Kudos for Masks

Thank you, Jana Zimmer, for sharing your story about your experience at Santa Barbara Athletic Club and revealing the cavalier attitude of this “health” club. I have experienced the same disregard for masks at its sister “health” club, Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club.

I recently became tired of trying to get the manager to put up signs in the upstairs weights and exercise area. He told me “they walk by signs at the front door — that should be enough.” It’s clearly not enough, as I spent week after week throughout the past few months, doing my workout next to unmasked, heavy-breathing, mostly under-40 exercisers. If these exercisers had any regard for their fellow humans, they would exercise in the large outdoor weight area, or wear masks. I’ve seen them pull up their masks to walk by the front desk.

I just turned 69, and I’m fully vaccinated and boosted, but I also read the news and I trust the recommendations of scientists and physicians, and therefore know about new variants, as well as the new mandate continuing masks for public indoor spaces in California.

It was simply too risky to continue to be a member of Cathedral Oaks, and so, after trying three times, quite politely, to get the management to enforce the mandate, I quit on December 1, after 30 years of membership.

These two clubs and their management display callous disregard for the health and well-being of their members, as do those unmasked heavy breathers.