James Kon
Officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the Health Services Department under the Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday inspected Fitness Zone in Kiulap and 247 Fitness in Kampong Lambak Kiri, to ensure that both facilities adhere to the health guidelines for Level 2 of the de-escalation plan.
General Manager of Fitness Zone Mike Abacan said, “We’ve seen an increase of 20 to 30 per cent in the number of people using our facilities, following the announcement of Level 2 in the de-escalation plan.”
He added, “All lockers, shower areas, changing rooms and swimming pools in our club are closed. Only the toilets are open. Our members are constantly reminded to observe physical distancing, while the equipment is sanitised before and after use.”
Manager of 247 Fitness Awangku Iswandi bin Pengiran Hamdani said, “Following the return of our loyal members, only five persons are allowed inside during the one-hour limit. With these guidelines in place, our customers feel more at ease while doing their workouts.”
Under the current guidelines, all gyms and fitness centres can host up to 60 per cent of their capacity within a one-hour limit and physical distancing of two metres.
Each premise must have a BruHealth QR code, where only those with green and yellow codes are allowed to enter. Individuals exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and of high risks are prohibited from entering.
The equipment and facilities must be thoroughly sanitised, while employees are required to use face masks. The sharing of equipments, lockers and shower areas is prohibited. Premises owners are reminded that failing to comply with these guidelines is an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act (Chapter 204). If found guilty, the penalty is a fine of not more than BND10,000 or imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.
The MCYS advises all gym users and the public to adhere to the established guidelines, for the safety and wellbeing of the community.
