THE FINANCIAL and mental toll is growing as Echuca gyms remain closed despite no cases of COVID-19 in town since the first wave.
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Gym owners, who have been shut for almost six months this year, are furious at the lack of consideration from the Victorian Government which has given no indication of allowing them to reopen anytime soon.
While hospitality got a boost this week with a slight easing of restrictions, gyms can’t open until the next step when there are no new cases statewide for 14 days.
The government originally set the date for this as November 23, but later announced steps would be taken based solely on case numbers.
FITmob Echuca owner Shannon Fink said the situation was extremely frustrating.
“We’ve got the best contact tracing of any other industry in Australia, we can limit the number of people in the gym and we clean the gear down after every client,” he said.
“To not even get mentioned in Sunday’s press conference was pretty pathetic which is just like the government that’s running our state at the moment.”
As reported in the Riv last week, mental health issues are on the rise locally as restrictions drag on longer than expected.
“Some people are shot to bits and we can’t offer them something that helps that,” Mr Fink said.
“It’s pretty bizarre because I would class fitness and health training as an essential service.”
Gyms in NSW can open with COVID-19 safety plans, but many Moama residents have memberships with centres over the border.
In the meantime, gyms can offer outdoor classes for up to 10 people, while from today in Moama, gatherings of up to 30 people outside are allowed.
“We’re running classes in Moama, but our Victorian clients can’t get over there in the afternoons because the bridge is a nightmare,” Mr Fink said.
“I’ll keep ticking along and obviously I’ll open up when I can, but you get sick of basically being shat on by the government; it’s a joke really.”
Dynamic Fitness Centre Echuca owner Chris Fowler said it was unfair for all gyms to be put under the same restrictions.
“It’s difficult for us because we have NDIS clients and people with anxiety; outdoor training’s not an option,” he said.
“People come to us because we have staff there all the time and it’s discreet.
“The biggest frustration as an independent owner is that saying all gyms are the same is like saying every restaurant will give you food poisoning,” he said.
A large cluster in August linked to Sydney’s Tattersalls gym has been referenced as an example of how COVID-19 can spread from a fitness centre.
“That all came about because there was no staff present and people were using other member access cards,” Mr Fowler said.
“That would never happen in our facility and I think it is so unfair and unjust that we are being put in that same generalisation.”
Mr Fowler said his members were desperate to get back in the gym.
“The feedback I get is yes, they miss the physical aspect, but it’s the social engagement and interaction that people are missing in their lives,” he said.
“My members can’t understand how people can go to a pub, yet you can’t train with supervision.
“It just seems liquor licensing and gambling fees are more important than health and fitness.”
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services said they’ll consult with the fitness industry as guidelines are developed and greater support may be available going forward.
“Gyms are currently closed under Victorian restrictions as the nature of working out indoors carries a high risk of transmission, due to sweat and heavy breathing as well as shared equipment,” a DHHS spokesperson said.
“We understand everyone is making huge sacrifices and the closure of gyms has been difficult, but this strategy is working and we are driving cases down.”
But Anytime Fitness Echuca owner Chris O’Neill said calls for gyms to reopen were falling on deaf ears.
“Financially the toll is immense, the amount of lost revenue and we’re still paying some expenses,” he said.
“I hired two new staff after the first lockdown and then we were subsequently shut down.
“There’s been no coronavirus in Echuca for 200 days or something,” he said.
Mr O’Neill said they’ve had memberships cancelled and are down at least 10 per cent from their usual numbers.
“We really don’t know the extent of the damage until we reopen,” he said
“A lot of it is a mental toll on staff and our members; we’ve got staff that don’t really know what to do with themselves.”
Snap Fitness owner Thomas Bryans said they’re just waiting for things to go back to normal
“I am getting phone calls day in, day out, from people wanting to join the gym, asking when they can use the gym; obviously some people just aren’t in the know that we’re still closed,” he said.
“It’s a good sign for when we reopen but right now we can’t really do anything.”
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