BETHESDA, Md. — A gym in Bethesda recently had a member test positive for the coronavirus who was at that club on Monday.
The gym company, Equinox, said in a statement it won't be closing due to the possible exposure.
An email sent to members and employees said a member who visited the club on March 9 tested positive for COVID-19. The gym is being disinfected three times a day.
An Equinox spokesperson released this statement:
"We were recently made aware that member of the Bethesda club has tested positive for COVID-19. The individual was asymptomatic at the time they visited the club on Monday (March 9), and has not been back to the club since. Consistent with our practices, the entire club was thoroughly disinfected with an EPA-approved cleaning solution on Monday night, and has been similarly disinfected three times each day since then. As we have been, we will continue to prioritize everyone's health and safety by taking all necessary precautionary measures and following the advice of public health officials."
Currently, there are 66 positive cases of coronavirus in D.C., Maryland and Virginia and one person has died from the coronavirus in the Hampton Roads in the commonwealth.
While it is not mandatory for Equinox to shutdown, the exposure that includes a person at there gym, and that location not shutting down, may go against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
According to the CDC, "It is recommended to close off areas used by the ill persons and wait as long as practical before beginning cleaning and disinfection to minimize the potential for exposure to respiratory droplets. Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area. If possible, wait up to 24 hours before beginning cleaning and disinfection."
But even though the exposure is scary, those at the gym on Saturday were glad it was still open for them to use and enjoy, with members we spoke to say that they were glad the gym didn't shut down.
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