COVID-19 and Gyms: Is It Safe to Go Back There?

You should take with you hand sanitizer, sealed water bottles, towels, and disinfectant wipes. Don’t use gloves, as they can create a favorable environment for the virus.  

According to Jade Flinn, MSN, RN, an infection prevention and personal protection equipment nurse educator at Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit, “the use of gloves is not recommended as they can often act as a route for cross-contamination (moving contamination from one object or surface to another. Goggles are not necessary if you maintain social distancing, continue to mask, and maintain good hand hygiene.”

“Continue to wear masks when in public, including the gym, as they begin to open up at a reduced capacity,” Flinn added. 

If you have to use a yoga mat, try to cover it with a towel or disinfect it. “If yoga positions require you to put your face on a mat, I would prefer to use my own freshly disinfected mat. The science on the transfer of the virus from a surface to a human is still under investigation and theoretically possible — yet less important than the direct exposure,” explained Pamela Aaltonen, PhD, RN, professor emerita at Purdue University.