The UK fitness sector remains "open until directed otherwise by the government" – and will continue to "support the health of the nation" as the country adapts to life with Coronavirus.

That is the message from ukactive CEO Huw Edwards, who added that the sector has reacted quickly to – and will continue to monitor – guidance from the Prime Minister's daily COVID-19 (Coronavirus) briefings.

“Following the government’s announcement last night (Monday 16 March), gyms and leisure facilities across the UK are adapting quickly to increase physical distancing between customers – to at least two metres – and spacing equipment apart," Edwards said.

“They are also introducing limits on the number of people using the facility, such as reducing capacity by 50 per cent in group exercise classes, so that people can stay active without exposing themselves to unnecessary contact.

“ukactive’s member organisations have taken extra measures to ensure all surfaces are clean, and we are in constant dialogue with Public Health England (PHE) to ensure they remain safe and within the guidelines set by the Chief Medical Officer.

“Members of the public are facing personal decisions every day to act responsibly and reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

"At this stage, the government has not recommended that people stop going to gyms and leisure centres, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that people can continue to go out to exercise.

“As soon as government and PHE recommendations change, our members will respond swiftly and communicate this to the public.

“Finally, we await the first phase of business support measures from the Government, due to be announced later today.

“Following discussions with our members, we are aware of the financial support they require to continue operating and we are discussing these special measures with our partners at Sport England and with the government.”