The association that represents the gyms (Portugal Ativo | AGAP) said today that these establishments "were ignored in the second phase of deconfinement" and that the fitness sector "is incomprehensibly at odds with the rest of the country".
In a statement sent to Lusa news agency, AGAP underlines that at a time when the country is witnessing the relief of restrictive measures imposed by the pandemic, fitness is at odds with other sectors.
"The gymnasiums were not only ignored in anticipation of phase 2 of the deconfinement, but also saw their measures aggravated by an orientation of the DGS [General Directorate of Health]", points out the association, clarifying that, on the 17th of August, the DGS issued a review of its Guidance No. 030/ 2020 in which it “weaves considerations impossible to understand and implement”.
An example of this is the cleaning of changing rooms, where DGS recommends that, after each use, lockers, hangers, showers/shower cabins and toilets must be cleaned and disinfected. «In addition to what it would represent in logistic terms, it is very difficult to justify a directive of this nature. No sector lives with restrictions of this caliber,” notes AGAP.
José Carlos Reis, president of AGAP, considers that the sector is forgotten but is part of the solution.
“We are incredulous with the absence of the fitness and health sector in anticipating phase 2 of deconfinement. The country is progressing, and well, at an excellent pace in vaccination, the different sectors have achieved the long-awaited relief from the restrictive measures and we, who have always been part of the solution, were simply forgotten», accuses the leader quoted in the statement.
AGAP understands that "it is urgent to understand, once and for all, the benefits of physical exercise" and recalls that gyms were one of the sectors that had to invest the most to adapt to the special measures caused by the pandemic.
«PPE [Individual Protection Equipment], the reconfiguration of spaces or partner management software are examples of this, in a year in which the sector registered losses of more than 40%. We have great respect for national health authorities. We have always followed the guidelines that have been imposed throughout these very hard 17 months. However, it is imperative to decide on a scientific basis and reasoning, so we cannot be treated in a discriminatory way and without common sense», asks José Carlos Reis.
The rules provided for in the second phase of the government's deconfinement plan entered into force on Monday, with the exception of the end of the mandatory use of masks in public spaces, whose law is in force until September 12th.
With the announcement on Thursday that Portugal had reached the target of 70% of the population vaccinated against covid-19 by the end of the previous day, the executive put forward an extraordinary council of ministers, held on Friday via electronic means, to anticipate the country's passage to the second phase of the decontamination plan.
The government forecast pointed to this target for September 5, but vaccination has accelerated again in recent weeks.
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