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Boost your post-Covid fitness drive at new health and wellbeing studios

Council News
09:33, Thursday, 10th March 2022

People’s post-Covid health and fitness regimes can now be kickstarted at two new health studios being developed using Government cash.

The health and wellbeing studios at The Pods in Scunthorpe and Ancholme Leisure Centre in Brigg will come complete with specialist support for people with underlying medical conditions to become more active and improve their health – this includes people suffering from long-Covid.

Cllr Carl Sherwood, cabinet member for safer communities, rural, said: “The pandemic has driven change in many ways and has given us the chance to take stock and where necessary realign a broad range of different things.

“As part of this our leisure facilities are set to be modernised further and we will be introducing new health and wellbeing studios which will enable us to offer tailored packages of support with colleagues across the health service.

“We will be better positioned to support the people and communities across the many towns and villages in North Lincolnshire and to ensure people who need that little bit of extra help are given it in a way which best suits them.”

The development comes as the pandemic draws to a close, though Covid-19 is still in the community and the number of infections has increased in the last few days. Vaccines are still readily available and remain the best defence against the virus.

People should still be getting tested if they have symptoms and stay home if positive. The advice is still to continue with the basics – hands, face, space and fresh air to protect against Covid-19 and other bugs such as cold and flu.

When the pandemic first struck, almost 7,000 people in North Lincolnshire were identified as clinically extremely vulnerable.

Many of the health problems faced required medical intervention, though other lifestyle factors – such as smoking and obesity – increased risk. Obesity alone increases the chances of becoming critically ill from Covid-19 by more than 20 per cent.

Through the pandemic, demand for health programmes providing targeted services to support residents to manage a range of chronic health conditions such as long-covid, asthma, hypertension, anxiety, type-2 diabetes, musculoskeletal joint problems, coronary heart disease and obesity has increased.

The new studios will be created by repurposing underutilised space at The Pods and Ancholme Leisure Centre, converting health suites into new health and wellbeing studios with specialist equipment to aid those who need extra support.

Cllr Sherwood added: “It is great we are able to enhance the offer based on customer need, reduce our carbon footprint and ultimately enable more people to live healthier lives.”