Fitness chain founder urges SDMC to reconsider closing gyms under Covid-19 red zones

Kenny Sia

KUCHING (Apr 26): The State Disaster Management Committee’s (SDMC) decision to temporarily close all gymnasiums under Covid-19 red zones in Sarawak should be reviewed, said home-grown fitness chain Level Up Fitness founder and executive director Kenny Sia.

He said gymnasiums should not be branded as high-risk venues for spreading Covid-19.

“I understand why SDMC wants to shut down gym operations because they mistakenly thought that gymnasiums are high-risk areas.

“However, if that were true, then why is it that Sarawak gymnasiums have not caused a single outbreak since the pandemic started even though we faced unavoidable exposure like every other businesses?” he told The Borneo Post.

Sia said all Level Up Fitness branches have been strictly adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) since early last year.

“We have even gone above and beyond the existing SOPs this year in view of the worsening Covid-19 situation.

“For example, we followed recommendations from experts and made it a requirement that our members are to wear masks even while exercising.

“Such measure is even practised at gyms in the United States and Hong Kong,” he said.

He pointed out that surely gymnasium were not as unsafe as banquet halls and bistros if their members were willing to put on their face mask when lifting weights to minimise the risk of exposure.

In illustrating the strict guidelines at Level Up Fitness, Sia said there were six cases of Covid-19 exposure across 13 outlets throughout the country since the beginning of the pandemic but none of them had resulted in an outbreak.

“Customers were infected outside our premises and went to our Level Up Fitness centres unknowingly.

“However, because they knew we were strict with our SOPs, they did not spread the infection to any close contacts,” he said.

He added that neither staff nor other customers had been infected by Covid-19 positive individuals who had visited their premises thus far.

Sia thus urged SDMC to reconsider shutting down local businesses such as Level Up Fitness during this Conditional Movement Control Order.

“Why shut down Sarawakian businesses without providing any finanicial assistance?

“Level Up Fitness employs over 100 Sarawakian staff, many of whom depend on us for income. Without income, how are they going to celebrate Hari Raya and Hari Gawai?” he questioned.

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