Bay Strength strives to provide as safe a training environment as possible. To minimize the risk of exposure to covid to all our lifters as well as our coaches, Bay Strength has taken the following steps.

• Vaccinations, including at least one booster shot, are required for all lifters. Bay Strength coaches verify vaccination status for lifters during Learn to Lift intro sessions. As updated vaccines are made available, we may require additional booster shots.

   

• Air inside the gym is cleaned and recycled once every 7.5 minutes. Our two HVAC units are equipped with MERV-13 filters, and wall mounted and floor air purifiers are situated throughout the gym. All air inside the gym is cleaned and changed over once every 7.5 minutes. Four exterior doors and windows are kept open at all times for added ventilation.

   

• During times of high levels of COVID transmission, masks are required and must be KF94, N95, or better. We require high quality, well fitting masks during these times due to how contagious Omicron variants of Covid are. Currently, masks are optional.

We will continue to update our practices as needed to provide the best lifting environment possible while protecting the health and wellbeing of our entire community.

What to do if you are sick

If you are exhibiting symptoms of illness at any time (congestion, cough, fever, body aches, headache, chest tightness), we ask you to please stay out of the gym until your symptoms subside and you test negative.

In case of a known exposure to Covid-19

• If you have symptoms or test positive: you must stay home for the recommended quarantine time (10 days) and test negative prior to return.

• If you are symptom-free with a negative rapid test: you may train in the gym while wearing a mask for 10 days after exposure.

• If you are symptom-free with a negative PCR test: you may lift without a mask (unless masks are currently required for all).

Failure to follow these policies may result in the termination of your membership. Thank you for helping us keep each other safe!

What are current levels of Covid in the Bay Area?  

There are multiple sources of data on current covid levels. 

• The CDC’s community levels are a looser, broad measure of Covid levels. Currently, Alameda County levels are medium. 
• Before 2022, the CDC used a transmission map, which is still available. Currently, transmission levels are high. 
• Cal-SuWers publishes data on wastewater levels of Covid. Wastewater monitoring is an effective means of understanding current levels of Covid. At-home tests generally do not get reported into centralized health authorities, while wastewater monitoring will detect Covid levels in the population at large regardless.
• Covid ActNow is a non-profit that publishes current data and resources on Covid safety.
• Alameda County publishes data on current levels of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Bay Strength monitors all the above data and public health experts in determining our policies on Covid safety.
 

Is it safe to train indoors?

We strive to make indoor training as safe as possible by requiring vaccinations, maintaining a high level of air purification, and requiring high quality masks during times of high covid spread.

Unfortunately it is impossible to make training in any environment 100% safe in the context of the pandemic. We believe we have created a much safer environment indoors, and have to date avoided any outbreaks of covid at the gym. Ultimately individuals must judge the risks to the best of their ability.

Why do you require KF94 or N95 masks?

As the pandemic has gone on, covid has evolved to become increasingly contagious. While cloth and surgical masks are better than no mask at all, there is a strong consensus among public health experts that for good protection, individuals must wear well fitting KF94, N95, or better masks.

Because of this, and because people exhale forcefully while training, we require high quality masks during times of high covid transmission. This policy is in place to protect the health of all lifters and coaches, and make training as accessible as possible to all. 

Further resources:

• Are cloth masks enough to protect against Omicron? – Cleveland Clinic
• Cloth masks not effective against Omicron – New York Times
• Do we need N95 masks to protect against Omicron? – Wall Street Journal

I’ve already had Covid. Do I still need to wear a mask?

During times of high community spread, masks are required for everyone. Unfortunately, it is possible to be reinfected by covid. For everyone’s safety, everyone must wear a mask during times of high community transmission.

Will you be opening another outdoor gym? 

From September 2020 through June 2022, we operated an outdoor gym in El Cerrito in order to provide a safer space for folks to train. Sadly, we had to close the gym in early July 2022 due to planned development of the property. We do not currently have plans to open another outdoor gym.