Equinox says it will begin requiring members to show proof of vaccination before entering its fitness centers starting next month.
The company, in a press release, said the program comes after consultations with local and state officials—and will include all Equinox facilities, including SoulCycle. Officials added they had conducted a member survey and that an “overwhelming majority” of paying customers were in favor of the mandate.
“We have always made the health and safety of our communities our top priority,” said Harvey Spevak, Equinox Group executive chairman and managing partner in a statement. “We have a responsibility to take bold action and respond to changing circumstances with urgency. We encourage other leading brands to join us in this effort to best protect our communities.”
The policy will initially be enforced in New York City locations, the company said, beginning in early September. Equinox plans to introduce similar policies in all of its markets, though it did not give a timeline for those locations. Forty of Equinox’s 100 fitness facilities are located in New York City.
The announcement comes in conjunction with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s public plea to private businesses (including bars and restaurants) to require proof of vaccination before someone is able to enter the premises.
New COVID-19 cases across America are up roughly 150%. And cases are skyrocketing in areas with lower vaccination rates, since unvaccinated individuals are especially vulnerable to the virus and far more likely to become severely ill from COVID if infected. States with the lowest vaccination rates include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Wyoming, all of which have less than 40% of their populations fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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