Questions about Water, Sanitation, and Diseases - Re: Gyms

[AlFrankenFan]

Ok. So my mom works out at this small business gym called "30 Minute Fitness" here in Southern California. The owner is a rather ditzy lady who has been known to not turn the air conditioner on during hot days, among other things. My mother got bell's palsy recently, and the only public thing we could think of where she could have picked up was the gym. What is also surprising is a woman who my mom knows pretty well and who works out at this same gym was diagnosed with spinal meningitis, which as I understand comes from the same circumstances. As far as we know, the owner does not clean the work-out machines and reuses the same water in a water jug everyday until it's empty. I was just wondering if it was possible to get these diseases from a place like this, and if the owner is breaking some kind of health standard we could hold her accountable for. Thanks for any help.

[trotsky]

1. Gyms, locker rooms, all that sort of thing...

are veritable Petri dishes. Lots of contact, usually warm and damp, you couldn't ask for a better place if you're a cootie.

I'm pretty sure they are at least required to sanitize surfaces on a regular (daily?) basis - you should call up your local health department for accurate info.