Timeline: How the SpinCo outbreak unfolded

It all started with a Monday evening spin class.

Just before 7 p.m. on Sept. 28, as many as 21 riders filed into SpinCo's downtown Hamilton studio, no doubt eager to leave their worries behind. The next hour would serve as a sweaty break from the daily realities of living through a pandemic.

But in that class - and 12 more to come - COVID-19 was spreading.

Questions still remain about how exactly the James Street North spin studio became the site of one of Canada's worst fitness-related superspreader" outbreaks - one that occurred despite public health saying the studio followed all guidelines. But, in the weeks since, details have trickled out about what happened in the early days of the outbreak and how the spin studio responded.

The Spectator has put together a day-by-day breakdown of everything we know about the SpinCo outbreak, including what was known - and when - by public health, riders and the spin studio.

The following includes information gleaned through emails obtained by The Spec sent from the spin studio owners and public health to SpinCo members.

Monday, Sept. 28:

• A 7 p.m. SpinCo class is potentially exposed to at least one case of COVID-19. This is the first of 13 classes that later are identified as classes where people were potentially exposed. Riders only learn about the potential exposures days after they attended class - in one case, 10 days later.

Tuesday, Sept. 29:

• A 9:30 a.m. class is potentially exposed.

Wednesday, Sept 30:

• A rider who attended the 7 p.m. class on Monday and 9:30 a.m. class on Tuesday wakes up with a fever and chills. She gets a test that day. Her results come back Oct. 5. The rider spoke with The Spectator on condition of anonymity due to concerns about her health privacy.

Thursday, Oct. 1:

• A noon class and 5:30 p.m. class are potentially exposed.

Friday, Oct. 2:

• A noon, 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. class are potentially exposed.

Saturday, Oct. 3:

• An 8 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. class are potentially exposed.

Sunday, Oct. 4:

• An 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. class are potentially exposed.

• At 3:35 p.m. - while a potentially exposed class is running - SpinCo sends an email to riders who recently attended a class, though it's not clear which one, about possible COVID-19 exposure. You are receiving this email regarding your recent ride at SpinCo Hamilton," the email states. We have confirmed through Ontario Public Health that a member of the SpinCo Hamilton community, whom was in a class you attended, has tested positive for COVID-19. We have further confirmed that there were no signs of illness prior to or during the ride as we are confident in our strict screening process."

Monday, Oct. 5:

• At 1 p.m., SpinCo sends out an email to contacts on their mailing list. Over the weekend, we were informed that a member of our community tested positive for COVID-19," the email reads. Our contact tracing measures at the studio are perfect, and anyone who may have come into contact with this case have already been contacted, and directed on next steps." The studio says they are cancelling classes for the next few days - a step that was not required by public health, they say.

• Public health declares an outbreak, with two patrons and one staff member testing positive, but the outbreak is not disclosed publicly until the next day. Public health does not always make outbreaks immediately public due to reporting and posting times," a spokesperson told The Spec.

Tuesday, Oct. 6:

• In the afternoon, public health makes the outbreak public, adding SpinCo to its list of current COVID-19 outbreaks.

• At 3:30 p.m., SpinCo emails their mailing list with an update: they are in outbreak status. SpinCo says they have nailed down the specific time period over which individuals may have been exposed. Those affected will be contacted in the next 24 hours. In the meantime, we wanted everyone to know that public health has assured us that we have and are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community," the email states. SpinCo says they will close for two weeks to allow any other potential spread to be stopped."

Wednesday, Oct. 7:

• At 4:30 p.m., SpinCo owners send an email to select members. This afternoon, we have finally got down to the bottom of our contact tracing with the help from public health," the email reads. There are a total of five classes where riders could have been potentially exposed. You are receiving this email because you were in one of those five classes listed."

• There are now seven cases connected to the outbreak.

• Attached to SpinCo's email is a letter from Hamilton public health asking riders who attended the following five classes to self-isolate for 14 days from the last affected class they attended: Sept. 28 at 7 p.m., Sept. 29 at 9:30 a.m., Oct. 1 at noon, Oct. 1 at 5:30 p.m. and Oct. 3 at 8 a.m.

• At 5 p.m., SpinCo sends out an email to its mailing list. We are sure the last few days have been confusing for many of you and concerning for others, they certainly have been for us," the email states. This afternoon we have received clear direction from public health and those that could have potentially been affected have been notified."

Thursday, Oct. 8:

• Just before 2 p.m., SpinCo sends out an email with a list of frequently asked questions" to its mailing list. Responding to the question How did this happen?" SpinCo says: It's pretty simple really. As highlighted by public health, a rider who thought they were not experiencing symptoms answers no to our screening and passes our temperature checks and rides a class." They ask anyone who feels the slightest symptom, even if they think it's (for example) allergies" to let them know. They say they will focus on retraining" staff. More positive riders are expected in the next few days as there was more than one class exposed," the email states. SpinCo says that while there is an inherent risk" that comes with spinning, the studio quite literally did everything" they could to keep people safe. Our classes went from 43 people to 21 riders per class" with a six-foot radius between bikes. They say when they reopen, they'll ramp up safety measures, including spacing the bikes farther apart.

• The outbreak reaches 11 cases. Hamilton public health says potentially 100 riders and staff were exposed.

Friday, Oct. 9:

• A Radius restaurant staff member - who doesn't know they are sick but who later tests positive - goes to work, according to Radius. Days later, the restaurant will link their eventual outbreak status back to SpinCo.

• The SpinCo outbreak hits 24 cases.

• An update from public health is shared with SpinCo riders. One new class is affected: Oct. 2 at 5:30 p.m. Riders are to self-isolate for 14 days from that class - despite seven days since the possible exposure having already lapsed.

• Public health shares another update later that day. Two more classes are affected: Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10:

• According to Radius, a staff member who later tests positive goes to work again.

• In an Instagram post, SpinCo says: As of today, everyone who has tested positive, are well." The post goes on to say: We are at a point, where either we let this Pandemic own us, or we take ownership back. We are determined to switch the script! We can and we know the power of our community." They say they will remain closed until it is safe to reopen. We need to show our city and the rest of our province that the SpinCo community is not going anywhere! We are strong, we are tough and we fight together ..." the post ends.

Monday, Oct. 12:

• The SpinCo outbreak hits 50 cases, including staff, riders and secondary or household contacts of primary cases. Experts call it a superspreader" outbreak.

• We're devastated by the impact this virus is having on our community and wish all those affected a quick and full recovery," say co-owners Naz Zarezadegan and Ira Price in an email to The Spec that day. Public Health officials stated yesterday that patient zero displayed no symptoms. We care deeply about our community and will continue to follow the guidance of our public health authority."

• Meanwhile, public health sends out its third exposure update letter to SpinCo riders; five new classes have been added to the possible exposure list. Classes include Oct. 2 at noon, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m., Oct. 3 at 12:30 p.m., Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. and Oct. 4 at 8 a.m. The total number of classes affected is now 13. Anyone who attended the classes is asked to self-isolate for 14 days from the day they took the class - which is just four more days in some cases.

Tuesday, Oct. 13:

• Radius restaurant closes after three staff members test positive, according to a post on its website.

• The SpinCo outbreak climbs to 61 cases.

• Premier Doug Ford is asked about the SpinCo outbreak and says he feels terrible" for small business owners running gyms. Dr. David Williams, the province's chief medical officer of health, says he has concerns" about spread in indoor gym settings.

Wednesday, Oct. 14:

• Public health declares an outbreak at Radius but the outbreak is not made public until the next day.

• The SpinCo outbreak climbs to 69 cases. Ontario announces it will review gym guidelines in the wake of the SpinCo outbreak.

• The New York Times, CNN, Washington Post and Daily Mail are among the international publications picking up the SpinCo story. SpinCo media responses are now being handled by a public relations firm in Toronto called Blue Door.

Thursday, Oct. 15:

• The Radius outbreak is made public. Radius says their first case" was connected to SpinCo. They do not provide more information on how the cases are connected.

• The outbreak climbs to 72 cases.

Friday, Oct 16:

• The outbreak number climbs to 74.

• Hamilton public health says the outbreak has impacted several workplaces in the community" but won't comment on specific businesses.

Monday, Oct. 19:

• The outbreak number climbs to 78.

• Hamilton public health issues new guidelines to gyms: 10 people maximum in an indoor fitness class, all gym-goers must be three metres apart and masks are to be worn at all times.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com