates in the area are rising.

While there wasn't nearly the amount of people there as it was pre-lockdown, but the weight area still seemed busy. The free weight area, always a popular spot, was the most packed with the usual crowd of curls-for-the girls group of young guys who I have no doubt would be there even if someone was hacking up their lungs right next to them. I only saw two people wearing masks in the whole gym and one or two just walk away from a machine without cleaning which was nothing new even pre-Covid. The workers, always understaffed, hung around the front desk as they've always done even though the guidelines claim they are supposed to disinfect equipment between uses. Not that I'd count on their spray bottle stuff killing any viruses since I think it's just pink water.

So I would welcome opinions and advice from anyone whose gyms have already opened and they've either been back or are thinking about. If you have went back did you weigh the risk versus your goals and how did you come to your decision? If you haven't why not? If you are still thinking about it, what is keeping you from doing it and what will make you decide to go? And if your gym hasn't opened yet, would you go back or not once they did and why or why not?
 

ColeWolfwood

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Gyms here aren't open yet, and having switched to callisthenics I've actually seen better results at home. I suspect poor form in my case but I'll be looking to find a crossfit group to join over solo gym time.

Re the gym environment itself, cleaning has always been an issue, people just don't do it & the staff would never be able to keep up without working a ratio of staff to clients rather than gym capacity.
 

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@Snarky_succubus & I go to several gyms... Two major chain gyms, a smaller gym that is geared more towards MMA training, and recently a hardcore powerlifter/strongman/bodybuilder gym.
I'd go every day twice a day if I had the time.
Haven't seen anybody drop dead.
And realistically, people with bad upper respiratory infections don't go and hit the gym all too often.
So far, I haven't read anything that links an outbreak to a gym.
Seen a few linked to church... But, not the gym.
My girl and I are responsible gym goers. We don't sneeze/cough all over the place.
We wipe down equipment as needed.
If we saw someone that made us concerned, we'd find a different area to workout.
All year long, people have used the same gym equipment as you.
The chance that you've been in contact with colds, flu, tuberculosis, skin infections, and even the phobics beloved covid is there.
If you feel uncomfortable, ok... Good... Stay home. Not sure what the "finish line" is for you... When you think it's "safe" again. This all started with one person having it. It's not going to disappear.
I'm aware of the risk & I'm deciding to go out into the world.
I'm not going to force you or anybody else to do it, though.
Also, I don't care if people want to wear a mask.
I don't want to. So, I don't.
 

Snarky_succubus

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These last three months have sucked due to the closings and I've been trying my best to keep some state of fitness, but I've basically been limited to muscle maintenance over gains with my basic free weights at home and zero cardio. So when it was announced our state was allowing gyms to reopen with 75% capacity 2 weeks ago, I still was hesitate because I feel things are being lifted too soon, especially given our rising positive cases and lackluster testing. I also feel if there is going to be a second wave due to inadequate social distancing and sanitation it's going to be in an environment like a gym.

Despite this and the fact now that the gym is now allowed 100% capacity, I figured I check it out; just to see for myself if it was worth the risk. Since the treadmills were set two apart from each other I figured I'd limit my workout to light cardio for 30 minutes and get a lay of the rest of the land even though my priority is to get back to hitting the weights. What I saw did not give me much confidence.

While there wasn't nearly the amount of people there as it was pre-lockdown, but the weight area still seemed busy. The free weight area, always a popular spot, was the most packed with the usual crowd of curls-for-the girls group of young guys who I have no doubt would be there even if someone was hacking up their lungs right next to them. I only saw two people wearing masks in the whole gym and one or two just walk away from a machine without cleaning which was nothing new even pre-Covid. The workers, always understaffed, hung around the front desk as they've always done even though the guidelines claim they are supposed to disinfect equipment between uses. Not that I'd count on their spray bottle stuff killing any viruses since I think it's just pink water.

So like I said, none of this gave me great confidence to resume my weight training and now I find myself debating if I should go back three days from now when my days off roll around. I figured I could go at a slower time, but I have no idea when that will be and neither does the staff. Add to that their usual 24 hours are limited due to our county being under a curfew and that leaves out going in the morning or at night even if I was willing to get up early or stay up late. It seems risky, but the question is just how much? There is also the simple fact that unless I cancel the membership, they have stated they still will take money out whether I go or not; which of course by catering to the no-shows is how they make their money.

So I would welcome opinions and advice from anyone whose gyms have already opened and they've either been back or are thinking about. If you have went back did you weigh the risk versus your goals and how did you come to your decision? If you haven't why not? If you are still thinking about it, what is keeping you from doing it and what will make you decide to go? And if your gym hasn't opened yet, would you go back or not once they did and why or why not?
If it makes you feel any better... it’s becoming more and more evident that transmission by asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic is incredibly rare.
 
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longstroke7

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I miss the gym but unless they’re checking people are being careful and equipment is being wiped clean regularly I’m not going back in a hurry. Too many people still think the virus doesn’t apply to them for some reason.

I know 3 people who have died from this and others who have caught it. This thing does a serious number on your organs. I miss weight lifting badly but it's not worth the risks. People for some reason think this is a hoax until someone they love dies from it or they catch it themselves. Good luck trying to lift when your lung capacity gets fucked to hell.

I'll just do my daily cardio and keep searching for equipment to build my at home set up.
 

sd425

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Yes, asymptomatic transmission does seem to be rare, but presymptomatic transmission (where person A infects person B before person A develops any symptoms) is still the biggest threat. The problem is that no one knows if anyone will be asymptomatic or presymptomatic until after he or she develops symptoms.
 

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@Snarky_succubus & I go to several gyms... Two major chain gyms, a smaller gym that is geared more towards MMA training, and recently a hardcore powerlifter/strongman/bodybuilder gym.
I'd go every day twice a day if I had the time.
Haven't seen anybody drop dead.
And realistically, people with bad upper respiratory infections don't go and hit the gym all too often.
So far, I haven't read anything that links an outbreak to a gym.
Seen a few linked to church... But, not the gym.
My girl and I are responsible gym goers. We don't sneeze/cough all over the place.
We wipe down equipment as needed.
If we saw someone that made us concerned, we'd find a different area to workout.
All year long, people have used the same gym equipment as you.
The chance that you've been in contact with colds, flu, tuberculosis, skin infections, and even the phobics beloved covid is there.
If you feel uncomfortable, ok... Good... Stay home. Not sure what the "finish line" is for you... When you think it's "safe" again. This all started with one person having it. It's not going to disappear.
I'm aware of the risk & I'm deciding to go out into the world.
I'm not going to force you or anybody else to do it, though.
Also, I don't care if people want to wear a mask.
I don't want to. So, I don't.

There is so much we don’t know about this virus — how it really spreads, who is most susceptible and why, the environments conducive to spreading the virus, etc. We have examples of people getting sick on cruise ships but not the tens of thousands of people flying in airplanes just before everything shut down. Perhaps there are examples of flights where the virus spread and we just haven’t connected infected individuals to those flights. Or perhaps airplanes really aren’t that conducive to spreading the virus.

Everyone wants to workout in a clean gym. But what’s perceived as clean by members is visual. Prior to all the shut downs, my gym always *looked* clean with staff vacuuming, mopping, cleaning equipment, tidying up the locker room, etc. But it’s all the things that lurk that we can’t see — bacteria and viruses. Pre-COVID-19 I always tried to be cautious at the gym without being OCD. For example, being aware of not touching my face, washing my hands thoroughly after working out, etc. Keeping a gym properly disinfected throughout the day with people coming and going, the multitude of surfaces and depending on the cleaning staff to wipe all the surfaces and follow the manufacturers’ instructions is just about impossible.

My concern however is not all of the surfaces. It’s what’s circulating in the air. My gym can pack people in. The benches by the free weights are maybe three feet apart. All being used. People breathing forcefully out of their mouths. Treadmills lined up side by side. All being used during lunch and after work. People breathing through their mouths. Group exercise classes in enclosed rooms within an enclosed gym. People breathing out of their mouths. Who knows how the facility was designed to introduce fresh air and recirculate and filter air? The guy at the front desk?

I agree we haven’t heard examples of gym goers getting the virus and being able to tie it back to the gym. We also haven’t heard examples of movie theatres. We also haven’t heard people getting sick from their groceries yet people wipe them down after buying them. (We went from grocery stores can be crowded with people so let’s limit store occupancy and require masks to the virus could be living on your groceries so wipe everything down.) I struggle with unfairly targeting businesses and businesses being targeted out of fear. But we just don’t know enough and should be cautious. The only thing we’ve been asked to do is 1) physically distance, 2) wear a mask; and 3) frequently wash your hands. While this impacts a lot of businesses, e.g., restaurants that require volumes of people not wearing masks in order to make money, I believe most gyms can make this work with some adjustments and with members working with their gyms.

I would feel comfortable going back to the gym if everyone wore a mask. I do believe masks significantly reduce the probability of someone spreading something they may have vs catching what others have and are effective in reducing the spread if everyone wears one — i.e., not an option or “encouraged.” I would also feel comfortable going back to the gym during times when it’s not packed, e.g., mid morning, mid afternoon. I would feel comfortable working out in small groups outdoors.

But I would not feel comfortable working out, nearly shoulder to shoulder in a packed gym of people who are not wearing masks in a building where no one knows for sure how air circulation works during a pandemic when little is actually understood about the virus.
 

sd425

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Agreed. When the outbreak first hit, we had to assume the worst since we knew so little about the virus. Science doesn't always get it right the first time. That's why it's called research, people are searching for the right answers over and over again until they're more certain about it. But in the past few months, we've learned a lot about the virus and can now start targeting the major transmission sites. One of the most important conclusions after months of research? Masks work. Countries where people wear masks have much lower rates of infection and death and were able to re-open sooner, safer, and with less disruption to their economy. Even if I'm not near someone at a higher risk of dying, I don't know if the person I am near will go on to be close to a high risk person. Giving the virus fewer chances to jump from person to person will decrease the infection rate. The most effective way to end the pandemic would be to impose a mandatory two week quarantine (not even leaving your house) for everyone, but that's clearly not going to happen. I think a mask is a pretty good compromise between total lockdown and a free for all.



Or perhaps airplanes really aren’t that conducive to spreading the virus.

It does seem that the air filtration systems on airplanes limit the spread of the virus. The common AC units recirculate the air without filtering it, and that has been tied to infections at restaurants and shared workplaces.


My concern however is not all of the surfaces. It’s what’s circulating in the air. My gym can pack people in. The benches by the free weights are maybe three feet apart. All being used. People breathing forcefully out of their mouths. Treadmills lined up side by side. All being used during lunch and after work. People breathing through their mouths. Group exercise classes in enclosed rooms within an enclosed gym. People breathing out of their mouths. Who knows how the facility was designed to introduce fresh air and recirculate and filter air? The guy at the front desk?

I agree we haven’t heard examples of gym goers getting the virus and being able to tie it back to the gym.

I mentioned above that a dance/aerobics class in South Korea was a superspreading event. The class was actually a training class for other instructors, some of whom caught the virus and then went on to teach their own classes and you can see where I'm going here. An indoor group fitness class seems risky right now, a lot riskier than the other parts of the gym.

We also haven’t heard people getting sick from their groceries yet people wipe them down after buying them. (We went from grocery stores can be crowded with people so let’s limit store occupancy and require masks to the virus could be living on your groceries so wipe everything down.)

The CDC reported that surface transmission is not as common as was initially feared. I wash my hands after coming from the supermarket but don't wipe everything down. (Besides, people don't get Covid-19 from swallowing the virus.)

I would feel comfortable going back to the gym if everyone wore a mask. I do believe masks significantly reduce the probability of someone spreading something they may have vs catching what others have and are effective in reducing the spread if everyone wears one — i.e., not an option or “encouraged.” I would also feel comfortable going back to the gym during times when it’s not packed, e.g., mid morning, mid afternoon. I would feel comfortable working out in small groups outdoors.
 

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There is so much we don’t know about this virus — how it really spreads, who is most susceptible and why, the environments conducive to spreading the virus, etc. We have examples of people getting sick on cruise ships but not the tens of thousands of people flying in airplanes just before everything shut down. Perhaps there are examples of flights where the virus spread and we just haven’t connected infected individuals to those flights. Or perhaps airplanes really aren’t that conducive to spreading the virus.

Everyone wants to workout in a clean gym. But what’s perceived as clean by members is visual. Prior to all the shut downs, my gym always *looked* clean with staff vacuuming, mopping, cleaning equipment, tidying up the locker room, etc. But it’s all the things that lurk that we can’t see — bacteria and viruses. Pre-COVID-19 I always tried to be cautious at the gym without being OCD. For example, being aware of not touching my face, washing my hands thoroughly after working out, etc. Keeping a gym properly disinfected throughout the day with people coming and going, the multitude of surfaces and depending on the cleaning staff to wipe all the surfaces and follow the manufacturers’ instructions is just about impossible.

My concern however is not all of the surfaces. It’s what’s circulating in the air. My gym can pack people in. The benches by the free weights are maybe three feet apart. All being used. People breathing forcefully out of their mouths. Treadmills lined up side by side. All being used during lunch and after work. People breathing through their mouths. Group exercise classes in enclosed rooms within an enclosed gym. People breathing out of their mouths. Who knows how the facility was designed to introduce fresh air and recirculate and filter air? The guy at the front desk?

I agree we haven’t heard examples of gym goers getting the virus and being able to tie it back to the gym. We also haven’t heard examples of movie theatres. We also haven’t heard people getting sick from their groceries yet people wipe them down after buying them. (We went from grocery stores can be crowded with people so let’s limit store occupancy and require masks to the virus could be living on your groceries so wipe everything down.) I struggle with unfairly targeting businesses and businesses being targeted out of fear. But we just don’t know enough and should be cautious. The only thing we’ve been asked to do is 1) physically distance, 2) wear a mask; and 3) frequently wash your hands. While this impacts a lot of businesses, e.g., restaurants that require volumes of people not wearing masks in order to make money, I believe most gyms can make this work with some adjustments and with members working with their gyms.

I would feel comfortable going back to the gym if everyone wore a mask. I do believe masks significantly reduce the probability of someone spreading something they may have vs catching what others have and are effective in reducing the spread if everyone wears one — i.e., not an option or “encouraged.” I would also feel comfortable going back to the gym during times when it’s not packed, e.g., mid morning, mid afternoon. I would feel comfortable working out in small groups outdoors.

But I would not feel comfortable working out, nearly shoulder to shoulder in a packed gym of people who are not wearing masks in a building where no one knows for sure how air circulation works during a pandemic when little is actually understood about the virus.
Actually, that's not true at all.
We have a very good understanding about how the virus works now.
And, you know what the single biggest thing we've learned from all the previous theories regarding it's lethality and ability to be passed on?... It's not anywhere near as bad as once thought.
"2.2 million will die".... Nope. How about very low six figures at best.
"It can last 9 hours on surfaces".... Except that it isn't able to do anything to you at that point.
"Staying indoors is the best way to go"... 66% of new cases were from people adhering to strict isolation/lockdown protocol.
"We need to wait for a vaccine"..... Like measles? (100,000 deaths a year on average currently).
Like I said... If you are uncomfortable, cool. Stay home. Do something else. Wear a mask. Don't care.
But, let's give adults the ability to make up their own minds.
Cigarettes, alcohol, prescription medication, and driving a car.. They all kill hundreds of thousands every single year & affect others around them, too.
If you are in the at-risk group, take precautions.
I'm going to participate in one of the things that helped keep me from getting sick in the first place... The gym.
If I somehow got sick, I've got a better than 97% chance of beating it.... Without medical intervention.
Again... Do what you think is best for you.
Allow me to do the same.
 
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deleted848353

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Currently no I'll wait longer as need to get my hip pain under control and once I'm given the green light to be allowed I shall go but will have to adapt
 
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sd425

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It's true that the early models of the virus predicted a lot more deaths than we've seen. But these models were based on the assumption that nothing would be done to prevent the virus from spreading. After mitigation efforts like lockdown, social distancing, and mask wearing were put into place, the # of predicted deaths went down. The takeaway? They are working and are our current best bet on reducing the spread of the virus. Hundreds of thousands of deaths compared to millions of deaths is still horrific.

It's also true that cigarettes, alcohol, prescription meds, and driving a car kill a lot of people every year, but they are not contagious. We've learned that presymptomatic spread (where a person transmits the virus to others before they start having any symptoms) is the main driver of Covid-19 infections. A young and healthy person will probably be less affected if they get sick, but that does not mean they can't impact other people around them. Everyone should wear a mask in public if they can't keep 6 feet away from other people not just to protect themselves but to protect others.
 
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deleted972421

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The demographics in my town (and in my gym) skew older... lots of retirees. It's very simple here, if you want to walk into a place of business, you must be masked. It's the simplest way to cut down on spreading the infection! And if you claim you can't breathe on a treadmill with mask, then go outside and run the paths at a park or sidewalks. It's not rocket science, why do people make it so damn difficult?
 

socalfreak

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It's true that the early models of the virus predicted a lot more deaths than we've seen. But these models were based on the assumption that nothing would be done to prevent the virus from spreading. After mitigation efforts like lockdown, social distancing, and mask wearing were put into place, the # of predicted deaths went down. The takeaway? They are working and are our current best bet on reducing the spread of the virus. Hundreds of thousands of deaths compared to millions of deaths is still horrific.

It's also true that cigarettes, alcohol, prescription meds, and driving a car kill a lot of people every year, but they are not contagious. We've learned that presymptomatic spread (where a person transmits the virus to others before they start having any symptoms) is the main driver of Covid-19 infections. A young and healthy person will probably be less affected if they get sick, but that does not mean they can't impact other people around them. Everyone should wear a mask in public if they can't keep 6 feet away from other people not just to protect themselves but to protect others.
Again....
Better than a 97% survival rate without medical intervention.
The virus isn't going away.
They were just trying to SLOW the infection rate, so every phobic person with the sniffles wouldn't overrun the medical system.
If you are uncomfortable/uneasy/afraid, take the measures you think are best to help yourself.
I am.
Btw, alcohol use, drug use, reckless driving habits DO impact others and can be passed down to kids, etc.
It's not healthy (physically or mentally) to stay cooped up inside for so long.
The info you just regurgitated about current theories? They're just that... Theories.
It'll change again to an even lesser severity within a very short time.
As long as one person has it, it's a risk that it will spread.... Just like any other virus.
(Did you think the world was sanitized for your protection until this came along??)
Should we lock down every year during flu season? Ridiculous.
Again... Live your life. Do what's best for you, in your opinion.
I refuse to live in a paranoid/xenophobic society.
I'm going to the gym, the movies, restaurant, and whatever the hell else I like.
Unless I was sick. Then, I would do the responsible thing and stay home.
See how that works?
I'm not telling you what to do.
If you want to stay home, wearing three masks, bathing in germicide, hours in the fetal position behind your keyboard, go for it.
Life is not risk-free.
I inform myself & make my decisions on how to navigate the issues at hand.
 

sd425

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Yes, alcohol and drug use and reckless driving do impact others, which is why we have rules and restrictions associated with them. But they are still not infectious diseases and don't spread as fast as Covid-19.

Like I said above, we have to rely on scientific theories for the time being because there is still a lot that we don't know about the virus. We've learned a lot in the past few months, so I do hope that we can start easing restrictions in situations that are low risk. I think we all would prefer to not wear a mask at the gym, but right now more research needs to be done. The study on super spreading in Hong Kong is promising on this front. It seems like gym classes can be super spreading events, what about the free weights section? We simply don't know yet.

I don't think we should be in lockdown forever. That's exactly why I think people should wear masks when they go out. Masks are annoying and inconvenient, but they aren't that bad and make lockdown safer for everyone. That's great that you would stay home if you got sick. But studies show that people are most infectious in the 2-3 days before they have any symptoms. By the time a person realizes they're sick, the damage may be done. What any of us does impacts the people around us, whether we see it or not. I'm all for individual freedoms, but we need to balance them with a sense of responsibility to other people.