We as a fitness/wellness industry are concerned about the thousands of people who will be traveling to San Diego in the next several days for the IHRSA 2020 Convention. 

We believe that having an event like this is irresponsible amid the recently declared State of Emergency by Governor of California and the CDC is advising against large public gatherings. 

Due to the recent increase in coronavirus related health risks and rapidly growing concerns expressed by industry staff, customers and partners. We ask for the city of San Diego to postpone IHRSA 2020 to later in the year. IHRSA has made no plans to cancel or reschedule the convention despite the growing list of exhibitors publicly withdrawing and attendees cancelling to attend, the event is said to go on. 

Organizers of IHRSA and the city of San Diego first concern should be for the health and safety of all those involved - attendees, exhibitors, partners and employees. This extends beyond the thousands due to arrive to San Diego for IHRSA, but also extends to the family and friends’ health and safety who will come into contact from someone traveling to/from the IHRSA convention.  

City of San Diego, please follow suit to the example the city of Austin took for the safety and precaution for its city by canceling SXSW last week.

"I've gone ahead and declared a local disaster in the city, and, associated with that, have issued an order that effectively cancels South by Southwest this year," Austin Mayor Steve Adler 

Mark Escott, the interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health, said canceling the event was a necessary precaution to mitigate the further spread of the virus. 

Proceeding with the event at this time would be a huge disservice to not only the health and safety, but also the experience all fitness professionals expect to achieve year after year. 

Please consider the ramifications with proceeding with this event on March 18 - 21, 2020: 

• Significant drop in attendance if event proceeds
• Exhibiting / Attendees may need to be quarantined before returning to their place of work and home  
• Risk of Family/ Friends coming into contact with an individual who recently attended a large gathering event 
• Travel of all people coming to the event and risk of exposure during travel 
• Placing Exhibitors in a difficult decision by proceeding to have employee staff attend event 
• the legal actions if anyone attending event contracts coronavirus 
  #postponeIHRSA2020

60+ Exhibitors Confirmed Withdrawal: 

https://www.clubindustry.com/news/life-fitness-precor-and-other-vendors-withdraw-ihrsa-2020-due-coronavirus-concerns

• Matrix
• Precor 
• Life Fitness
• Technogym 
• Core Health & Fitness
• Woodway
• Power Systems
• Keiser 
• Freemotion

...and many more.

Others putting restrictions on company travel – meaning their employees won’t be attending IHRSA: 

Retro Fitness
World Gym
WellBiz

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