October 10, 2020 - Are masks mandatory in Croatian gyms from next week? A closer look at the potential new measures as coronavirus cases spike in the country.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the large increase in new coronavirus cases in Croatia prompted the Headquarters to hold an emergency meeting, and new measures, as they announced, should start early next week. As announced by Krunoslav Capak, it is increasingly likely that we will be obliged to wear masks in all indoor spaces from Monday.

This also applies to gyms, which would not be too surprising for someone who lives in Latin America or other parts of the world, because wearing masks in gyms has been in force elsewhere for some time. 

"Masks indoors are being considered because the spread of the infection has been noticed in many workplaces among colleagues who are in close contact, for example, sharing the same office, and are unable to adhere to physical distance measures," Health Minister Vili Beros told Index.hr.

Miroslav Venus, president of the Croatian Epidemiological Society, points out that lockdown is the worst option.

"Therefore, it is better to wear masks in gyms, because at this moment we have to do everything we can to prevent the closures again," Venus said.

Coach Vladimir Pavlinovic also commented, who agrees with Venus.

"Everything is better than closing fitness centers again, because who knows how long all this will last. Users will get used to it over time. Although masks as a prop will certainly bother and interfere with their breathing, they may also feel nauseous, so they will need to pay attention to the signals sent by their body," Pavlinovic believes.

Wearing a mask when exercising, whether indoors or outdoors, can certainly be demotivating because it is harder to get air during exercise. Still, it also has many advantages, especially when we know that it is impossible to maintain the prescribed social distance of one meter in gyms.

While it may take a few weeks of regular exercise to get used to it, in the end, you will feel more comfortable exercising with a mask, experts say, noting that it is imperative to listen to your own body’s pulse.

If you start feeling dizzy or tired, it is advisable to take a break and remove the mask and, at that point, stop other exercisers. Also, certain medical conditions can make exercising in a mask potentially dangerous, for example, for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic lung disease, heart disease, or angina.

In these situations, if your doctor has advised you not to wear a mask during exercise, it is advisable to exercise at home or in an outdoor environment where there is enough ventilation and space to maintain an appropriate social distance. After all, the question arises, is it safe to exercise with a face mask?

"In general, most people certainly exercise while wearing a face mask," says Grayson Wickham, a physical therapist. "You will need to monitor how you feel during exercise and watch for specific symptoms such as dizziness, numbness, tingling, or shortness of breath," warns Wickham.

Over the course of a few weeks, your body will certainly adjust by becoming more efficient at oxygen metabolism, but this will take time.

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