Save our Gyms: Sign the Petition

In the wake of the announcement that the City of Boston would be rolling back reopening of businesses to Phase 2, Step 2, local gyms and fitness studios are searching for help.  As part of the new rollback, all gyms in the City of Boston will need to close on Wednesday.

A new petition has been created by My Stryde founder Rebecca Skudder asking the City of Boston to reverse its decision to close gyms. You can sign the petition here!

Here’s what it states:

We are a group of small local fitness gyms and studios in Boston. We have come together to create this petition to save our businesses during this difficult time, because there is no data supporting a shut down for our industry. In fact, we have some of the lowest COVID-19 cases and spread over all industry types.

We were shut down due to COVID-19 public health measures in March of 2020, since re-opened in July 2020, and the city of Boston is again asking us to shut down on December 14th, 2020. Since March, we have 9 months of data on how COVID-19 is spreading. We ask that you use that data to make decisions on shut downs instead of aimlessly shutting down businesses. We have put our entire lives into these businesses, and we cannot handle another shut down at this point. Many of us will have to close our doors. 

If you look at the official state health data related to COVID-19, it states on page 35 that the recreation/cultural category accounted for a total of 17 COVID cases from November 8th – December 5th. The recreation/cultural category includes the following business types: gyms, fitness centers, swimming pools, beaches, movie theaters, golfing, boating, casinos. 

There were a total of 35,109 cases in the state of Massachusetts from November 8th 2020 – December 5th 2020. Therefore, the recreation/cultural business category is accountable for .048% of COVID cases in the state of Massachusetts. Shutting us down will not make a difference in the fight against COVID, it will stop 17 cases next month AT BEST.

In addition, it is proven that exercise, human interaction, and getting out of your house is a huge combat to stress, anxiety, and depression, which is on the rise during this pandemic. We provided them a healthy and safe way to combat their stress during this hard time.

We ask that the city of Boston reverse its decision to shut down gyms. In fact, New York State recently reversed a gym closure mandate due to lack of data on spread at fitness facilities. We ask Boston does the same.

We operated under extremely strict measures, without question, to keep our community safe. We ask to continue to operate under those measures, and remain at 40% capacity, spaced a minimum of 6 ft apart, with masks, just like we’ve safely done for the last 6 months. While we care greatly about the health of this city, state, and country, data shows that we are not the problem and shutting us down will not make a dent in the fight against COVID. 

Lastly, it is clear from the data that in house gatherings are causing the spread. In the same time frame that gyms accounted for 17 COVID cases, in house gatherings accounted for almost 32,000. We ask that you combat the in house gatherings with travel restrictions and house gathering fines and police regulation, as opposed to putting hard working, enthusiastic, local entrepreneurs out of business. Small businesses are the character of this city, and we are permanently closing our doors at an alarming rate. Please, follow the data and allow us to operate under our previous regulations that are proven to be safe.

Thank you, 

The Boston Fitness Community

You can sign the petition here.