With gyms, fitness centers and other workout facilities operating under Governor Holcomb’s Back on Track orders, Phase 4.5, many health-minded individuals are heading back to their local club to restart their exercise routines. To keep members and staff safe from COVID-19 above and beyond the many safeguards that have been put into place at Community Hospital Fitness Pointe®, the healthcare facility is using an advanced filtration system to eliminate contaminants in the building.
Global Plasma Solutions’ (GPS) Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization technology works to safely clean indoor air and surfaces and is helping to keep those coming into the facility safe.
Fitness Pointe is Community Healthcare System’s medically-based fitness facility and features much of the same high quality health and infection control practices as found at Community Hospital, Munster, St. Catherine Hospital, East Chicago, St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart, and the Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point.
“This technology represents a significant investment that is designed to improve the health and safety of the residents we serve,” said Roger Vogie, director, Fitness Pointe. “GPS technology has been proven to have a very high rate of effectiveness in killing the SARS Cov-2 virus, the cause of COVID-19.”
The technology works by artificially generating both positive and negative ions which naturally occur in the air (as in lightning, waterfalls and ocean waves). These ions can capture and break down airborne germs and those on surfaces within the space to be decontaminated. The GPS purification system improves air quality, removes odors, helps kill common germs and significantly reduces bacteria, spores and viruses such as C. diff, MRSA, E.coli, Norovirus and COVID-19. It adds another layer of safety and infection prevention to Fitness Pointe’s already stringent environmental cleaning practices.
Bipolar ionization has been around for decades. Traditional bipolar ionization systems can produce harmful ozone as a byproduct. However, GPS’ unique needlepoint modules are different in that they do not produce either ozone or other harmful byproducts. The system has been both UL and CE certified meaning it has been tested for safety risks and meets certain standards and guidelines.
A laboratory study showed the SARS-Cov-2 was exposed to needlepoint bipolar ionization for periods of 10, 15 and 30 minutes. Based on virus detection methods, it was determined that at 10 minutes 84.2% of the viral particles became inactive; at 15 minutes 92.6% of the viral particles became inactive and at 30 minutes 99.4% of the viral particles became inactive.
At Fitness Pointe, the GPS technology is retrofitted to the existing HVAC system. The same system has been successfully used in many other types of health settings across the country including Boston Children’s Hospital, Monument Health’s Rapid City Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital.
Community Hospital Fitness Pointe, 9950 Calumet Avenue in Munster, helps individuals achieve life-long health and fitness through innovative quality programs, state-of-the-art equipment and highly credentialed staff. The fitness facility is celebrating its 22nd year of providing a safe environment for area residents to work their way to wellness. For more information about Fitness Pointe membership and complete class listing, visit https://www.fitnesspointe.org/ or call 219-924-5348.
