SafeACTiVE Study – Preliminary Results Show Extremely Low Levels of COVID-19 Risk in Gyms

EuropeActive, the leading voice and non-profit association for the European fitness and physical activity sector, is pleased to announce that preliminary data collected by King Juan Carlos University and AWRC-Sheffield Hallam University reveals extremely low levels of COVID-19 risk in fitness clubs and leisure facilities. With more than 62 million visits analyzed, the average infection rate stands at 0.78 per 100,000 visits.

Since the study’s official launch on September 25, 2020, research and evaluation partners have collected data based on more than 62 million visits to fitness clubs and leisure facilities, with only 487 positive cases (among both members and staff) reported by operators based in Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom.

The SafeACTiVE study, commissioned by EuropeActive’s Research Centre THINK Active, aims to determine the relative risk of COVID-19 infection in fitness clubs. The data collected seeks to address public health concerns (among both users and members), confirm that fitness clubs are safe environments with a relatively low risk of COVID-19 infection, and provide the fitness and physical activity sector with a strong case for keeping our facilities open during any future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

The director of the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, Prof. Rob Copeland, stated that “Data from the SafeACTiVE Study shows that gyms across the EU are safe places to work and exercise. Preventing the further spread of COVID-19 must be our primary objective, but we also need to ensure that our communities have the support and opportunity to remain active. We know that being physically fit can help reduce the severity of COVID-19 infection, and moreover, being active can help us cope psychologically when faced with the challenges of a second wave of the pandemic across Europe.”

Furthermore, he stated that “keeping recreation centers and fitness clubs open and fully operational is critical to ensuring the health and well-being of our communities. I would go further and suggest that governments across Europe should be considering how we can increase access to physical activity, not reduce it, as we learn to live with COVID-19.”

Prof. Alfonso Jimenez, head of THINK Active, also commented, “I am delighted to confirm such a low level of infection risk in fitness and health clubs, reinforcing the message that fitness and physical activity are a fundamental part of the solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to strengthen and improve immune function and reduce the risk of viral illness.”

He elaborated on the primary research method, which “is based on a survey conducted among European fitness operators. The survey consists of a series of questions about your facility or facilities and any confirmed cases of COVID-19 (among users, members, and staff). Participating fitness and leisure facilities are asked to provide information on total weekly visits since reopening on a week-by-week basis, using data from their access and membership systems. We expect to release the full report in November 2020, which will include detailed information by region and country across Europe, taking into account differences in infection rates.”

The SafeACTiVE Study was made possible thanks to the generous support of Exerp, ExorLive, Life Fitness, Matrix, Myzone, and Technogym.

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