The Taichung Gymnasium Business Association on Saturday issued a statement in opposition to a new government rule that would require gym patrons to have received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
On Friday, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said that people working jobs considered to be at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 would need to show proof of three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Friday.
The booster shot requirement would also apply to activities in which people might have contact with strangers or might not be able to maintain social distancing, the center added.
Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times
People who work out at a gym, attend intercity religious events or participate in tours arranged by travel agencies would need to prove that they had received a third dose.
The association said in the statement that gyms are not venues that present a high risk of infection.
No outbreaks have resulted from people going to the gym, it added.
Gyms are different from entertainment venues such as nightclubs, hostess and karaoke bars, teahouses and saunas, which have been sources of outbreaks, it said.
“Imposing the policy on gym members is dubious and unreasonable. This government regulation is too targeted,” the statement quoted World Gym as saying.
“Gyms are not high-risk places and pressure should not be placed on gym operators,” it said.
The association said that it complies with the government’s disease prevention measures, such as requiring the wearing of masks, regularly sanitizing equipment and facilitating social distancing by increasing the spacing between gym equipment.
It asked why the government did not impose the same “three shot” requirement on patrons of department stores, restaurants, supermarkets and other venues with large crowds in confined spaces.
“It seems as though there is a double standard. The authorities should consider the fairness of this policy to gym operators and patrons,” it said.
The government’s intention is to increase the vaccination rate, but it should be up to individuals to decide whether to get vaccinated, it added.
Requiring gym members to have received three vaccine doses would likely prompt consumer disputes, particularly among those who had purchased memberships, the association said.
“The fitness industry has already been hit hard throughout the pandemic,” it said.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, on Saturday said that the center has eased restrictions by allowing gym members to remove masks.
However, gym members breathe more heavily and at an accelerated rate while exercising, and that increases the risk of transmission, “so we decided to require gym members to have received three vaccine doses,” Chen added.
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