Reader s Digest How Can I Avoid COVID-19 at the Gym Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 12 September 2020 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles Reader s Digest How Can I Avoid COVID-19 at the Gym When visiting a gym during the pademic do everything you can to reduce your risk of catching the novel coronavirus, says Michael Ben-Aderet, MD, associate director of Hospital Epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai. Athletic woman lifting weights in plank pose while wearing protective face mask at health club. Reader's Digest recently interviewed infectious disease specialist Michael Ben-Aderet, MD, associate director of Hospital Epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai, about lowering your risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus at the gym. As states and cities continue to reopen, people are weighing the pros and cons of returning to their local fitness centers. When making these decisions, an individual must take into account how much risk they're willing to tolerate, according to Reader's Digest. If a gym workout is a must-have, Ben-Aderet said, "It's really about doing everything you can to reduce risk, knowing the risk can never be completely eliminated." For example, gym-goers cannot avoid germs in the locker room. As Reader's Digest explained, dressing benches, showers, bathroom stalls, sinks and vanity areas tend to be tight quarters with poor ventilation, making them a breeding ground for germs. "When we talk about locker rooms, we're often talking about people who aren't able to socially distance properly," said Ben-Aderet. "And I doubt people will be wearing masks consistently while showering." Gym-goers might want to skip the locker room, sanitize their hands after finishing a workout, shower immediately after returning home and isolate their workout clothes, according to Reader's Digest. Ben-Aderet added that wearing a mask at the gym is "superior to not wearing a mask in terms of infection control." But if individuals don't wear a mask, social distancing is key. If people stay at least six feet apart from others, "that's really beyond the area a respiratory droplet can spread, so the risk is probably much lower in that case," said Ben-Aderet. Click here to read the complete story from Reader's Digest. Related Stories RSS feed - Related Stories (opens in new window) View all headlines - Related Stories HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries October 07, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles HealthDay recently interviewed Rebecca J. Schneyer, MD, a resident in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at Cedars-Sinai, about a study she led that found Black and Hispanic women were less likely than white women to receive minimally … Read more KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot October 06, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles KCRW program Press Play recently featured Rita Shane, PharmD, vice president and chief pharmacy officer at Cedars-Sinai, discussing who qualifies for the updated COVID-19 booster and how long patients must wait before getting the shot.The Centers … Read more ABC 7 Spider-Man Swings by 4-Year-Old Leukemia Patient s Birthday Party at Cedars-Sinai September 30, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles ABC 7 recently profiled Cedars-Sinai patient Jabari Henley, who celebrated his fourth birthday with a special superhero at Guerin Children's newly opened inpatient facility.The Lifedriven Foundation helped throw Henley a surprise party in the Guerin … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Contact Marni Usheroff marni.usheroff@cshs.org Share this release Reader s Digest How Can I Avoid COVID-19 at the Gym Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home