Covid-19: are gyms safe places?
On the days we live, can you feel safe in a gym? Studies show that it is.
The world is experiencing an extraordinary, life-altering challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic (WHO, 2020). Its epidemiology highlights that age and inequalities in health, wellbeing and economic status makes people more vulnerable. The disease can be particularly severe for those that are older, obese with comorbidities and people of ethnic minority backgrounds. The conditions created by the pandemic has raised the importance of physical activity and wellbeing for society.
Whilst more than 71,500 research papers have been published in 2020 (till the beginning of Novmber; PubMed database references including the term “COVID19” ), less than 1% of them (n= 798) relate to the potential role and/or impact that physical activity might have on addressing the pandemic and importantly here, preventing a second wave (PubMed database references including the terms “COVID-19 and exercise” )
This is somewhat surprising given the extant evidence linking an active lifestyle (involving informal physical activity, regular exercise and/or sports participation) and reinforced immune function across the lifespan, including viral defense (Neiman, Wentz, 2019).
Regular physical activity supports both physical and mental health in adults, teens, and children. Physical activity is especially important amid the COVID-19 pandemic given its role in helping to strengthen and improve immune functioning and lower risk of viral illness . Physical activity plays a central role in the prevention and management of cardiovascular and metabolic health conditions as well as some cancers (WHO GAPPA, 2018 ), which can increase risk of severe adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Additionally, as many people have been at home and isolated for long periods, the mental health and social benefits of community physical activity cannot be ignored.
A recent randomized control trial, involving 3,764 participants, developed by the University of Oslo (Helsingen et al., 2020 ), showed no virus transmission or increase in COVID-19 disease related to opening of training facilities providing good hygiene and distancing measures were observed. This trial highlights that facility-based activity can be undertaken safely, with limited risk.
In September 2020 was launched the SafeACTiVE study, commissioned by EuropeActive's Research Centre THINK Active, that aims to demonstrate the relative risk of Covid-19 infection in fitness clubs. Research and evaluation partners have collected data based on more than 62 million visits to fitness clubs and leisure facilities with only 487 positive cases (of both members and staff) reported from operators based in Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg and The United Kingdom. This translates to an average infection rate at 0.78 per 100.000 visits.
The data collected seeks to mitigate public health concerns (of both users and members), confirm that fitness clubs are safe environments with a relatively low risk of Covid-19 infection, and offer the fitness and physical activity sector a strong argument for keeping our resources open during any future outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Bibliography
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=covid+19&size=200
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=covid+19+and+exercise&size=200
Nieman, D.C., Wentz, L.M. The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system. J Sport Health Sci, 8 (2019), pp. 201-217.
Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA): https://www.who.int/ncds/ prevention/physicalactivity/global-action-plan-2018-2030/en/
Chekroud SR, Gueorguieva R, Zheutlin AB, Paulus M, Krumholz HM, Krystal JH, Chekroud AM. Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1·2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018 Sep;5(9):739-746.
The TRAiN Study Group. Randomized Re-Opening of Training Facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www. medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.24.20138768v2.full.pdf
Thordis Berger
CMO - Chief Medical Officer - Portugal