Assessment Of Reported Covid-19 Cases Across European Leisure Centres And Fitness Clubs

Abstract

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a global health pandemic with extreme mobility restrictions and confinement. In these circumstances, EuropeActive developed a practical guide on safety and protective measures to guarantee that fitness centres had the highest safety possible, as European governments allowed them to reopen. PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the number of reported COVID-19 cases in members and staff in leisure centres and fitness clubs throughout Europe, considering several variables potentially influencing the transmission risk as they reopened from their COVID-19 shutdowns. METHODS: Total number of visits and number of reported COVID-19 cases in members and staff were collected in a sample of European leisure centres and fitness clubs (n = 4,360; 6.8% of all operators in Europe) during the first six months after reopening (weeks 19 to 43 of 2020). Chi-squared test was implemented to analyze several variables potentially influencing the transmission risk, such as the facility size (total squared meters), compliance with EuropeActive's practical guide (i.e., <75% vs >75% of the measures), and operator's profile (i.e., large vs small operators). RESULTS: A total of 115,384,737 member visits were obtained, with 1,092 positive COVID-19 cases reported in members and 196 in staff, resulting in 1.12 positive cases per 100,000 visits. There was an association between the number of positive cases and the size of the facility (p < 0.001), with a progressive reduction in cases as the facility size increased up to 1,000-2,000 m2, yet a progressive increase in cases was observed for facilities 1,000-2,000 m2 to >5,000 m2. There was also an association between the cases and the percentage compliance with safety and protective measures showing fewer cases with more compliance of measures (p < 0.001) and with the operator's profile, with fewer positive cases reported in large operators (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Leisure centres and fitness clubs reported a low and maintained incidence of positive cases of COVID-19 despite Europe experiencing a second and third wave with a progressive increase of COVID-19 in the general population. Leisure centres and fitness clubs with a size of 1,000-2,000 m2, complying with >75% of the EuropeActive safety measures, and of large operators showed less incidence of reported cases.