Updated: 24 September 2020
Auckland: Alert Level 2. To be reviewed on Monday 5 October.
Rest of New Zealand: Alert Level 1
Auckland is at Alert Level 2. This will be reviewed on Monday 5 October. The Rest of New Zealand is at Alert Level 1.
Firstly, it means that our clubs can be open and operating under Alert Level 2 conditions.
www.covid19.govt.nz says at Alert Level 2 you can still go to work and school, but you should:
www.covid19.govt.nz says at Alert Level 1 everyone can return to work, school, sports and domestic travel, and you can get together with as many people as you want. When at Alert Level 1 our clubs are open and operating as per usual with no restrictions on class numbers or physical distancing.
www.covid19.govt.nz is the first place you should go for official information. Here you’ll find detail on which Alert Level applies to your region, the latest Government updates, info on the disease itself, how to protect yourself, the Alert System, information for communities and other resources.
www.covid19.govt.nz says symptoms include:
These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as colds and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
Firstly, if you feel ill at any stage you should stay away from the gym and self-isolate. Follow the health advice at www.covid19.govt.nz and ring the National Telehealth service on 0800 358 5453.
Yes, on 13 September the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) advised us that a person who attended Les Mills Takapuna on 9 September and 10 September had subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. All test results returned from close and casual contacts have been negative.
The person attended:
On the advice of ARPHS we notified members who attended the club on Wednesday 9 September between 5:15pm-7:15pm or on Thursday 10 September between 9am–10:15am.
The person attended:
On the advice of ARPHS we notified members who attended the club on Wednesday 9 September between 5:15pm-7:15pm or on Thursday 10 September between 9am–10:15am.
There will be rumours about the identity of the person with COVID-19. While this may be a natural response, we ask that you please respect their privacy, and don’t speculate on who it is. We can’t emphasise enough how this is not the fault of the person concerned. On finding out they had COVID-19, the case - and their close contacts - have taken all the right steps to protect others and minimise the spread of the illness. It’s important that during their self-isolation and recovery they get support and understanding.
None. There have been no positive results returned from close or casual contacts.
The Ministry of Health identified 86 close contacts who have all returned negative test results. The instructors who took the classes have also tested negative for COVID-19. 255 casual contacts were also tested and they all returned a negative result. In total, 341 negative test results have been returned, which is a testament to the distancing and cleaning efforts members are making, as well as the deep cleaning and other protective measures we have put in place.
ARPHS has investigated and considers anyone who attended the same classes below as the person, to be a close contact, and at greater risk of becoming unwell. If you attended one of these classes, you are advised to stay at home and ring Healthline as soon as possible for advice on next steps and to arrange testing. Healthline operates 24/7 and has interpreters available: 0800 358 5453.
If you attended the gym around the same time as the case (between around 5.15pm and 7pm on 9 September and 9am and 10.15am on 10 September) but were not in the same classes, you are considered a casual contact. While casual contacts are considered at lower risk of becoming unwell, ARPHS is recommending that these people also call Healthline and arrange to have a one-off test. They should also remain vigilant for the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, but do not need to self-isolate unless they become unwell.
The symptoms of COVID-19 can include one or more of the following:
If you start experiencing any of these symptoms, please stay at home and call your doctor or Healthline for advice. For more information about COVID-19 please see:
If you are required to self-isolate please ring us or e-mail memberservices@lesmills.co.nz to let us know, and we will place your membership on Special COVID-19 Pause.
We worked closely with ARPHS to identify the time periods in question. Due to the number of deep cleans that had been conducted since the infected person was at the club, and the cleaning undertaken in accordance with the Ministry of Health guidelines, ARPHS advised us that it was not necessary to close the club and that the club is safe to attend. However, we conducted an additional full deep clean in the club followed by an anti-viral fogging treatment.
We go beyond the Ministry of Health’s guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting where a confirmed case of COVID-19 has been identified. Our deep clean is from floor to ceiling and includes all equipment - every weight, every bar, every bench, every surface, all machines and all equipment, as well as all changing rooms, wet areas, common spaces and shared facilities. They are all cleaned with hospital grade cleaning products to ensure our facilities continue to be safe to use. All staff and contractors must follow strict PPE requirements and stringent procedures when undertaking a deep clean in the club.
We also apply anti-viral fogging to further boost the effectiveness of deep cleans prior to us reopening our doors. ‘Fogging’ is a misting treatment that is used to apply a mono-molecular layer that forms a barrier which kills 99.99% of germs and keeps critical surfaces and touch points hygienic for up to 30 days. You can read more about the treatment here.
As soon as we could we e-mailed the members who were in the periods identified by the ARPHS. As part of COVID-19 protocol some members were contacted by the Ministry of Health for contact tracing management. Please read the Ministry of Health’s detail on Contact Tracing.
The gym is at least as safe as any other private space used by many people. As part of our COVID-19 response, following Government, Ministry of Health and ExerciseNZ guidelines, we have put in place extensive Alert Level 2 processes and protocols to ensure your safety:
No, not that we are aware of.
Please stay home and call your doctor, iwi health provider or Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
As of Tuesday 22 September our Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin clubs are operating as per ‘normal’ at Alert Level 1 without restrictions on class numbers or physical distancing.
Our Auckland clubs are open and operating under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 restrictions.
We have in place additional processes and protocols to ensure your safety. Class limits, room limits, physical distancing, the closure of some facilities, class timetable spacing, additional sanitisation stations, equipment cleaning, mandatory towels, bringing own equipment (such as yoga mats and boxing gloves), and sign-in protocols are all in place on top of our enhanced deep cleaning regime.
It is mandatory for our Auckland clubs to close. For the rest of New Zealand at Level 2, we are following ExerciseNZ’s guidelines on best practice for keeping members safe at all times, which have been developed with both Sport New Zealand and Worksafe using the Ministry of Health’s protocols.
Everything we can. We have put / are putting in place extensive processes and protocols to ensure your safety and are following the guidelines set by ExerciseNZ, Sport New Zealand and Worksafe:
We ask that every member takes responsibility for their personal hygiene and also respects the space of others. That means washing / sanitising hands, covering coughs and sneezes, keeping 2m from the nearest person, bringing your own towel and using it, and bringing your own filled drink bottle / yoga mat / boxing gloves, and not sharing or touching anything that you don’t have to.
At Level 2 the Government recommends ‘wear a face covering if you can’.
Yes, you will see more cleaning taking place during the day and at night we will continue doing our enhanced deep cleans throughout the club. We are also conducting anti-viral fogging and ask that you wipe down equipment before and after use to help us keep equipment clean.
All clubs have a COVID-19 QR code displayed at entry for you to update your digital diary using the COVID-19 App. Also, we will use your check-in access (smartphone barcode, membership card, key pad entry) as well as bookable classes to trace when you have entered the club. We will know all members who have accessed a club or a bookable class between cleaning periods or on certain days, and be able to trace should it be required by the Ministry of Health.
Yes, these are throughout the club and at Reception. The Ministry of Health also recommends you wash your hands with soap and water often (for at least 20 seconds).
At Level 2, we will be following the 2m distance rule in our clubs. When it comes to studios for instance, that means you’ll have 4m2 to yourself.
The indoor gathering limit of 100 applies to each studio space. This limit does not apply to spaces like our gym floor where individuals come and go on their own, nor does it apply to the club as a whole.
There is – but it applies in different situations. The limit of no more than 10 in a gathering applies to social settings (e.g. weddings), uncontrolled outdoor environments, as well as group bookings for items such as restaurant. The social gathering limit does not apply to gyms in the vast majority of cases, as it is a controlled indoor environment, with full contact tracing, and appropriate physical distancing.
Our staff have undergone training and will be abiding by all physical distancing, room limitation and other Level 2 restrictions. You will notice that some of our staff will be wearing masks and at Reception and we will have Perspex barriers in place to protect your health and theirs. Please be kind to our team as we all (re-)adapt to this way of working, and working out.
Even before you enter the club you will see COVID-19 signage. Physical distance spacing will be marked out in all studios and there will be floor stickers, floor strip markings, banners, digi-screens and poster reminders throughout the club. Sanitisation stations will also be marked.
If you have been off sick we will require medical clearance for you. You can then return to the gym as long as you follow all COVID-19 processes and protocols including personal hygiene expectations.
We are following ExerciseNZ's guidelines on best practice for keeping members safe at all times, which have been developed with both Sport New Zealand and Worksafe using the Ministry of Health’s protocols.
Level 1 is good news but it doesn’t mean we give up responsibility for personal hygiene. We all still have to wash / sanitise our hands, cover coughs and sneezes, and bring your own towel and use it when working out.
Absolutely, these are throughout the club and at Reception. The Ministry of Health also recommends you wash your hands with soap and water often (for at least 20 seconds).
Masks are not mandatory but you can wear one if you’d like to.
Yes, you’ll still see cleaning taking place during the day and at night we’ll continue with our deep cleans throughout the club. We will also ask that you wipe down equipment before and after use to help us keep equipment clean.
All clubs have a COVID-19 QR code displayed at entry for you to update your digital diary using the official COVID-19 app. Also, we will use your check-in access as well as bookable classes to trace when you have entered the club. We will know all members who have accessed a club or a bookable class between cleaning periods or on certain days, and be able to trace should it be required by the Ministry of Health.
Of course. Please scan the COVID-19 QR code at the entrance to diarise your visit.
If you’ve been off sick we will require medical clearance for you. You can then return to the gym as long as you follow all COVID-19 processes and protocols including personal hygiene expectations.
Yes. At Level 2, there are both physical distancing limits and ‘gathering’ limits. The Government’s indoor limit for a ‘gathering’ is 100 people and this includes staff. This may mean that you aren’t able to get into a class that you would have been able to pre-COVID-19. Due to the Level 2 restrictions it will pay to book any bookable classes as early as you can, and to come early to non-bookable classes to secure your spot. The bright side is that it’s also the ideal time to try something new that you haven’t given a go before – like one of our less busy Virtual classes.
Yes, but only due to physical distancing limits of 2m. The Gym Floor is not considered a ‘gathering’ so the same number restrictions do not apply as they do to a Group Fitness class for instance.
No, you will not need to book every class – only those that are usually bookable. To be sure which is which, please check on the Les Mills App. The best way to ensure you get a spot in your favourite non-bookable class is to come early as it’s a first come, first serve basis.
With the Government restrictions in place for Level 2 you may not be able to get into every class you want to. It’ll be best to book / arrive early to secure a spot. It’s also the ideal time to try something new if you’re unable to do your usual workout.
For our timetables we have had to once again spread our classes out more so we can manage the flow of people to and from studios and changing rooms, and give ourselves – and you – time to wipe down and clean equipment between classes. Please refer to the app or website for the latest timetable.
Most classes will be available at Level 2, although some choreography may be adjusted due to social distancing rules. Please note that all Boxing classes will require BYO wraps and gloves. These classes will be bag work only, no pad work or sparing sorry.
Maybe not. We will have to remove / tape off some of the equipment in order to follow the Government’s physical distancing rules. What we will endeavour to do through is make equipment available to work all body parts.
Yes, these will still be available – please clean them before and after use to keep everyone safe.
No. To minimise sharing of equipment we will not be providing boxing gloves. Please bring your own.
No, there are no class number limits at Alert Level 1, but let’s give each other some personal space and not crowd fellow members and staff.
No, physical distancing limits no longer apply at Alert Level 1, but let’s give each other some s p a c e.
Yes, when we get to Alert Level 1 there may be some slight changes to the class timetable; please check the latest on the Les Mills app or lesmills.co.nz
Yes, they are and feel free to bring a full drink bottle anyway.
Yes, they are. Please follow etiquette when using the sauna and be aware of your fellow members’ personal space.
Yes, these are still available – please clean them before and after use to keep everyone safe.
No. To minimise sharing of equipment we will not be providing boxing gloves. Please bring your own.
Yes. Before you come back to the club you need to read these Conditions of Entry and four COVID-19 Health Questions below. After that, by accessing the club each time you will be accepting the Conditions of Entry.
The Conditions of Entry are:
- Stay home if unwell
- Wash or sanitise hands before entering the club and when moving through different areas
- Scan your membership barcode (app or card) every time you enter club
- Bring and use a sweat towel every time you work out
- Wipe down equipment before and after use
- Keep your distance from others in the club.
COVID-19 Health Questions:
1. You do not have any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, sneezing/runny nose or loss of sense of smell)
2. You do not have COVID-19 nor are you awaiting the results from being tested for COVID-19
3. You have not been in contact with any known or suspected cases of COVID-19 in the past 14 days
4. You have not returned, or been in contact with anyone else who has returned, from overseas in the past 14 days
When you scan your app or membership card when coming into the club, you’ll be confirming your agreement to these Conditions of Entry and COVID-19 Health Questions. You’ll also be confirming that you will abide by all Health & Safety procedures and protocols.
Everyone has different times they can make it in, but you might like to consider coming when it’s less busy. Check out this nifty little graph of average attendance of every club by every day by every hour, to figure out when works best for you.
Chances are, you might have to queue to enter the club. Not too long hopefully and we’ll keep things moving as quickly and as safely as possible, but we will need to maintain physical distancing and entrance protocols.
Please bring a filled water bottle and your towel to use during your workout.
Here’s the thing – Changing Rooms will be open, but the less you can use them at Level 2 the better. If you can come dressed in your gear all ready to workout it’ll mean that: you’ll get in and out of the club quicker, have less interaction with others, and won’t have to worry about limits in the changing rooms due to physical distancing. Showers at home after your workouts get the big tick! Vanity benches will have limited people at them due to physical distancing, but washing hands is OK as long as you’re physically distant from the next person. Please note that the saunas and drinking fountains will not be available to use. Please respect the space of your fellow gym-goers and be kind.
Yes. No towel = no workout. This will be strictly policed and you will be asked to leave if you have not brought your towel with you to use during your workout.
With COVID-19 known to sit on surfaces and transfer through the air, following Exercise NZ and Ministry of Health guidelines we areand being extra cautious with precautionary steps to minimise its potential spread.
At Level 2 we’re limited by both class numbers and physical distancing restrictions in the club. That means that we can’t guarantee that your friend can work out with you. Do ask though - and if we can’t let them in due to capacity, we’ll make sure we set them up for a free trial when we’re back down to Level 1. Please note that any guests will still need to sign our contact tracing register and agree to our Conditions of Entry and answer the four COVID-19 Health questions.
The Conditions of Entry are:
- Stay home if unwell
- Wash or sanitise hands before entering the club and when moving through different areas
- Scan your membership barcode (app or card) every time you enter club
- Bring and use a sweat towel every time you work out
- Wipe down equipment before and after use
- Keep your distance from others in the club.
COVID-19 Health Questions:
1. You do not have any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, sneezing/runny nose or loss of sense of smell)
2. You do not have COVID-19 nor are you awaiting the results from being tested for COVID-19
3. You have not been in contact with any known or suspected cases of COVID-19 in the past 14 days
4. You have not returned, or been in contact with anyone else who has returned, from overseas in the past 14 days
When you scan your app or membership card when coming into the club, you’ll be confirming your agreement to these Conditions of Entry and COVID-19 Health Questions. You’ll also be confirming that you will abide by all Health & Safety procedures and protocols.
Everyone has different times they can make it in, but you might like to consider coming when it’s less busy. Check out this nifty little graph of average attendance of every club by every day by every hour, to figure out when works best for you.
Yes. No towel = no workout. This will be strictly policed and you will be asked to leave if you have not brought your towel with you to use during your workout.
Yes. Before you come back to the club you need to read these Conditions of Entry and four COVID-19 Health Questions below. After that, by accessing the club each time you will be accepting the Conditions of Entry.
Your membership was automatically put on Pause when Auckland went into Alert Level 3, and you were not charged any fees for the time we were closed. When the Auckland gyms reopened on Monday 31 August your membership was automatically restarted.
When the club reopened your membership automatically restarted unless you were on a general Pause before we had the Level 3 closure. Your first membership payment will be on your usual payment cycle (e.g. 1st of the month) but the amount may be different – please see below.
Your first payment will occur on your usual payment cycle - but the amount may differ. This is how your first payment back will calculated:
A quick way to figure it out is: Your Regular Fee plus Part Payment less Credit (3 + 2 - 1). After your first membership payment you will be back to normal payments.
Yes, that is exactly how it works. For example, let’s say you pay monthly and had paid 5 days before lock-down. The remaining ‘month period’ will be credited to your membership now that the gym has reopened.
Your Pause will continue for the total original period you Paused for – excluding the special COVID-19 Pause period.
It hasn’t. The special COVID-19 Pause has not affected your general Pause entitlements. Also, if you are within your Minimum Period on your membership agreement, the end date of your Minimum Period has not been extended by the special COVID-19 Pause period i.e. your Minimum Period end-date stays the same as it was on 11 August 2020.
If you can’t come back to the club and you still have a general Pause entitlement you can now log-in to the Member Portal to put your membership on to Pause. Here’s how to Pause using the Member Portal.
If you are a Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin member your membership has continued on as per usual. Keep on coming!
At Level 2 we’re limited by both class numbers and physical distancing restrictions in the club. That means that we can’t guarantee that you can start your trial straight away. Do ask though - and if we can’t let you in due to capacity, we’ll make sure we set you up for a free trial when we’re back down to Level 1. Please note that any guests will still need to sign our contact tracing register and agree to our Conditions of Entry and answer the four COVID-19 Health questions.