Magnum Gym Receives 14 Day Closure Order
[Written by Don Burgess]
A Hamilton gym was closed tonight for breaching Covid-19 health regulations.
At around 7.00pm, Ministry of Health officials closed down Magnum Powerforce Gym & Diet Centre for 14 days with the Closure Order stating there was a breach of the Public Health [Covid-19 Emergency Power] regulations.
File photo:
The gym was cited for breaching regulations on September 28 and October 4.
The Closure Order said they “did not take reasonable steps” to ensure that staff members, trainers, and patrons were wearing masks while not working out, “ensure that all customers and service users follow the Covid-19 Safekey guidance by ensuring that customers and users have a valid Safeky that match their identification” and have a sign indicating “We use Safekey signage” in a visible location.
Karen Hodgkins, the owner of Magnum Force, told Bernews the Health Department came by on September 30, but she could not come to the gym to address their concerns as she was at home on a 14-day quarantine.
“They came by today, but it’s the same thing. I’m sick and I’m not out until Thursday and they’ve booted everybody out of the gym,” she said.
She did speak briefly to a person on the phone who told her she wasn’t following protocols.
Extract of text from the Closure Order:
Therefore you are hereby ordered to cease and desist operations for 14 days beginning on the 4th October 2021, and are not permitted to resume operations until the expiration of such period, up to and including the 17th October 2021.
Ms Hodgkins said, “My gym is one of the safest gyms. I have so many hand sanitisers. We’re taking temperatures. People are supposed to wear their masks. We can only do so much. I was told someone wasn’t wearing their mask in the gym, but they’re not supposed to be when they’re exercising; only when they’re walking around.”
“I’m just really upset as they haven’t really discussed the matter with us. We are not trying to do anything against the law, but some things do not make sense.”
She added that Safekey is “not workable” for members’ clubs because of the backlog of testing and getting the results.
“We tried to have a meeting with the Premier but he didn’t want to meet with us [the Gym Coalition] so then they sent us to the Deputy Premier. The Deputy Premier sent us to the Health Minister. No one has still met with the gyms,” she said.
She said the Gym Association has been reaching out to the Government since August 15.
“That’s the biggest thing for us is nobody has bothered to meet with us. We have been trying to get someone to meet with us since August. All we ask is for somebody to hear us out that Safekey isn’t going to work for our gyms. We’re doing everything else: masks, temperature checks, hand sanitisers, temperature checks, and six feet distancing.”
She said she believes that hers isn’t the only gym that does not have up Safekey signage. “They said the other gyms are following it, but that’s not true at all.”
Does she feel the Ministry is targeting Magnum Force? “Oh, definitely. I do. I do,” she said. “I’m the one who sent the letter on behalf of the Gym Coalition.”
Bernews has reached out to the Health Ministry, Government and the Bermuda Police Service for comment and will update as able.
Update: The gym was apparently closed by the Ministry Of Health officials, not the police as the story previously said.
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- Dedicated website: BermudaCovid.com
Stop the poor me game Karen, rules were not adhered to so you suffer the consequences. Your staff should have made sure all rules were bing followed.
Also from mid Aug till now the upper management of Gov’t has had a lot to deal with. Maybe you should approach a back bencher and give them something to do
Well Karen didn’t really do herself any favours by her last appearance and statement on how she was going to run her gym…
Besides that, the Premier owes the gyms time to hear them out. They’ve been one of the most impacted. The gov has heard and listened to the restaurants. Why not gyms? When payroll tax time rolls around and social insurance weekly, I’m sure gov will be waiting with their hand out for payment!!!
Aug 23 – Bernews article – Ms Hodgkins said she avoided having people cancel because she told her staff it will be “business as usual” and they would be ignoring the SafeKey policy.
Objecting to government policy is to be expected but outright defiance has consequences.
Given the recent instance of Covid positives and deaths, what do gyms recommend that is acceptable and within the government Covid guidelines?
Hello Magnum,
We, the gyms customers, are wondering what we are supposed to do for these 2 weeks? Because of your mouth we are now gymless for 2 weeks. Will you be crediting us or have another gym for us to go to?
Regards,
Irritated Customer
Nothing makes sense but just follow government orders that go against freedoms. SafeKey is slave key. A war against something that nobody can see.. Wear a face mask while walking around gym but not while working out. Wear a face mask while walking in a restaurant but not while sitting down, has everyone gone mental in government and the police force. Why do some people think they have a right to control other peoples lives?
She was in the media saying that she wasn’t going to follow the rules and now your crying lolol. Also you’re snitching on other gyms.
Not surprised at all especially since a very high ranking police officer and others go to this gym. Kinda a slap in the face if the gym stays open breaking the rules while police go there to work out.
Oh look. Karen being a Karen.
you reap what you sow. would it really have been that difficult to follow the rules. Cant say i feel sorry for your gym, the restaurants adapted so could you have
DEt vumen needs ah …………….
Karen did very clearly say she was not going to implement the safe key protocol from the beginning – and this is the consequence. How is this shut down a surprise to you then? Regardless of what other gyms are doing, or not doing, I don’t recall them bringing that attention to themselves. Whether you agree or not, Government have set the rules, and if people want to work out, they will adapt, get vaccinated and have a safe key OR provide regular test results – that’s the choice. That’s the new world.
Ok, so help me understand this, she refused to have safekey, no one is sick but because she did not do what a tyrannical Government said, she deserves it. This only shows safekey is not doing anything. Just control. Not about a virus. They are taking your liberties. Soon, you will own nothing, and be happy. Until it affects you, but will it be too late? Come on people, now you can’t go work without a test are not sick! This is just wrong. Don’t come work unless tested, next it will be don’t come work unless vaccinated. But people are dying from the vaccine. They are saying it is unvaccinated but we know it is the vaccinated. They are getting sick! Well I applaud you Karen! Don’t worry about what they say! Please continue to stand for right!