Is It Safe to Swim in Public Pools during COVID?
With all the coronavirus variants and sub-variants running amok and surges coming and going these days, it’s perfectly normal to be a little concerned about going out and about, potentially exposing yourself and your children to the virus. This is even more understandable when you’re in public spaces like public pools. It’s enough to make you wonder if public pools are safe places to swim, given the current environment.
Not a Waterborne Illness
One of the most important things to know about public pools and COVID-19 is that this virus is not a waterborne illness. That means that public pools, splash pads, hot tubs, and fresh or marine water sources like lakes, rivers, ponds, and oceans are not going to spread the virus. In the case of public pools specifically, the chlorine or bromine used to disinfect the water, along with proper maintenance and pool operation should effectively inactivate the virus.
Out-of-Water Areas
That said, it’s still possible to come into contact with the virus or people carrying it outside the water. For this reason, it may be necessary to follow precautionary measures like correctly wearing approved masks and social distancing while in other areas like the changing areas, hallways, and pool decks. To protect the health of our students and their families, SwimJim asks people to bring minimal personal items and wear their swimsuits under their street clothes. You should also limit the time spent on the pool deck before the start of lessons and keep the number of caregivers present at lessons to one to two people.
What Should You Do?
As a general rule, if you or your child aren’t feeling well, it’s best to stay at home until you feel better. This is true regardless of whether the illness is due to the coronavirus or something else. This helps us keep our facilities as germ-free as possible, protecting the safety of students, their families, and our staff. When you do come to SwimJim for lessons, please look out for the well-being of yourself and those around you by following the health and safety guidelines and policies. The policies and guidelines may not always be comfortable or convenient, but they’re far more comfortable and convenient than getting sick.
Whether you’re worried about catching any of the COVID-19 variants or you’ve decided that you’ll likely be fine and you intend to continue living your life as you always have, it’s still a good idea to know the risk you could be taking by going to a public pool. The good news is that COVID-19 is not a waterborne illness, though it’s still good to be cautious in other areas of the pool. As always, if you or your child feel ill, it’s best to stay home. You will be back to swimming in no time!
At SwimJim, we take health and safety very seriously. Click here to learn about our health and safety policies today!
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