When faced with a health crisis such as Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is your duty as a gym owner to inform your students and their families of the preventative measurements taken in your gym or the possibility of moving classes online. The status of the virus has now been updated to a pandemic. Reports suggest the best way to keep yourself safe from the virus is to limit contact with other people, so this directly affects martial arts gym owners as the use of mats and hand-to-hand contact is obviously used in martial arts classes. Families who attend your gym will appreciate the openness and will be given some peace of mind from your statement. Here is a drafted template email or social post for you to use with the members of your gym:
Suggested Email/Social Post:
To our families and friends at _________ :
Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has been greatly highlighted in the news and has become a widespread epidemic. We at _____________ want to let you know we are being proactive in making sure our environment is as safe as is possible for you and your family. Here is the list of preventative measures we are implementing:
– The studio is deep-cleaned daily. We have chosen to utilize extra preventive measures when disinfecting everything our students and parents come in contact with. We use Clorox Wipes and Lysol Spray on commonly touched surfaces, and a special anti-viral cleaner on all mats and gear. We clean before and after all classes.
– Our team will perform extra cleaning tasks where common hand contact occurs during operating hours, especially between classes such as wiping down and disinfecting doorknobs, handles, faucets, and toilet operating arms.
– If a student was out of school or work caused by feeling under the weather, please don’t come to class that day or until the illness has passed. If we see that a child appears to be sick, we will ask you to take them home.
– If a staff member or instructor is feeling under the weather, we tell them to stay home. We pay them for sick leave so they do not feel pressured to come into work.
– We’re strongly encouraging the use of hand sanitizer more frequently to all students and to parents and family members in the bleachers.
– Disinfecting wipes will be conveniently located throughout our facility for you to wipe down your phones, tablets, computers, sparring gear, and whatever else you use while in the gym.
– We will be greeting people without high fives or handshakes to reduce the risk of spreading germs.
Here are things you can do to help support creating the healthiest environment for our students:
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
– Please stay home when you are sick or show any signs of not feeling well. Remember, we have a great make-up class policy and awesome curriculum videos for you to keep up with.
– Wash your hands with soap and water regularly while singing the A,B,C’s, and use hand sanitizer as often as you feel it’s needed.
– Cough or sneeze into your elbow. If you use a tissue, wash your hands afterward.
– Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces that you bring into _________ with the disinfecting wipes we have throughout the school.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or suggestions.
In Summary:
With this template, you can properly address health and safety concerns without dealing with too many questions from parents or students. We recommend that all gym owners are open and honest with your members to create a sense of trust and transparency. We at Kicksite know how important this is when running a gym! Stay healthy!