Fitness firm Equinox said Monday it will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination at its gyms, SoulCycle studios, and corporate offices in New York City.
“An overwhelming majority of members expressed support for requiring vaccines in order to access Equinox clubs,” the company said in the release, which noted that a recent survey found that 96 percent of Equinox Fitness Clubs members and 89 percent of employees said they have been vaccinated.
Equinox said it would work to accommodate requests for exemptions on medical or religious grounds by members and employees.
“We have a responsibility to take bold action and respond to changing circumstances with urgency. We encourage other leading brands to join us in this effort to best protect our communities,” said Harvey Spevak, Equinox Group executive chairman and managing partner.
Equinox operates more than 100 fitness clubs around the world, with 40 of them located in New York.
BlackRock, Facebook, Disney, and Google recently stated they would require employees to be vaccinated before returning to in-person work.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said state workers will have to get inoculated or subject themselves to weekly testing, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said state employees will be required to get the shot.
Vaccine passport-like systems have been flagged by civil liberties groups including the ACLU and Republican officials as being draconian, and critics argue it would create a two-tiered society of vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
