Gyms and fitness centers in Florida have been given the greenlight to reopen Monday and restaurants can increase their indoor capacity to 50 percent as the state moves into a full Phase One plan to reinvigorate the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Ron DeSantis made those announcements Friday during a lengthy early afternoon press conference at Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside Hospital in Jacksonville. He also said retail stores, museums and libraries can operate at 50 percent capacity. But he stopped short of allowing bars and indoor movie theaters to reopen.
DeSantis didn’t mention capacity limits for gyms and fitness centers but said those facilities must practice social distancing and continually sanitize equipment – something he said should already have been taking place before the Coronavirus crisis.
“If you’re sweating on the dip bar, clean the dip bar when you’re done doing dips,” he said.
DeSantis also encouraged outdoor workouts that are common at places like CrossFit and other similar facilities across the state.
“That’s a lower-risk environment outdoors than if you’re inside a stuffy room in a gym doing something where you’re going to potentially be exposed to respiratory droplets,” he said.
DeSantis added that he was anxious to allow gyms and fitness centers to reopen because healthy people aren’t as susceptible to the debilitating factors associated with COVID-19.
“This is a respiratory virus that tends to attack people who have some health problems or who aren’t as in good physical condition,” he said. “So don’t we want people to be getting exercise? Don’t we want people to stay in shape? It’s going to actually make them more resistance to severe consequences.”
DeSantis said that while restaurants can increase their indoor dining capacity to 50 percent, the eateries still will need to practice appropriate social distancing measures. He said some restauranteurs have told them they can’t move their booths but have Plexiglass partitions between them.
“That’s fine,” he said. “All we’re trying to do is create a low-risk environment.”
Like with gyms and fitness centers, the governor also encouraged the use of outdoor seating for as many eateries as possible.
“That’s just based off the science that this thing is not as transmissible outdoors as indoors in an enclosed environment,” he said. “I think it can be done safely.”
DeSantis said theme parks are now welcome to submit plans for reopening – with the approval of local authorities – that show how guests and employees would be kept safe. He also encouraged professional teams and organizations to train and play in the Sunshine State. He said UFC and the WWE know they’re welcome in Florida and expressed hope that others will take advantage of available college arenas and other venues to conduct their respective sports.
“I think it would be fine if people want to use facilities here,” he said. “We welcome it.”