(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

State of Emergency Reaction

‘Best interest of everybody’: Melfort gym and spa forced to close under provincial State of Emergency

Mar 19, 2020 | 9:07 AM

With Saskatchewan being put under a State of Emergency on Wednesday, March 18, numerous businesses in the northeast have been forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the parameters of the State of Emergency, places including gyms and fitness centres were forced to close. Spa Fit by Linda in Melfort was one of those businesses to shut their doors.

“Yeah, we’re a little sad here,” said Owner Linda Madraga. “But we understand full willingly that this is for the best interest of everybody in the community, and I do hope that everyone else takes it as seriously as this, so that hopefully we can all reopen and continue on.”

Prior to the State of Emergency being called, Madraga said they had amped up their sanitary measures. Spa Fit had previously done their normal disinfecting of weights, equipment, desk, and other things in the building. She said once COVID-19 started to get more and more serious, so did they. Things including having hospital grade Isogel, forcing entrants to wash their hands upon entry, and hourly sanitization of things in the business.

Madraga also said she is a bit concerned about how it’s going to affect the economy.

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“It’s going to stress a lot of people,” she said. “It’s the unforeseen, the unknown that everyone is questioning right now. So, it’s a day-to-day basis for most people, mortgages, car payments, you name it.”

As for those who have memberships at Spa Fit by Linda right now, she said there is a plan in place.

“I have just put into place, and on our social media, that all memberships are going to be put on hold, and they will be extended once this is lifted,” Madraga told northeastNOW.

Once the State of Emergency is lifted, Madraga said they won’t cut down on keeping things in the building clean and safe for those coming in.

“We’re going to follow the same day to day precautions that we always did,” she said. “Even before this was taking place, we always did sanitizing of our tools, stations, it was just a day to day routine for us because we’re in such close contact with people.”

A Facebook post released by Spa Fit said they will also be contacting those with pre-booked appointments.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6