Gyms can open, stadiums of thousands can open but not a dance or yoga class for 10 people!

[VikingsandDragons]

I don't get it. Does someone have the science as to how it's more dangerous to be in a yoga class, on your mat, 2m from someone else, than on a treadmill, and then a rowing machine, and then a stepper than several other people have used before you? Why is my son's swimming class allowed to reopen but not my daughter's gymnastics? I get that it's outdoors, but having thousands of people in a stadium, presumably using the same loos and corridors to watch a match, why is that okay but not a dance class of a dozen people in their own space?

Source: Chart on page 29/30 of the Winter Plan document assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/937529/COVID-19_Winter_Plan.pdf

The studies of infection transmission have traced several outbreaks to indoor gym classes. To the best of my knowledge no outbreaks have been traced to gyms other than from classes. So the science does actually support banning classes.

If you want to run (or attend) a class then you are running a risk that you can mitigate by ventilating the space whenever possible or mask wearing and ideally both. Personally I wouldnt attend a class.

It's all a load of arbitrary horseshit, and has been from the start. Anyone expecting any of this to make sense is a fool.

I don't think that's true about noone catching it at gyms. I've read about people who caught it there. By outbreak do you mean a big outbreak?

Lurking
UK Active members fed back that the case load was around 1 case per million gym visits ....
its on their website somewhere

Just found it - it says gym and leisure centre operators so how do we know that is gym users rather than also including those taking classes at the gym or leisure centre

It seems the data could support both being low risk

it's often difficult to trace where an outbreak comes from - and UK active members are hardly an unbiased source. The studies are not just from the UK but other countries. It's not surprising that classes cause outbreaks, it's very odd that its not reported for gym users generally.

Well I’m in tier 3 so definitely no gym classes.

If you’re in tier 2 are classes at a proper gym allowed with more than 6 people?

I was in tier 1 before lockdown (that worked well) and we had indoor gym classes with as many people as could fit in the room, 2m apart.

@timeforanewstart

Because 1000 in a stadium that holds 40000 will have a lot more room to sd than a exercise class pf 20 that only holds 40 max

I heard it was 2000 or 50% capacity. So a 4000 seater stadium can be 'full' if they leave every other seat empty. Does not sound like social distancing to me. That is more than 15 minutes and less than 1 meter. Potentially shouting - no idea if cheering/singing to be allowed. And not fully outside. Some stadiums only have one side that is open to the fresh air. I think this decision was not science-led but lobbying/donation-led. Especially since the government were previously going to wait until the quick tests were available (which they are, even NHS staff have access now).

It's not so much being in the stadium the worries me, as outdoors and facing forward. But getting in and out. I think I'll be offered a ticket back at the footy but I won't be going. I'll leave that to someone lower risk.