Proof of Vaccine Required After Sept 7th at Fitness Studio (advice requested)

RTR | August 9, 2021 | BurgessKoch

[BurgessKoch]

I am a 70-year-old avid Pilates practitioner and love my instructors and studio in Northern Virginia. I attribute part of my good health at my age to regular Pilates sessions over the past 10 years.

However, I just received the email below from my studio. I am seeking advice and help as to if and if so how to respond.

I know I could blow them off and never go there again (and ask for my prepaid money back or lose it). Or alternatively, I could comply and upload a copy of my vaccine card (yes, I have been vaccinated, upon recommendation by my personal physician after he and I calculated the risk/benefit for me personally as best we knew them at the time).

But is there a middle ground? Can I utilize this as a teaching moment and ask them the rationale for this new policy? How would you suggest I engage with them on this?

Please don't throw word bombs. I am seriously wondering how to handle this situation ... and want to use it as a learning experience for what will likely be future similar demands from other businesses, doctors etc. ... and also come up with some good questions and answers to help family and friends who face the same dilemma.

I am genuinely interested in your advice and comments. Thank you.

The email text is below:

===

Hello RTR Pilates Clients!

Starting Tuesday, September 7, 2021 we will be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccine to continue taking classes at our studios. Upload a photo of your vaccine card at this form here:

https://forms.gle/BVN7RpVYJYJV9eoa9

You also have the option of showing proof of your vaccination to the office (Monday - Saturday 9am to 1pm). Thank you for your continued trust in our organization to make the best current decision for your health and safety.

Sincerely,

RTR Pilates Team

[MercyFlush]

Quit the place and if there’s a contract then prepare to take them to court for breach because I’m sure there’s nothing in that contract that obligates you to take an experimental medication.

[mrmeyer]

THIS

[dware]

Those Americans that prefer peaceful slavery will comply. Those Americans that want dangerous freedom probably won’t even get the hokey pokey. It will be interesting to see how it goes from there.

[ilgipper]

Yes. Only option is to quit. This only gets defeated if the market reacts and rejects it.

[Pollard]

Stretch without an instructor

[Jayster]

Get a fake vaccine card.

[Codeflier]

Find videos online. Quit the club. Tell them why.

[TTFX]

Tell them why.

---

I wouldn’t even talk to them.

[Robert DeLong]

Here's a duckduckgo search result for Northern Virginia:

Pilates Search Results Northern Virginia area

Hope that helps with your search for a new place.

[Brian Griffin]

“ask them the rationale for this new policy?”

Expect something like:

We have to do all we can to keep our customers safe(and prevent lawsuits).

OR

Every aspect of customer safety is very important to us....

[Be Free]

You could certainly stand on principle and tell them it’s none of their damn business. But it is a private business, and they can allow or restrict on whatever basis they choose. So respecting THEIR principles and rights as a private business means that you’d not be able to go there if you didn’t comply.

If it were me, and I was already vaccinated (as you said you are), I’d just say “Meh”, show my card, and continue doing what I enjoy, with the people I enjoy. It’s not like the vaccine is 100% anyway ...

[Tell It Right]

I don't know much about the personal life of the original poster except that he's got almost two decades on me.

But if it was me I'd contact them and have a nice conversation about a legitimate concern over the vax. If that doesn't work I'd cancel the membership, kindly tell them all membership payments end, then tell my wife it's up to her to help me with my "stretching exercises".

[who knows what evil?]

Thank you for your continued trust in our organization to make the best current decision for your health and safety.

That's a bit frightening...most people usually leave that to their doctor.

[atomic_dog]

You also have the option of showing proof of your vaccination to the office (Monday - Saturday 9am to 1pm).

This!

There are issues with looking up the registrant of that .gle domain and finding out where it is hoisted and for something like this it should be absolutely transparent.

[Betty Jane]

I would request a pro-rated refund. Then tell them there was nothing in your contract about being required to disclose your health status. As they now believe in a 2 tiered society, you, in all good conscience, cannot be a part of their new Jim Crow plan.

[Brian Griffin]

Using a fraudulent federal document is asking for trouble.

For future reference:
“Thou shall not bear false witness.”

[bak3r]

“Thank you for your continued trust in our organization to make the best current decision for your health and safety.”

That’s not very reassuring.

[RideForever]

Thank them for their protective warning that only ‘jabbed’ people will be able to participate.

And remind them an entire dis-infected cruise ship of only ‘jabbed’ passengers and crew are seething in cases of CoVID.

[laplata]

Quit and demand the prorated balance on your account.