LOCAL gym instructors have welcomed the opportunity to resume business to fully vaccinated customers only.

This comes after the Prime Minister delivered an update on the pandemic at a briefing in Tobago on Friday after a three-day Cabinet retreat at the prime minister’s residence in Blenheim.

Dr Rowley said he hoped the ongoing nationwide vaccination drives would allow the reopening of more businesses such as gyms, restaurants, bars, casinos and cinemas. However, only fully vaccinated customers would be able to utilise these services.

Since the pandemic hit in mid-March last year, gyms were shut down to prevent the spread of covid19. In late October, owing to a reduction in positive covid19 cases, gyms were allowed to reopen, but at 50 per cent capacity and only between the hours of 6 am to 10 pm.

Six months later, however, Rowley ordered gyms to be closed again following a spike in cases locally.

Rowley’s announcement on Friday was well-received by gym instructors who are eager to return to work to serve their clients.

“We’re happy to open in any capacity because it’s been very long for us being closed,” said Khalil Ramsubhag, managing director of The Bar by ‘The Beast’ in Grand Bazaar, Valsayn.

“We haven’t been able to serve our clients and they have been suffering. If the vaccinated only approach is the government mandate…we don’t see ourselves as an organisation to make a call like that but we try to look at the positives from this.

“Being able to serve some of our clients is, for us, is better. We know there’s precedent for vaccinated only in other countries but we are happy to open in any capacity.”

Krystan Hosein, owner of One Power Barbell in D’Abadie, Arouca said he was pleased to hear of a possible reopening. He fully supports the decision to allow fully vaccinated members only to resume their physical training.

“We’ve told our people (clients) this (vaccinate to operate) a long time ago. Everyone needs to be vaccinated. I just think outside of the people that don’t want to be vaccinated that the data is clear and it’s just how you interpret it,” he said.