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Industry advocacy group Vic Active has today highlighted that visits to the gym are safe, countering the view of Victoria’s Chief Health Officer (CHO) Brett Sutton who has forced the closure gyms and fitness centres because he says they are high risk settings.

In a statement Vic Active points to its figures that show there have been 6.8 million gym visits in Victoria since November 2020, with zero COVID cases linked to these visits.

Advising that “CHO Sutton has got it wrong - fitness centres have always been COVIDSafe - he thinks airborne transfer will occur when people are exercising indoors”, the statement continues “unlike CHO Sutton we can table data that supports our position that shows gyms are COVIDSafe.

“6,800,000 gym visits have occurred since November 2020 - there have been ZERO cases linked to gyms.

“CHO Sutton fails to recognise the utter devastation that he is inflicting on the Victorian community for no valid reason.

“Victoria is suffering a physical and mental health catastrophe and the worst is still to come.

“By keeping gyms closed CHO Sutton is wilfully negligent in his duty to care for the well-being of Victorians or just plain incompetent. Fitness centres offer Victorians a place to exercise, challenge themselves and seek mental stimulation.

“For many people, it is their social network!

“Today is the 14-day milestone for the six gyms that were listed as transmission sites by the CHO at the start of Lockdown 4.0. Because of the world’s best practice safety measures already in place at our venues we have ensured the ‘Beast’ did not threaten our staff, our patrons or our community.

Temporarily closing gyms in northern suburbs of Melbourne (a la ‘Sydney style’ management) is one thing - but to close the entirety of metro Melbourne and regional Victoria is an absurd joke.

“Under Lockdown 4.0, CHO Sutton has allowed Victorians to go the bottle shop, get a tattoo, a facial or botox injections or take a sauna as long as one wears a mask. But they can’t go the gym!

“It’s time Mr Merlino - as Acting Premier it’s time to call it. We need a Chief Health Officer who will act in the holistic interests of all Victorians.

“Are you prepared to sit and watch as the mental and physical health catastrophe unfolds on your watch?”

Vic Active suggests three things that professionals, stakeholders and the public can do to support local fitness centres:

• 1. Like and promote Fitness Australia and VIC Active’s social media platforms.
  • Fitness Australia: Facebook & Instagram
  • VIC Active: Facebook & Instagram
• 2. Click on this link to find your local MP and call or email their office and ask what they are doing to support the reopening of your fitness centre.
• 3. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay active.

VIC Active represents the owners of around 500 fitness centres around Victoria. Fitness centres employ over 40,000 professionals around the State and more than 1,000,000 Victorians identify as a member of a fitness centre.

Image credit: Flow Athletic/Aeris Active.

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