Gym owners across New Jersey can now allow members to return inside their buildings, with restrictions.

 

"I feel fine,” says Mike Ricci, of Marlboro. “Like I said all these months, I'm sure I've been exposed somehow right, taking a Path train, subway. I'm fine. The family is fine. Time to get back."

The owner of Ovox Gym & Training Center in Morganville, Stu Rosenstein, says plexiglass is in place at treadmills, along with thermal imaging to take temperatures of customers.

While closed, ownership created an entire outdoor gym that they will keep open in case some aren't comfortable wearing a mask full time. All are part of the reopening process at the gym.

"We were getting paid since the day after when a lot of gyms were not paying trainers regardless of how many classes we weren't teaching anymore or how many clients we didn't have anymore,” says trainer Briana Martinez. “We got paid our salary regardless."

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“We didn't want to put the stress on them to have to go on unemployment,” says Rosenstein. “We provided medical benefits. We didn't want anything to be disrupted, so every single staff member has been paid in full, 100%."

Gyms can only operate at 25% capacity and masks must be worn inside by staff and members at all times. Each gym will have to keep a log of anyone who visits the gym to help with contact tracing, and equipment must be kept at least six feet apart.