Covid: Wait to workout ends as gyms, yoga centres reopen in Delhi

The wait to hit the gym was finally over for Delhiites on Monday as gyms and yoga centres opened in the national capital after a gap of three long months.

These centres were shut to check the spread of coronavirus. The Delhi government Saturday allowed them to operate at 50 per cent capacity.

Gym-owners and instructors have devised plans including frequent sanitisation and slots allowing only up to 50 per cent of their establishment's capacity in accordance with the Covid guidelines.

The city government has also allowed weddings at banquet, marriage halls and hotels with 50 people in attendance under the phased unlock process initiated with an improvement in the city's COVID-19 situation.

Chirag Sethi, the vice president of Delhi Gym Association, said the fitness industry welcomed the opportunity to reopen while following the guidelines.

Sethi, also the owner of Anytime Fitness in Malviya Nagar, said they were allowing gym members to come in about 16 slots of 50-60 people from 6 am till 9 pm.

"People are excited about coming back as they have realised it's important to be healthy to fight COVID-19," Sethi told PTI.

Along with segregating groups of gym-goers, Sethi has also vaccinated his staff and directed them to sanitise all the equipment frequently.

"We are also giving discount offers for members who have been vaccinated. We have placed a bottle of sanitiser and a cloth next to each equipment so anyone who uses it can clean it," he said.