SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KRON) -- California is one of if not the only state in the country keeping indoor fitness centers from reopening across the state, experts say.
Some leaders of the fitness industry and a former U.S. surgeon general are calling on the governor and state health leaders to allow them to reopen.
Indoor gyms and fitness centers remain closed for most of California.
"Leaving millions without options for safe exercise," Bill Bode said.
Fitness industry leaders like Bill Bode, the chief operating officer of Planet Fitness, say it's time to reopen.
"California is the only state in the nation that has not permitted indoor fitness centers to open," Bode said.
All but four counties in California are in the purple, most restrictive tier, banning fitness centers from operating indoors.
But industry experts Friday pointed to recent data collected in other states showing gyms do not significantly contribute to spreading the virus with proper protocols in place.
"In New York for example, fitness centers accounted for just 0.06% of community spread when they reopened, which is lower than retail stores, constructions sites, salons and auto dealers, all of which are permitted to open now in California," Bode said.
Former U.S. surgeon general Richard Carmona says reopening gyms safely is possible.
"Not because they told me, but because I witnessed it at several of their facilities," Carmona said.
California shut down indoor operations in most gyms and fitness centers ahead of the holidays, as the state braced for and then struggled with a surge in COVID-19 cases.
As cases begin to stabilize in California and vaccine distribution continues, fitness industry leaders hope state health leaders hear them out.
"We stand ready to sit down with the governor and discuss this plan and assist in any way possible," Bode said.
We reached out to the department of public health for comment, but have not yet heard back.
Via Coronavirus | KRON4 https://www.kron4.com
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