To go to the gym as normal?

[GymMummyBunny]

I know they are seen as awash with germs but mine is pretty clean. I always wipe down the equipment well before and after using, especially where my hands are going to go, and wash hands as soon as I’ve finished.

I really don’t want to stop as I’m doing well losing weight and getting fitter, and exercise is good for the immune system anyway! I would need to stop going for months to avoid the virus.

AIBU? Slightly concerned about taking the virus home to family.

I'm in the US and we've had a state-mandated shut down of all gyms (as well as restaurants, libraries, etc.)

Personally I think you'd be insane to go. You can still workout; go for a run, do some online strength classes (you don't need weights; cans of soup, bags of rice will do). Being asymptomatic means nothing. Certainly where I am (midwestern USA) they've estimated that around 45% of the population have either been exposed/have the virus (I cannot recall which). You can pass it on to someone much more vulnerable without even knowing that you're a carrier.

Don't go.

MissGuernsey unlikely you'll be continuing your trips to the cinema, I'm afraid. Most are closing from tomorrow.

Also MissGuernsey it's hardly the fault of Mumsnetters that schools haven't been closed. I appreciate that things are tough right now but doing whatever the hell you like might mean killing people so y'know, people are probably going to be quite critical of that. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Even young kids know that.

Fuck off with your judgement. I work permanent nights. I went to Cineworld and the library tonight. Then had a pint on my way to the tube. My life. My business.

Yes, it's your life. To hell with anyone else.

@MissGuernsey Fuck off with your catastrophically reckless misjudgement, callous selfishness and general incompetence as a human being.

This is how bad it is:

FIL has stage IV stomach cancer. Tonight he collapsed. MIL called an ambulance. When they arrived they checked him and said usually they would take him to hospital. But they couldn’t at the moment, it would be too dangerous, for him and for MIL.

So a terminal cancer patient cannot get hospital care at the moment. He is agony and MIL is beside herself.

Hope your movie and a pint fucking chokes you.

Really selfish and short-sighted to carry on as normal/pub/gym etc. The gov't guidance is not to; all children's sports and activities have been shut down, including those at high level training for big events, sports events and concerts cancelled etc etc. Use common sense....don't wait for an edict on every circumstance....look at your own life and cut out every non-essential instance of social contact.

Why haven't they closed the schools?

Why do you think? I’ll explain if you haven’t worked it out.

In Italy, and subsequently in France and Spain, the closure of the schools helped to spread the disease. Why? Because (1) fuckwits asked grandparents to look after the kids whilst they went to work, making sure that the older family members became infected and (2) more fuckwits decamped with the family to the coast, bringing the infection with them, which both hit the older people living in those areas and overwhelmed the healthcare facilities there.

God help Cornwall if, as I confidently expect, a bunch of idiots do the same thing here.

Keeping the schools open allows the parents to keep working and more importantly protects against the two scenarios described above.

Travelling on public transport surrounded by snotty kids is more of a risk than going to the pub or cinema

Is it? I bow to your superior knowledge. Perhaps you should volunteer your services to professor Chris Whitty. However, is it possible that public transport, which is much quieter than usual at the moment, is vital to get essential workers to hospitals, shops, fire stations, pharmacies and police stations and yes, mail delivery centres?

@Iamthewombat Finally some sense on here. We live rurally, my kids are still in the village school and the local independent businesses have all taken steps to ensure social distancing whilst using there services. Last thing we want or need is a load of uk tourists - really hoping they don't come in the Easter holidays.

I live in a city and had to tell a friend, quite unequivocally, that taking her kids out of school and going to stay on the Fylde coast for the foreseeable was stupid and selfish. Loads of oldies, far fewer hospitals than greater Manchester.

At work you contact with the same people

Maybe at your work, at mine like many others, you come in to contact with dozens if not hundreds of new people per day. In my work I mean actual physical contact. So I can see why some people think changing their gym habits is pointless in comparison. It would be like if you could only wash just one square centimetre of one hand - would you think it was better than nothing? No, it would seem pointless.

Personally this isn't a dilemma for me, I haven't been to the gym in ten years so I've been preventing disease since before it was cool.

Well, at least CV has stopped all the threads on guessing weight, dress size etc etc.

On a serious note. Rumours are - and rumours they are - are that the UK will lockdown by Friday, I'm leaving London now in any case. So it looks as if running will be the way to go.

Bajed why are you leaving? Where will you go

Baked

@MarshaBradyo home - I live up north but I work in London during the week. I'm fortunate I am able to do this though. I'm afraid I'd be stuck in London at the W/e with no accommodation as I do air bnbs.

Fair enough Baked I’d go too

For anyone who thinks that trip to the gym won't spread the virus

As I mentioned previously, I haven't been to the gym since the outbreak and neither do I intend to. I've actually reignited my love of running over the last few days and it has made a big difference for me to get outdoors (highly recommended during these times, for anyone considering running). DH and I are social distancing and I make sure that I select carefully where my running route is, to avoid any contact with people.

I received an email from my gym yesterday that I wanted to share to highlight the lack of clarity at the moment with the approach to the virus. The email stated that the gym would remain open and additional measures were being taken to ensure a higher level of cleanliness. The email also made reference to 'keeping healthy' and 'boosting immunity through exercise and fitness'. This is a gym that belongs to a chain which operates nationally.

It's unsurprising that there's so much confusion at the moment when contradictory messages like this are being received.

@AllesAusLiebe Think we have the same gym. I cancelled my membership a couple of days ago (wasn't attracted to the £10 per month freeze...) and will make do in the house as much as possible.

As always, staggered by some of the attitudes on here. If you're social distancing, you're living on my husband's money - heard it all now.

*Your, not my. I have no husband, but if my hypothetical one were subsidising every social distancing Mumsnetter, I'd be having words.

I have cancelled my gym membership, even though they have messaged me telling me how they are keeping clean and sticking to government guidelines.
I've cancelled my nail appointment too.
I'm very worried about work, I still have to go and some of the general public are not respecting my health and safety. It's bloody awful having to reiterate to Joe Public that there is a pandemic and they need to stop putting others at risk.

@AllesAusLiebe did you find you started to enjoy it again quickly? I'm dreading getting to it tomorrow 🤯

@bakedbeanzontoast I felt exactly the same way! 1st day wasn't bad because it was a novelty. I tried to think of it as getting out in the fresh air above anything else. 2nd day wasn't much fun at all, then I took a rest day and my 3rd run was horrible.

However, just returned after (nearly!) completing a parkrun route and it felt great.

I'd just try and get through the first few runs and I'm sure you'll be fine!

I don't know whether this helps but I've been trying to distract myself while I've been getting back into running. I try and notice things (trees, flowers etc) because I found myself drifting off into a world of my own and before I know where I am, my run was nearly over!