You cannot catch the coronavirus through sweat or by using a public shower. And regular exercise is one of the essential components of health and building immunity, also in the age of the pandemic – emphasises Ernest Kuchar, Ph.D., specialist in infectious diseases and sports medicine. What facts connect COVID-19 and physical activity in sports venues and which myths should we debunk?
According to the MultiSport Index Pandemic survey before the pandemic 40% of adult Poles used various types of sports facilities and 79% of customers exercised there at least once a week. The closure of fitness clubs and swimming pools was the most frequently mentioned reason for limiting physical activity in the period of social isolation. Today, Poles can return to their favourite activities again, but there are still questions whether a visit to a sports facility is safe.
– In professional sports and recreation facilities that comply with the current sanitary guidelines more effectively than in other public places, strict safety standards can be maintained – says Ernest Kuchar, Ph.D. from the Medical University of Warsaw.
According to the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate’s guidelines, sports facilities, such as gyms and fitness clubs, are subject to restrictions on the number of people, social distancing, and the need to disinfect hands and sports equipment by customers after each use. As the expert points out: –Maintaining social distance and taking care of disinfection are two key methods of preventing coronavirus infections. Nevertheless, public concern about the new virus has fuelled myths about its spread, including in the context of physical activity. Here are four myths that Dr. Ernest Kuchar answers:
1. Is COVID-19 transmitted through human sweat?
– Nothing could be further from the truth. Human sweat does not transmit viruses. This way, we will not get infected with any respiratory system infection, not even HIV or viral hepatitis. The new coronavirus is transmitted mainly by airborne droplets in respiratory secretions.
2. Does the coronavirus spread further than the recommended social distance (1.5 m)?
– Current scientific evidence has not shown that the virus is effectively transmitted by air over longer distances. Droplets from the respiratory tract travel at 0.8-1.2 metres. We currently know that one patient infects 2-3 people on average. For airborne diseases such as chickenpox or measles, the average number of infected people per one patient is much higher, ranging from 15 to 18 people. It is worth noting that COVID-19 infections are more common when in contact with a sick person who has symptoms than with an asymptomatically infected person. This is also important in the context of safety in the gym – we usually do not go to train there when we feel unwell and have an infection.
3. Can we catch the coronavirus easily by touching the same surfaces that the sick person has touched?
– Although the coronavirus has been detected after 4 hours on metal surfaces and after 72 hours on plastic, it does not mean that we can become infected by touching such surfaces. The probability of infection is determined not by the presence of the virus on a given surface, but by the dose, the number of virus particles that will enter the human body, e.g. through the hands, with which, after contact with the surface, we touch the mucous membranes of the nose, throat or conjunctiva. On surfaces, the dose of coronavirus is usually too low to cause infection. Just wash or disinfect your hands to interrupt the transmission path. An additional form of protection are the recommendations at gyms to disinfect sports equipment after each use. This is worth remembering.
4. Are public showers safe?
The safety of gyms and fitness clubs has also become the subject of a study by scientists from the University of Oslo, who concluded that sports facilities following sanitary standards similar to those in force in Poland, do not pose an additional epidemic threat.
Activity for health
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Polish Ministry of Health encourage regular physical activity also during the pandemic. Exercise is one of the basic elements supporting immunity and overall health, including metabolism.
– Scientific research conducted during the AH1N1pdm09 flu pandemic in 2019 found that regular exercise reduces the risk of respiratory infections by about 30%. People who practise sports less often die of respiratory diseases and pneumonia. Each training session of moderate or increased intensity stimulates our immune system and the number of cells responsible for resistance to viruses and bacteria in the blood increases. In the current situation, undertaking physical activity is certainly better for our health than not exercising at all – points out Dr. Ernest Kuchar.
According to WHO, to support health, adults should undertake 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week.
More information on the safety rules for sports facilities can be found at https://www.kartamultisport.pl/dobrze-ze-jestes/