The Suffolk County Department of Health Services will begin inspections on Monday, August 24 for commercial, traditional gyms. The Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning will work in conjunction with the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services to launch an online database of all gyms and fitness centers located within the County.

Prior to the inspection, gym owners and managers will have to complete the affirmation for each facility location, which can be found on the NY Forward website, that they have reviewed and understood the New York State guidelines and will implement these protocols. Once an attestation form is submitted, Suffolk County will begin the process of scheduling inspections. Each facility will receive an automated email with a scheduled date and timeframe for the inspection, along with other critical information.

Finally, gym owners are required to develop a written safety plan outlining the measures that the business will take to protect their employees and gym members from COVID-19. Businesses must have this plan available for review and also conspicuously posted at each location.

Facilities will be required to close communal showers, whirlpools, saunas/steam rooms, water fountains and self-serve bars and samplers. While classes will be allowed to proceed, the following guidelines must be met, in which the most restrictive guidelines should determine maximum class capacity; 6 feet of distance in all directions for all class participants, class size will be limited to 33% capacity of total class size, no more than 50 people.

Additional requirements include sanitizing stations, acceptable face coverings that do not include bandanas, buffs, and gaiters, and the limitation of physical contact activities such as boxing and martial arts. In addition, at each inspection, businesses will receive a gallon of NYS Clean hand sanitizer.

Gym owners can call Suffolk 311 or visit the Suffolk County BRU website, www.suffolkcountyny.gov/bru to answer questions or learn of the latest updates.