Melbourne fitness facilities have been labelled as ‘high-risk environments” by the Chief Health Officer, with the peak industry body disputing the ‘ludicrous’ claims.
The Australian state of Victoria is emerging from its fourth lockdown, but heavy restrictions still remain for many ‘devastated’ sectors.
The Federal Government will no longer declare the state’s capital as a coronavirus hotspot, however this means an end to COVID-19 disaster payments for most people.
Lockdown restrictions eased in Melbourne at 11.59pm on Thursday 10th June, but heavy restrictions still remain for many businesses in both the metro and regional areas of the state.
“We are not making a sacrifice, we are more a sacrificial lamb”
Gyms in Melbourne will be closed for at least another week, a decision one owner has described as “the laughing stock of Australia”
The government has lifted restrictions for cafes, restaurants and retail to reopen from Thursday but fitness facilities will have their doors shut, for at least another week.
This comes as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton described these venues as “high-risk environments”.
Professor Sutton said overseas research indicated gyms were places that had “significant opportunity to spread” infections.
“I am asking gyms to make that sacrifice for a further week,” Professor Sutton said.
The CEO of peak fitness industry body, Fitness Australia, disputes the claims made by Sutton.
“Our sector has been making a sacrifice for 18 months. We are not making a sacrifice, we are more a sacrificial lamb,”
CEO of Fitness australia, barrie elvish.
"Our sector has been making a sacrifice for 18 months. We are not making a sacrifice, we are more a sacrificial lamb"
Matt Georgeades owns two Body Fit Training studio’s in Melbourne’s inner west and says Sutton’s claims “are absolutely rubbish”.
Matt Georgeades, BODY FIT TRAINING STUDIO AIRPORT WEST AND Craigieburn OWNER
In metropolitan Melbourne hospitality, hair, beauty salons and retail are among those permitted to re-open, but gyms, amusement parks, dance studios and nightclubs will remain closed.
Is the government support for closed businesses enough?
A further $8.36 million in funding has been announced to provide an additional $2000 grant to support thousands of businesses that will remain shut.
However, Georgeades says he is wondering “where the funds are going to come from” to continue to support his small business and staff, as well as maintain outgoing expenses with “minimal support from the government”
“Our community is a tough bunch, but throughout the four lockdowns, I’ve seen the mental heath (of members) diminish dramatically,”
Georgeades says.
“Clearly, the Chief Health Officer does not see the importance of people’s mental health.”
Georgeades says he “just wants to know when mental health will be held equally as important as peoples physical health”, as he has seen his members positivity decline as lockdown progressed.
"The data shows us you're five times more likely to get a transmission of the virus in a hospitality venue, than a gym facility."
The fitness industry is uniting in a “call to arms”, flooding social media of pictures standing outside empty gyms, in a bid to allow fitness facilities to open as soon as possible.
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Israel has widened its military operations in Lebanon, launching a deadly airstrike in the northern region. The attack, which targeted a house sheltering displaced families, killed at least 21 people, leaving eight others injured, according to health officials. Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble for survivors.
This shift marks a significant escalation, as Israel had previously focused its strikes on the south, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s outskirts. Meanwhile, millions of Israelis are taking cover from cross-border rocket fire as the violence intensifies. Israel has also ordered the evacuation of 25 villages in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to continue targeting Hezbollah “without mercy,” even extending operations to Beirut. In eastern Lebanon, civilians like Jalal Ferhat and his family have fled toward the Syrian border in a desperate attempt to escape the worsening conflict.
