Many gyms in Kolkata to open on August 6

Many gyms in the city are conducting online demo sessions to tell their patrons about the safety measures in place before opening on August 6.

The Centre has declared gyms, which are closed since March-end, can open during the Unlock 3.0 phase from August 5 but the biweekly lockdown falling on that date in West Bengal, many gyms have decided to function from August six while others have preferred to wait a little more.

The safety measures by the gyms include a self- declaration form by patrons that they have not been infected by Covid-19 virus.

Core Gym's Tuhin Bhattacharya told PTI on Tuesday that "self-declaration form will have to be signed by each member which will be renewed every 15 days to know whether he/she has been exposed to Covid infected people."

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This will be in addition to all the trainers and non- training staff wearing face masks all the time and keeping a minimum of six feet distance with members during the workout.

There can't be any touching the members for support by the trainers during the workout, Bhattacharya said.

A limited number of people will be allowed to workout and divided into separate slots of one hour each, he said.

Neeraj Surana of Rush Gym will, however, said he will wait for a few more days, preferably my mid-August to open his facility but only one floor for workouts.

"From installing hand sanitizer dispenser, sanitizing after each slot and thermal checking of everyone, we will be taking all necessary protocol before opening so that once we open facilities there is no going back," Surana said.

Turning to the lockdown days, both recall how there was no income in that time while, "we had to pay electricity charges, salaries, and some other miscellaneous expenses like marketing, etc."

They said "economically it was like hell. But we felt more repressed as gyms and fitness centres play a vital role in building and developing immunity and a healthy lifestyle, which is the most crucial in fighting against Covid-19."

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Both recall how the turnout in pre-covid times was good.

"We were having our floor crowded at all the peak time when suddenly everything came to a pause mode. We expect the footfall to rise as we are receiving calls from our members as well as new admission enquiries. We feel people are frustrated by just sitting at home and watching their health declining," Surana said.

The gyms, however, don't foresee any dramatic surge of members in the ensuing festive season as "purchasing power of people has come down drastically," Bhattacharya said.