These Policy Updates take effect 12/21/21 at Noon
Good Afternoon Everyone,
With local cases of COVID-19 trending upward in the State of NH, Strafford County and within the City of Dover, we have made the decision to bring back some of the previous protocols that kept our community safe and COVID-free in the past. We are lucky to have not had a gym related outbreak and the intention of these protocols are to keep it that way!
This update has been made in an effort to stay ahead of the curve, keep all gym members and staff safe (and in effect all other people that we all interact with) and lastly to ensure that we DO NOT have an outbreak in our community. Please abide by the following updated guidelines regarding mask use, social distancing and hygiene practices.
1 – Mask use will now again be mandatory by all persons in the gym at all times UNLESS actively engaged in workout activities as defined in this paragraph. For CrossFit classes this will be defined as actively participating in the strength or metcon portion of a class workout (mask use is strongly encouraged during these portions of a class but will not be mandatory while actively performing a class “Strength” or “Metcon”).
Other instances where mask use is strongly recommended but not mandatory are when actively performing exercises or workouts during open gym time, specialty programs, small group training, yoga, Barbell Club, HybridAF or personal training.
Mask use will be mandatory during class warm-ups or mobility sessions. Mask use will be mandatory when stopping a workout to use the restroom, when gathering equipment or not actively participating in workout activities.
Mask use will be mandatory when performing mobility, warming up, during skill sessions or during cool downs.
During open gym/hybridAF times mask use will not be required if an individual is the only person inside of the gym. However, in this instance, if someone else comes into the gym, both people must wear a mask when not actively working out as previously defined.
When a class workout is completed, mask use must commence once leaving your workout space, or, in the case of any of the other above mentioned programs, mask use must commence after workout activity is completed.
2 – If someone forgets their mask, the gym will provide one for them. There may be a limited supply of gym provided masks so if a mask is forgotten and the gym does not have any left to provide, the participant will not be admitted to the gym until they are able to procure a mask.
3 – Temperature Scan – Upon entry into the gym, it will be mandatory to both scan your temperature at the provided touch free scanner and use the provided hand sanitizer. There are no exceptions to this rule.
If any member or staff has a fever 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or over the member or staff will wait 5 minutes outside then reenter and rescan. If a fever 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or over is still present on a second scan, the member or staff will not be admitted to the gym.
4 – Social Distancing – All efforts by all persons to socially distance yourself from other people in the gym at a distance of 6 feet must be made (the only exception to the 6’ rule would be if individuals reside at the same address and live in close quarters with each other). We understand that it would be impossible to list every possible personal interaction situation, short of requiring a continuous mask requirement for all persons in the gym, but we ask that all participants and staff make a concerted effort to respect social distancing. Especially when;
- Gathering equipment
- Performing exercises of all/any form
- Traveling in or around the gym
We ask that everyone use common sense to avoid unnecessary crowding.
5 – Cones – To help facilitate social distancing, EverProven will provide 4 shuttle style cones to anyone who would like to set up an established area or “box” to workout in and distance themselves from others. These boxes will be optional and take the place of previously used tape boxes. (Tape on the floor was very hard to keep down, keep clean and presented a number of logistical problems for us.) Use of these cones will also allow the spaces to be mobile/moveable and to have the ability accommodate more gear etc.
- We ask that cone boxes not be excessive in size (no more than 14’x14’)
- That users try to use the same color cone for all 4 corners, when possible so that there is no confusion
- That cone boxes are a respected boundary; do not cross into a cone box purposely unless it is your box.
- If not using a cone box, we still ask that you do your best to remain 6 feet apart from anyone who does not reside in the same household as you, whenever possible.
- EverProven acknowledges that there will be times where you may need to come within 6 feet of another person for safety reasons – spotting etc. During these instances, we ask that the spotter/person not actively working out, wear their mask and keep time within this distance to a minimum.
6 – Daily Symptom Check – Members and staff shall check themselves for symptoms associated with Covid-19 each day before coming into the gym. If a member or staff is sick or is experiencing any of the above symptoms, we ask them to stay home.
A – There are a wide range of symptoms associated with Covid-19. The most common are:
- Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath of difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches, Headache
- New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting, Diarrhea
B – Any member or staff that is diagnosed with, or showing symptoms of Covid-19, will not come to the gym until:
- 10 days after symptoms first appeared and the individual has not had a fever within 24 hours
- OR after day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later).
7 – It is NOT EverProven’s prerogative to require members or staff to be or become vaccinated. We do encourage vaccination but do realize that, for many reasons, that becoming vaccinated is a personal choice. EverProven will, however, follow established guidance and best practices based upon State Health Department and CDC recommendations in relation to exposure and diagnosis without vaccination.
A – Any unvaccinated member or staff that has had close contact with someone with Covid-19 (living in the same household or has spent more than 15 minutes in close proximity to someone who has been recently diagnosed) shall follow the same rules as above listed in section 6-B.
B – EverProven will not share any private health information about a member or staff member. There may be an instance where EverProven will need to share information about potential exposure, however, this will be done with anonymity. (no names or indicators of “who it was” will be shared)
8 – If any member or staff is diagnosed with Covid-19 and has been to the gym within 7 days of diagnosis or since symptoms started, we ask that they notify the gym management by phone or email and will identify what date and time they attended the gym last. If a member or staff reports a positive Covid-19 test to gym management and has been to the gym within 7 days of diagnosis or since symptoms started all individuals that may have been in close contact or potentially exposed will be notified (name of the individual who reported testing positive for Covid-19 will be omitted for their privacy).
9 – All current cleaning/decontamination practices will continue. We ask that if you touch an object or surface that you disinfect it after use with the provided materials. Please use only the provided disinfectant wipes and do not spray anything on metal surfaces (barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, rig, etc). In the past, a large amount of our equipment experienced premature wear due to sprays being used and would like to try to preserve these items while also keeping them clean.
Thank you all for taking the time to read and understand the importance of this update. EverProven is committed to providing members and employees with a safe environment. We certainly do not want the Covid-19 pandemic to force the gym to close again and we believe these temporary steps place us in a better position to avoid that possibility while also keeping everyone safe!
Please reach out with any questions!