Arizona issues guidelines for gyms and other businesses to reopen

Following a court order, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey yesterday, Aug. 10, issued a “road map” to eventually allow gyms and fitness centers to reopen.

The guidelines also include movie theaters, water parks, and some bars. While the metrics apply to counties with relatively low infection rates of COVID-19, businesses in Pima and Cochise counties don’t qualify yet, but the Arizona Department of Health Services said they are close to meeting the metrics.

Under the plan, gyms and fitness centers could reopen initially at 25% capacity when the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 in a county drops below 10% of all tests for at least two consecutive weeks. It also requires the rate of infection to be less than 100 cases per 100,000 residents and that fewer than 10% of those showing up at hospitals have COVID-like symptoms.

At that point, movie theaters, water parks, and river tubing operations could operate at 50%. Any establishment licensed as a bar also could operate at 50% capacity, but only if agreeing to certain conditions.

The bar would have to be operated like a restaurant, meaning no dancing, no milling around and mixing, and hosts must seat the patrons. 

From Capitol Media Services the Arizona Daily Star  https://tucson.com/news/local/ducey-sets-roadmap-for-business-reopenings-pima-county-close-to-meeting-it/article_4ac452f6-d771-524f-8858-a813185e6ded.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1