New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced at a briefing on August 26 that New Jersey gyms will be allowed to open Tuesday, September 1 at 25% capacity.
In the briefing, Murphy thanked the “many responsible gym owners” who have worked with state officials and followed health guidelines.
The reopening comes with strict guidelines:
- Fitness classes will be allowed to resume, but must be limited to one person for every 200 square feet to ensure proper distancing.
- All gym members and staff are required to wear masks at all times.
- All equipment must be six feet apart.
- All equipment must be sanitized.
Additionally, gyms are required to keep logs of when all gym members and staff are in the gym, so if a positive COVID test occurs, contact tracers can contact other members who were in the facility at the same time.
“Gyms are among the most challenging indoor environments to prevent #COVID19 transmission,” said Murphy, in a tweet. “But, given where we are in this fight, we believe we are ready to take the next step forward. Thank you to our many gym owners and gym members who have helped us crush the curve.”
This reopening announcement came a little over a week after neighboring state New York gave their gyms a reopening date.
