Now that parts of Erie County have been designated as orange zones as COVID-19 rates continue to rise, the state says high-risk businesses must close, which includes gyms.

Matthew Cybluski, owner at MAC Fitness in West Seneca, is one of those gyms that will have to shut down again.

He officially opened his studio space in November of 2019, but he’s been closed down for half of his first year. He says it’s a disappointment.

"Living room get-togethers, that’s what’s doing it right? You can have 10 people in a gathering. We have less than 10 people per class," he said. "We are six feet apart. After every class, people get one set of equipment they have for the whole class. It’s cleaned and sanitized. What more can you do?"

He’s also spent thousands of dollars on new equipment, like an air purifier, so he can be compliant with the state mandates.

Since re-opening this summer, he’s had around 2,000 check-ins at his studio. However, he says the Erie County Health Department has not notified him of any COVID-19 cases being traced back to his gym. He says that’s because he can control more compared to even a grocery store.

"You can grab something off of the shelf and someone actually had COVID, and put it back on the shelf and there is no way of tracking that. Where here, and studios like this, everything is cleaned up. Everything is wiped down. I control who comes in," Cybluski said. 

The owner of Catalyst Fitness, Amy Bueme, says they also conduct contact tracing at all seven of the gyms in Erie County. She says she has not been notified by the health department of any positive cases stemming from her gym.

"We are looking for data and answers when we have done everything that is asked of us between the masks being worn the whole time, the ultra violet lights and the air turnover," said Bueme. "We have been so diligent, and yet we are being punished. Nothing has come back from Erie County Health Department that we have been a spreader or even a part of the problem."

Both owners saying they don’t know what the future holds now, but what they do know is how important fitness is.

"We were hoping the education would be out there that we would be able to partially stay open of how essential we are mentally and physically," Bueme said. "But when they say we are closed down again, it’s really sad."

"Especially when obesity, heart disease, lung disease are some of the contributing factors to comorbidities associated with COVID and one of the best things to reduce that is nutrition and exercise," said Cybluski.

Gyms in the orange zones must be closed at midnight Friday.