We’re gradually easing COVID precautions
It's been over year since this pandemic started. It's taken its toll on the country and the globe in so many ways. At certain points in time, it felt like it would never end. Even today, it feels like we've been wearing masks for a decade.
But, there are good news all around us.
Nationally, the 7-day average of new COVID cases is at the same level it was at in early July of last year, trending downwards. Thirty two (32) percent of all Americans are fully vaccinated and nearly half have received one dose of the vaccine.
In Virginia, the situation is also looking promising. Vaccination numbers are similar to the national average: a third of Virginians fully vaccinated and nearly half have received one dose.
In Northern Virginia the numbers are even slightly better than the state averages. And, most importantly, the average number of daily new COVID cases is near its lowest since March of last year. This is great!
All of this gives us confidence to start gradually and slowly easing back some of the gym COVID policies and restrictions we've put in place without putting anyone at more risk.
So, here is our 3-phase plan for doing so:
Phase A - Short Term
The current average daily new COVID cases just dropped under 200/day. This is the lowest it's been in more than a year.
Provided it stays under 200 for a full week, then we will do two things:
1. Ease back mask wearing requirements to entry/exit + the warmup/cooldown. In other words, class participants can take their masks off right after the warmup and keep them off for movement prep, strength blocks and conditioning workouts. Masks have to be put back by the end of class.
2. Re-open the front desk / lobby area for general use, including the front door entrance and the use of both bathrooms.
Timeline:
We expect this to take place by Monday 5/24 and we will confirm this in an email next week.
Phase B - Mid Term
Once daily new COVID cases in Northern VA get close to the 150/day mark and single dose vaccinations get closer to about 55%, then we will ease back the next set of precautions:
1. Eliminate temperature checks at check-in.
2. Re-introduce equipment sharing in a controlled fashion. We know that you badly badly want to be tortured by the assault bikes, and we want to give you what you want. We just want to make sure it's done in a way that continues to promote distancing.
Timeline: We expect this to happen around mid June.
Phase C - Long Term
At some point later in the summer, it is projected that we will reach herd immunity. It is not clearly defined what that immunity level is, but many experts think that will come when about 60% of us are fully vaccinated.
Perhaps that will be by the end of July, we are not sure and we will not try to set a date for this. What we are going to do is keep these precautions in place till last:
1. Some minimum requirement of mask wearing
2. Social distancing spaces
3. Coaches wearing masks
Some of the above might remain in place through the summer and beyond. It's too soon to tell what the future will bring. All we know is that we are not going to wave a magic wand and turn everything back to what it looked like in 2019. There are also COVID variants and longer-term vaccine implications to contend with.
That's our general plan. We hope you'll find that it balances practicality with safety.
Phase A is pretty much around the corner, so keep an eye out for an email announcement in your email inbox about the first set of changes in gym policy.
It's been a long journey, but we're so close to the end.
