San Joaquin County gyms caught off guard by last-minute reversal of opening guidance

Lonnie Wong reports

SPEAKING OUT THIS COMES AFTERSAN JOAQUIN COUNTY HEALTHOFFICIALS DECIDED TO KEEP GYMSCLOSED FOX FORTY'S LONNY WONGREPORTS TONIGHT.WE WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.THE CEO OF IS IN SHAPE HEALTHCLUB SAYS SAN JOAQUIN COUNTYHEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE A TOUGHJOB, BUT DROPPED THE BALL BYCALLING OFF THE OPENING OFHEALTH CLUB SUDDENLY WITHOUTCONSULTING WITH THEM.

THEY HADALREADY RETIRED STAFF FOR THECOUNTY'S 10 LOCATIONS IN SANJOAQUIN COUNTY 220 EMPLOYEESWHO ARE EXCITED TO BE BACK ATWORK AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVETHEM.

THE KIND OF SITTING HEREGOING WHAT'S NEXT MANY OF THECOMPANY'S 65 OTHER GYMSINCLUDING ONE SHINGLE SPRINGSWILL REOPEN WITH OPERATIONSGEARED AROUND HEALTH SAFETY.AND MANY 6.4.THAT INCLUDES A RESERVATIONSYSTEM TO KEEP CAPACITY DOWNTOUCHLESS CHECK INS ANDREARRANGING EXERCISE GEAR.SPACE THE MACHINES OUT HERTHERE ARE NEW SANITATIONSTATIONS AROUND THE GYM ANDNEW RULES LIKE ONE SWIMMER PERLANE AT ITS POOL.

ONE OF THETEMPORARY OPERATIONAL CHANGESHERE THE POOL AND UP FROM THATHAS BEEN PUT AWAY EXERCISE ISENCOURAGED HERE BUT LOUNGINGABOUT IS NOT.

SOME FEELTHEY'RE PRECAUTIONS ARESTRICTER THAN THOSE REQUIREDBY CARD ROOMS AND CASINOSWHICH WERE ALLOWED OPEN MORETHE HEALTH BUSINESS WEEK WETAKE IT SUPER SERIOUSLYGRANTED SEVERAL KING COUNTY ISSEEING A SPIKE IN COVID CASES.BUT THE OTHER COUNTIES THATHAVE SEEN A SPIKE ARE STILLALONE, JIM STILL OPEN, BUT ASGOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID ON THE50'S LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO BESPIKES WE'RE OPENING UP THEECONOMY.

SHILLER SAYS THEYAGREED WITH SHUTTING DOWNBUSINESSES UNTIL THE RISKSWERE ASSESSED, BUT SHE ISDISAPPOINTED THE BUSINESSESTHAT ARE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLEHEALTHY.WE'RE GIVEN A CHANCE TOSTATE THEIR CASE BEFORESEVERAL KING COUNTY'S DECISIONWAS REVERSED.COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED INTHE PROCESS WHERE WE ARE GIVENNO.

REALLY COLLABORATION TOHELP UNDERSTAND HOW DO WEMANAGE OUR MEMBERS AND OURTEAM MEMBERS THROUGH THIS.