Planet Fitness franchises in Kern County, California, have been allowed to reopen after obtaining certification as an essential business.
According to The Bakersfield Californian, “Kern County Public Health Services classified the local fitness centers as an essential healthcare/public health service after the gym chain joined the Medical Fitness Association, a North Carolina-based nonprofit that seeks to integrate medical practices into fitness facilities for better health outcomes.”
Under certification as an essential business, Planet Fitness will be allowed to open for indoor workouts, while other gyms in the area are still limited to outdoor activity only. Obtaining this certification includes following reopening guidelines developed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In the reopening guidelines, staff will undergo daily temperature checks and go through extensive training and abide by sanitization policies. Masks will be required for gym members with enhanced physical distancing and touchless check-in.
Becky Zirlen, the senior public relations manager for Planet Fitness said, “At Planet Fitness, we know one of the best ways to stay healthy is to stay active and access to an affordable, high-quality fitness experience is important to the Bakersfield community. We can confirm our franchisee in Bakersfield is a member of the Medical Fitness Association, and as a result, the county has designated Planet Fitness as an essential healthcare and public health service enabling four locations to reopen. In reopening our locations, we have taken a number of steps to protect the health and well-being of our staff and members, which include enhanced cleanliness and sanitization policies and procedures, physical distancing measures in our spacious and well-ventilated clubs, mask requirements, touchless check-in and more.”
This announcement comes shortly after the California Fitness Alliance announced it filed legal action in Los Angeles County Superior Court on September 15, with the aim of restoring reasonable access to indoor fitness. Read more on this story.
