BOW VALLEY – On Feb. 8, Alberta will ease health restrictions to gyms and studios and allow one-on-one training for indoor fitness activities.
On Friday (Jan. 29), Premier Jason Kenney announced the easing of province-wide health measures will occur in four steps based on COVID-19 hospitalization benchmarks.
“We aren’t out of the woods yet, but there are opportunities where we can safely ease restrictions while also protecting our health-care system," said Kenney in a press release. "This first step is a cautious one, and it will bring relief to many Albertans and Alberta businesses.”
The hospitalization benchmarks, for step one are 600 and declining, step two (450 and declining), step three (300 and declining), and step four (150 and declining).
On Thursday (Jan. 28), hospitalizations were below 600, the province announced.
In addition, restaurants, cafés and pubs will have health measures eased on Feb. 8. This includes allowing up to six people per table; individuals must be from same household or two close contacts for people living alone; liquor service ends at 10 p.m.; in-person dining must close by 11 p.m.; no entertainment allowed, such as no live music, pool tables and VLTs.
For sports, teams, gyms and fitness studios, the Alberta government made a guideline of what could open during each step.
For steps two, three and four there is the potential easing of more restrictions related to indoor and outdoor sporting events and team sports.
A full list of step one easing of restrictions for gyms and fitness studios are:
- One-on-one sessions cannot interact with others and there must be a minimum of three metres distance between sessions in the same facility.
- Sessions have to be scheduled or by appointment.
- No drop-in for individuals or groups is allowed.
- No sports games, competitions, team practice, league play or group exercise of any kind.
- Trainers must be professional, certified and/or paid trainers who are providing active instruction and correction. Passive supervision of a physical activity is not considered training.
- Trainers should remain masked during the session; clients are not required to wear a mask while exercising.
- More than one trainer and client ‘pair’ are allowed into the facility, studio, rink, court, pool, ice surface, etc., as long as:
- Each trainer and client stays three metres away from all other trainers and clients at all times, including in entryways and exits.
- Each trainer only interacts with their assigned client, and each client only interacts with their assigned trainer.
- No interaction between clients or between trainers is allowed.
- No ‘cycling through’ multiple trainers, as in circuit training.
Indoor and outdoor children's sport and performance:
- Children’s sport and performance activities are permitted if they are related to school activities, such as physical education classes.
- This will allow K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions to use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.
