FORT MILL, S.C. — With COVID-19 cases reaching record levels in the Carolinas, local leaders are pumping the breaks on reopening. While gyms are still closed in North Carolina, gyms remain open in the South Carolina and many people are heading there to take advantage of the lessened coronavirus restrictions.
The line at a fitness club in Fort Mill looking more like a night club.
"I’ve waited as much as 30 minutes or more," said Joe Kasper as gym member at Planet Fitness.
The Planet Fitness sits less than a mile from the North Carolina border.
"Those with planet fitness memberships over there, come over here and use this gym," said Kasper.
While gyms remain closed in Charlotte and across North Carolina, fitness buffs are finding a way to work it out just over the state line.
Alexis Maloney crossed over from Steele Creek. "Super happy because I gained like 20 pounds just sitting at home eating stuff."
More than half of the license plates had out of state tags.
"They have as much a right to come over here as anyone else does," said Kasper.
Many said they’d never been here before the pandemic. And it’s pushing the gym’s 89-person capacity to the limit.
"I’m sure a lot of people over here aren’t too crazy about it because it impedes our ability to get in the gym," said Kasper.
Maloney said there’s plenty of room inside to get a socially-distanced surge of adrenaline. For her, it’s worth the drive and the wait.
"I think everybody just stays away from each other especially if there’s a cough or two they’re like [slides]," said Maloney.