The Planet Fitness location in Chapel Hill alerted patrons of its plans to reopen on Tuesday, the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a message sent to its members on Sunday, the gym chain said it is “reopening to all members on September 1 in accordance with the North Carolina Attorney General’s commentary on Executive Order No. 141,” which grants exceptions to who may access indoor fitness facilities despite the ongoing pandemic.

According to the state Department of Justice’s statement, gyms, exercise facilities and fitness centers may open their indoor areas to serve people specifically prescribed to use such facilities by a medical or health care professional. The statement was made in June during ongoing litigation between the state and such gyms as North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s Phase 2 Order does not permit the opening of fitness centers.

Planet Fitness’ message to customers said it will be serving members with “a medical need to exercise” at its University Place location in Chapel Hill. The gym said it would not be requiring medical documentation upon arrival in an effort to respect patrons’ privacy and comply with medical privacy laws.

“We trust in our members to visit our facilities accordingly without requesting proof of their medical history for entry,” says a recorded message on the location’s phone line.

Gyms and fitness centers within North Carolina have not had standard operations since March 16 following executive orders from Cooper. Phase 3 of the state’s reopening, which would allow indoor gyms to reopen, has been delayed three times as the state’s COVID-19 trends have failed to stabilize. In the wake of that, many local fitness businesses have adapted their models to operate outdoors.

According to Planet Fitness, steps are being taken to protect public health and customers’ safety. The gym’s message said employees will receive daily temperature checks and have completed training regarding sanitization procedures. In addition to increased cleaning efforts and spacing out equipment, Planet Fitness also said patrons will be asked to complete a touchless check-in process on the fitness company’s app. Those who are visiting will also be required to wear masks when they are not actively working out.

In terms of members’ payment, Planet Fitness said it will credit accounts for any unused days that will be paid for in the upcoming billing cycle. Normal billing will resume in October, the first time since memberships were frozen in March. Members also can request to have their membership paused again.

As of Monday, Phase 2 of North Carolina’s reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic is set to continue until at least September 11.

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