COVID-19 at the Gym: Every Single Participant in This Maskless Cycling Class Got Coronavirus - Self

Both of the studies looked at COVID-19 outbreaks that took place at fitness facilities in Honolulu and Chicago during summer 2020—including one cycling class where every participant ended up sick.

One of those instructors taught a 60-minute high-intensity indoor cycling class just four hours before his symptoms started later that evening.

Over the next week, all 10 people who attended the class tested positive for COVID-19. .

Of the 11 people who were exposed that day (five of whom were also exposed to the instructor two days earlier), 10 would test positive for COVID-19 over the next few days.

Out of 81 people who attended high-intensity indoor classes that week (with most going to several), 55 would be diagnosed with COVID-19.

(Perhaps more shocking: 22 attendees who would test positive for COVID-19 went to a class on either the same day or after their symptoms started—including three who went to a class on the same day or after getting a positive test result. But it's possible that some could have gone to the class earlier in the day before noticing symptoms later in the day.).

And although the risk for exposure from attending a fitness class with other people will never be zero, as SELF reported, it is possible to make the scenario safer by moving it outside (or otherwise ensuring sufficient airflow) and making sure everyone uses proper physical distancing and wears masks.