The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday issued an order permitting private (stand-alone) gyms across the state to reopen from August 10. A few conditions, however, have been put forward by the state government, which includes visitors aged 50 and below will only be allowed to enter the gyms. 

The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the operation of stand-alone gymnasiums will be shared by the state government in the coming days. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami's orders for the gyms to be reopened in the state come a week after the Centre issued guidelines for Unlock 3, which became effective from August 1. 

As per the Unlock 3 guidelines announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), gyms and yoga institutes across the country excluding those in the containment zones, can resume services from August 5. Gymnasiums and Yoga institutes, which have remained shut for over four months, were allowed to open from August 5, with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare last week issuing a list of guidelines to be followed. The Tamil Nadu government's decision to allow gyms to be reopened comes after several gym owners including representatives from the Tamil Nadu Gym Owners and Trainers Welfare Association requested the Chief Minister. 

Gyms along with all other institutions were ordered to be shut down after the nationwide lockdown was imposed in order to stop and contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, which as on Tuesday in the state has infected 268,285 people. TN's COVID-19 death toll has climbed up to 4,349 casualties, while the number of recoveries has risen to 208,784 and the active cases count stands at 55,152 persons. Chennai alone has registered 104,027 positive cases among which 11,856 are said to be active cases.