As vaccination rates increase and Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted, we at Ballard Health Club understand that along with the hope and excitement, for many there is also concern and trepidation. After spending the past 15 or so months in lockdown, wearing masks, and avoiding social situations, it’s a complicated and oftentimes frightening thing to slowly return to a sense of normalcy.
For many of us, it’s an uncomfortable feeling to be maskless around others, especially if they’re unmasked as well. How can you be sure who’s vaccinated and who’s not? We have thought long and hard on how to carefully and thoughtfully solve this issue, not only in our club but in our larger community as well.
A little over a month ago, we had the idea of handing out green wristbands to members who showed proof of vaccination, in the hopes that seeing others with these wristbands on would make members feel safer and more at ease. We had in mind that if we could get to a vaccination rate of 80%, we would feel comfortable no longer requiring masks for those who had their wristbands. We were unsure if this number was at all realistic or if people would even be willing to wear the wristbands.
Within a week we hit our 80% goal, and only a few days later we hit 90%. We’re now operating at over a 95% vaccination rate, and have been able to confidently make the huge step of giving those wearing wristbands the option to not wear their mask while in the club. We have been overwhelmed by our members’ willingness and even zeal to all work together as a community to ensure each other’s safety and peace of mind, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Given the great success we have seen with our wristbands, we felt moved to expand our scope to the whole Ballard community. As such, we are welcoming and encouraging anyone, member or not, to come in with proof of vaccination and a picture ID to receive a wristband. We are offering one free wristband to each individual.
Our hope is that this can spread through the community and be a way for us to more easily and confidently come together, to provide some peace of mind that the people around you are vaccinated as well.
You may find more information on our website.
The entrance to the club is located on 22nd Ave NW between the Starbucks and Chase Bank.
Thank you, we look forward to seeing you soon!
Pat Gilbrough
Ballard Health Club Owner and General Manager
Ballard Health Club is a sponsor of My Ballard
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