Anyone's Gym Voluntarily Closed?

"It's not uncommon for climbers to have breaks in the skin of their fingers and hands; anybody know anything about transmission directly into the blood???  (like maybe the disease develops faster / or more more severely????"

Just FYI, my understanding is that this new strain is a respiratory tract infection and it can only infect cells found in the respiratory tract and the lungs. You cannot contract it through a cut in your fingers. This is my understanding, I am not a medical professional.

I do agree that busy climbing gyms carry a significant transmission risk.

Alex J wrote:
Just FYI, my understanding is that this new strain is a respiratory tract infection and it can only infect cells found in the respiratory tract and the lungs. You cannot contract it through a cut in your fingers. This is my understanding, I am not a medical professional.

This hasn't been determined yet and it is premature to say that COVID is not contracted through breaks in skin. The closely related SARS1 virus has been shown to infect intestine, kidney, brain and other tissues. This virus attaches to ACE2 which is also present on  cells that line blood vessel walls.

Dylan Pike wrote:

Despite my libertarian tendencies, disease outbreaks like this are public health issues which require policy intervention by governments. I agree with Michael above that letting people "make their own decisions" is bad policy, when we can see the effects of unmitigated disease spread in countries like Iran and Italy. If companies and people are allowed to just do whatever they want during a pandemic, that will ultimately lead to a higher rate of disease transmission because some people will decide that they are going to continue to hold and attend public events, meetings, go to the gym, etc.

institution of marshal law will be necessary within the week

Joe Prescott wrote:

I know. There is a similar thread that was started a few days ago that I have thus far resisted posting on. Very interesting to see peoples perspective. I wish there was a troll detector, though.

I usually only spray about climbing (even though I am not good at it), but rarely talk about work.

Hey! I understand your caution, but given the quantity of (often well-intentioned) misinformation, it's great to hear from someone who actually knows what they're talking about. Please don't hesitate to educate us.

Obviously (?!), folks shouldn't come to MP for public health information on a pandemic, but the OP's question is a reasonable one. The underlying question--Would it be wise if climbing gyms and other comparable social meeting places were closed?--may be the more important one. I assume that closing gyms and the like (eg schools, theatres, etc) would "flatten the curve" at least and reduce pressure on medical facilities and their staff. I also expect that some precautionary measures taken by both gyms and participants would help reduce the spread of infection. I'm not an epidemiologist, but this is surely an instance where we should be working together rather than freaking out about potential constraints to personal freedom. 

Re: liquid chalk, my layman's impression is that climbing holds are the least of your worries in a typical gym

I can't imagine how gym closures are not on the horizon.  Health advisories are telling people that it's still OK to go to a fitness gym since the virus is not transmitted through sweat.  However, those same advisories are stating to avoid heavily handled objects like barbells.  Think how often climbing holds are handled and stepped on.  

Despite your demographic, it's clear that people of all ages have or are dying from it, and it sounds horrible if you get a bad case, even if you recovery.  The NY Times had an interesting article on two health care workers in China that's worth reading: nytimes.com/interactive/202…;module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

Stay healthy everyone.  

James W wrote: How about all the people who are afraid stay home and let the rest of us make our own decision before spreading more paranoia. Thanks.

https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1238269792018149384 

https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD/status/1238423216911237120

https://twitter.com/Chenbariatrics1/status/1238322250392039424

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/iran-coronavirus-outbreak-graves/

https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-italy-doctors-tough-calls-survival/

act responsibly, my guy! ;)

Developing situation in Boulder

PA Governor Tom Wolf:

All gyms, non-essential retail in Montgomery County (where bulk of PA cases are) should close starting Friday for 14 days.

Philadelphia Rock Gyms, with multiple Montgomery County locations: .

When you go to the gym this evening make sure to

1)  Only go if you have no symptoms of illness.
2) Wash your hands thoroughly before and after.
2)  Wipe down every hold with Purell or a similar hand sanitizer and allow to air dry for 5-15 minutes between individuals.
3) If there are more than twelve members at the gym make frequent trips outside to exhale and inhale.

Stoneworks in Beaverton, OR closed. Climbing Team cancelled. USA Climbing local season cancelled. 

Old lady H wrote:

Wow! Like my son, who is both an EMT and SAR, none of us wish him an exciting shift or mission. But? You must be really stoked, right now!

I get that older people are dying, that's not exactly a surprise. What I'm not seeing, is the percent of older people diagnosed, who subsequently die. To my mind, the numbers still look really tiny.

Italy is pretty interesting, as is China. It's really hard to apply that to the U.S. as a whole, we are too spread out and the population varies wildly. A tiny bit of the U S. accounts for a huge per cent of cases. Even in Idaho, though, different approaches might be needed. Northern Idaho is a subsidiary of Washington state, so perhaps more caution is advised. Southern Idaho has the population, such as it is, so what then? How to make those decisions?

For myself, I'm 63, and have zero concern about contracting this. I tend to never get sick. Partly, mostly, that's a relatively healthy lifestyle and good genetics. But, I also worked in the library for almost 20 years, and I suspect I was exposed to just about everything available in Boise, Idaho.

If you ever tested me for everything I might have antibodies to? Quite possibly the list could include smallpox, if that vaccine lurks at all anymore, after all these years!

Typing this from my favorite coffee shop, on the way to the bank, post office, store....oh, and I just bought gas. How many germs have I contacted so far?

The very best defense is a healthy life style, and the good luck to not have inherited any chronic conditions. Beyond that? Basic hygiene, but sheesh, limiting exposure gets difficult to impossible. How many people will die of other causes, pushed there by depression or inactivity? Social isolation? Sitting at home instead of going for a walk? Alcoholism? Not to be too depressing, but I bet there's a spike in deaths indirectly related to this.

Just my two cents, from the long view. My criteria was always to stay home if I had any hints of a fever, in case I might be carrying something. This one is tougher, but I'm personally choosing to go about my business, which is pretty limited anyway, without a workplace.

That includes my climbing gym, and a fitness gym, until and unless the numbers change. If that time comes? I'll be throwing some extra money at my climbing gym.

Best, Helen

Just because you think you're not going to get sick it doesn't mean that you're not going to transfer the virus to other people that will get sick. Participate in harm reduction like the rest of us. We live in a society. 

James W wrote: How about all the people who are afraid stay home and let the rest of us make our own decision before spreading more paranoia. Thanks.

you should change your username to 'the mayor of philadeplphia'

https://qz.com/1816060/a-chart-of-the-1918-spanish-flu-shows-why-social-distancing-works/

This video shows how bad things really are in china! Violence is rampant! Make sure to stock up on ammo folks!

​https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=kYO47_1582951772​​​

In light of school closures across the country consider the following advice from climbingbusinessjournal.com 

"But for climbing gyms it doesn’t stop there. Very simply, climbing gyms cannot be fully sanitized. The nature of climbing – grabbing holds with sweaty hands – leaves plain the risk of transmission. It’s not panic to admit this as an industry; it’s pragmatic.

All climbing gyms should monitor the status of the virus locally and be ready to react if conditions change. If local schools are closed, for instance, that’s a good indication that your gym should close too. That’s probably an easier call for a gym manager to make."

​What can my climbing gym do about Covid-19​​​

I think nothing like this has happened in the USA since polio virus epidemics in the 1960s. 

Evo Louisville is closing for 2 weeks 

Evo in Louisville is closing for two weeks starting tomorrow.

revans90 wrote:

lol that soap box your standing on is an office chair with a bent wheel on a hard wood floor. 

Do you disagree with what he posted? If so, what is it that you disagree with?

Adventure Rock in Milwaukee, WI.