COVID-19 UPDATE: Given that your health and safety is our top priority, effective Monday, March 16 - Sunday, March 29, all Summit Area YMCA facilities will be closed and all programming and events temporarily suspended. Please see thesay.org/news for details. Thank you for your support during this time.
The health and well-being of Summit Area YMCA members, participants and staff is our highest priority. As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to develop locally in New Jersey and beyond, we are closely monitoring information and guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NJ Department of Health (DOH). We want to keep you informed about what the Summit Area YMCA is doing to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in our community and how you can help.
WHAT IS THE CORONAVIRUS?
According to the CDC, the novel coronavirus is part of a large family of viruses common in people and many different species of animals. The virus causes a respiratory illness, called COVID-19, and can spread from person to person. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Everyone can do their part to help respond to this emerging public health threat. The DOH recommends that all New Jersey residents practice general flu prevention measures, including:
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water – keep in mind the 20 second rule. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve. Throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed or unsanitized hands.
• Avoid close contact with those who are sick.
• Get your flu shot – it’s not too late.
• Stay home if you’re feeling sick and keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too. Call your doctor to let them know your symptoms along with your recent travel history. Avoid unnecessary travel going forward.
• Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
WHAT IS THE YMCA DOING?
We welcome members who feel healthy and are not exhibiting signs of illness our facility. We are stepping up our hygiene practices in several ways to keep our facilities clean and our communities safe:
• The YMCA Nationwide Membership Reciprocity Program at our Y has been placed on hold. At this time, only Summit Area YMCA members can use our facility. Guests, guest passes and day passes will not be honored at this time. Stay tuned for updates.
• We are significantly increasing our cleaning frequency of high-traffic areas and high-touch items, including doors, doorknobs, exercise equipment, locker rooms, phones, bannisters, tabletops and handrails.
• We are increasing our signage and messaging across all channels to continue to build awareness and adherence to DOH general health and flu prevention guidelines.
• Additional access to disinfectants and wipes are available to wipe down Y equipment. PLEASE wipe down your equipment after you complete your workout.
WE ASK YOU PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO KEEP OUR Y A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT!
• We will continue to work closely with our government and school officials to monitor any further actions that could be warranted. We have developed contingency plans should we need to care for extra children due to school closings.
• We are encouraging all staff and volunteers of the Y to stay home if sick with any illness. Our staff and volunteers are our greatest asset and we all want to do our best to ensure that the Y environment is as safe and healthy as possible for everyone.
Thank you for helping our community stay healthy and safe. The Summit Area YMCA remains open to serve our community and will continue to practice high standards for facility safety and cleanliness. We will update this page with new information as it becomes available. You can also download the Y’s mobile app to receive notifications on emergency facility information.