The D.C. Fitness Alliance wrote a letter to the mayor asking for permission to operate in a vaccine-only capacity but was denied.
Washington D.C. is once again requiring masks indoors for everyone ages two and up, regardless of their vaccination status. Masks are required inside restaurants whenever someone is not eating, inside offices, places of worship and gyms. Businesses can refuse service to customers violating the mask requirement.
On August 5, the D.C. Fitness Alliance wrote a letter to the D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser asking for permission to operate in a vaccine-only capacity and not impose a mask mandate.
Part of the letter reads, “In reading the latest situational update and guidance issued for D.C., we were surprised to see that gyms and fitness studios were mandated to require masks, rather than have the option of operating in a vaccine-only capacity – particularly give Dr. Nesbitt’s emphasis on the rarity of breakthrough cases amongst a vaccinated-only group during yesterday’s press conference. As owners and operators of these spaces, we are intimately aware of the impact of this mandate. Our businesses are disproportionately impacted by mask mandates, as clients are put off by the idea of working out with a mask, potentially limiting their ability to breathe easily while they do physical activity.”
Despite the D.C. Fitness Alliance’s efforts, on August 6, D.C. health officials announced in a statement sent to WUSA9 from D.C. Health, that waivers will not be granted to gyms or facilities on the mask mandate. Health officials maintain that all people over the age of two must wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
However, VIDA Fitness — a D.C. Fitness Alliance member — said this decision does not help advance the vaccination effort and announced to their members on August 9 through a letter, they will be moving forward with their own mandatory vaccination requirements.
The letter reads, “Our goal has always been to keep you safe and keep the clubs open.
This past week, VIDA Fitness and the D.C. Fitness Alliance (DCFA) petitioned Mayor Bowser to implement a ‘proof of vaccination’ requirement to enter any fitness facility in the District of Columbia. We positioned this as a more effective alternative to the mandatory mask policy based on the following logic.
The Mayor’s current mandate requires masks indoors but does not advance the vaccination effort. Further, the mask mandate will not reduce community spread in places like bars and restaurants where patrons remove their masks. These environments are known sources of community spread, and thus, the proof of vaccination requirement is a more effective alternative.
Fitness facilities on the other hand, have not been a source of community spread throughout the pandemic, with or without a mask mandate. The DCFA has aggregated check-in data and reported cases over the past 18 months that supports these statements. As a side note, our recent member survey shows that over 98% of VIDA members are fully vaccinated, no doubt a tremendous factor in the zero-community spread we have at our six locations.
The delta variant has indeed infected fully vaccinated individuals. However, breakthrough cases very rarely result in serious health issues or hospitalization. The U.S. Surgeon General recently reported that over 97% of delta variant hospitalizations were from unvaccinated individuals. We believe that a proof of vaccination requirement to go indoors can reduce hospitalizations by 90% and virtually eliminate deaths.
D.C.’s fitness facilities are not a source of community spread. They are where people go to stay healthy and fight off infection. Mask mandates keep people away from these facilities. Our stance is simple. Require vaccinations. Make masks optional. We applaud the decision of D.C. gay bars to require proof of vaccination. It is absolutely the right decision, and it should be a citywide mandate.
To date, Mayor Bowser has not supported a citywide vaccination requirement for fitness facilities. As a result, we have decided to move forward with our own mandatory vaccination requirement here at VIDA. We are working with our software provider to integrate vaccination confirmation status into the check-in process, so it is going to take a little longer to finalize the logistics. Please stay tuned for another update and keep your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card handy.
While this pandemic has been unpredictable and unrelenting, we must continue to follow the data and science in making the best decisions for public health. We also need to keep the city open, and our citizens engaged in fitness.
We will keep you posted on our progress.”
