Press release

The European study examines the extent to which fitness studios and leisure centers offer a safe environment to exercise during the pandemic and how high the risk is of contracting COVID-19 in the gym.

The result of the study shows that there is an extremely low risk of COVID-19 in fitness studios across Europe. There were only 1.12 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 visitors. This result suggests that fitness studios are safe public spaces that allow training with a very low risk of infection - provided, of course, that hygiene regulations are followed.

At Meridian Spa & Fitness, we attach great importance to compliance with hygiene measures:

• Limitation of the number of simultaneous visitors as well as current utilization display of the facilities on the homepage
• Check-in with membership card as well as registration for the courses, so that a complete follow-up in a possible corona case would be possible at any time
• Regular disinfection and careful cleaning
• Distance markings ensure even more security on the huge areas
• Additional installation of mobile Air purifiers with HEPA filters in all Meridian course lofts

Studio layout:

A merger of research and evaluation teams from the Center for Sports Studies at King Juan Carlos University (Spain), the Advanced Wellbeing Research Center at Sheffield Hallam University (UK) and the ukactive Research Institute jointly developed the report for THiNK Active, the research center of EuropeActive. They used robust data collection methods and their results are consistent with evidence from public health sources. For the “SafeACTiVE Study” EuropeActive analyzed data from 4,360 fitness studios and leisure centers in 14 European countries. Records of 115 million visitors were collected over a period of 6 months.

The Report

Conclusion for the fitness industry:

Due to the proven low risk of infection and the industry-wide very well implemented hygiene measures and enormous investments in the safety of members, the umbrella organizations of the fitness industry appeal for training in the gym to be made possible again immediately after the current wave of infections has subsided, so that everyone can do their mental work and can strengthen physical health. In times of the corona virus, gyms are part of the solution, not part of the problem!

Study leader Professor Rob Copeland (Sheffield Hallam University) also says: “We know that physical fitness can help reduce the severity of COVID-19 infection, and exercise can also help us psychologically with the challenges of the second wave Corona pandemic across Europe to be dealt with."

"Together for the reopening of the fitness studios - because health needs fitness" - that is the motto of the following petition. Find out more about the fitness industry initiative here.