The Magazine Beach outdoor gym is closed to the public due to the spread of coronavirus at on April 08, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. A stay-at-home order by by Gov. Charlie Baker is in effect through May 4, while Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has enacted a recommended curfew of 9 p.m. and is encouraging the use of face masks in public spaces.
Gyms are used to seeing attendance drops a few months into the start of a new year when resolutions fade. But nothing could have prepared them for the drop they experienced because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In late February, as the outbreak worsened, gyms took steps to protect customers, such as limiting class sizes and ramping up cleaning procedures. By mid-March, local ordinances started forcing many to close their doors as sweat-laden, shared surfaces mean increased risk of spreading COVID-19.
