Modified: August 26, 2020 8:12am
Latest News
August 21, 2020
CONTACT: Daniel Meyer, daniel.meyer@erie.gov or (716) 858-2890
ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is sharing information with the owners of gyms, dance or yoga facilities, athletic centers and other fitness centers as county public health sanitarians prepare to begin to ensure each is following New York State guidelines for re-opening.
As part of the preparation process, fitness facilities must ensure they are following mandated NYS guidelines: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/Gyms_and_Fitness_Centers_Detailed_Guidelines.pdf
ECDOH will be conducting inspections of the following facilities:
- Stand alone gyms
- Gyms located inside hotels
- Gyms located inside apartment/condo facilities
- Gyms located inside office buildings
- Boxing/kickboxing studios
- Yoga/pilates/barre studios
- Group fitness classes (spinning, dancing, rowing)
- Fitness boot camps, cross fit camps or other plyometric boxes
Update: 8/26/2020 - Based on guidance from Empire State Development, dance facilities/studios for instruction and martial arts studios for instruction must follow NY Forward Sports and Recreation guidance for high-risk sports. Dance studios for work-outs and exercise must follow Gym and Fitness Center guidance.
Each facility will be required to provide the following:
- Proof from a HVAC company that the HVAC system has been evaluated, that the appropriate filters are in place per the guidance or that additional measures have been implemented as per the guidance. It should be noted that failure to provide this documentation will result in the facility being closed until such time as the work is completed.
- A copy of the NY Forward safety plan completed by the facility on site for review.
- Agreement that communal uses of equipment and spaces, which create the highest risk for infection, must be discontinued (communal showers, hot tubs, water fountains, etc.) If they are in use the facility may be subject to closure or fines and they will have to provide an updated safety plan for correction.
- No obvious egregious violations of capacity limitations, approved face mask use and physical distancing. If sanitarians find that the operator is not following or enforcing the rules in their business, they could be subject to fines and closure.
- Acknowledgement by ECDOH that the facility is operating in compliance with the NYS guidelines on screening, on-site activities, protective equipment, and hygiene, cleaning and disinfection practices.
If a facility includes a swimming pool, the pool must have a satisfactory inspection by ECDOH prior to opening.
“Thorough inspections of each facility are an important step in our continued response to the COVID-19 global pandemic,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “We want to ensure that the users of each one of these locations and their employees will be able to be as safe as possible.”
Facilities must request an inspection by visiting https://www.erie.gov/covid19 and filling out the online webform.
For more information:
About the Erie County Department of Health, visit:
About the New York State Department of Health’s interim guidance for gyms and fitness centers during the COVID-19 public health emergency, visit:
About Governor Cuomo’s announcement on gyms and fitness centers re-opening, visit:
###