Is It Safe to Go Swimming During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Is It Safe to Go Swimming During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

The coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly changed how the world lives and works. Making the necessary lifestyle adjustments has been an uncomfortable but critical strategy for slowing the spread of disease.

Social distancing reduces the likelihood of exposure to the coronavirus, which means a temporary halt to a wide variety of everyday activities. Schools have closed, religious services have been cancelled, and family events have been postponed until the crisis passes.

However, there are some very specific pastimes that aren’t addressed in health agency guidelines. For example, is it safe to go swimming during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Is Swimming Safe?

Scientists and healthcare professionals are still learning about how COVID-19 is transmitted, but some facts are generally established. The novel coronavirus appears to spread from person-to-person through the droplets expelled during coughs and sneezes. The infected droplets get into another person’s eyes, nose, or mouth, causing that person to become ill.

COVID-19 has not been found in drinking water, and it appears that standard filtration and disinfection methods used by municipal drinking water systems are enough to ensure the water supply stays safe. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), "there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tubs." Proper use of disinfecting agents like the chlorine typically used in swimming pools and spas are should kill or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.

As long as the pool water is well-maintained, these facts indicate that swimming is still a safe way to get a workout or release some of the energy your kids have been storing all day.

The Problem with Public Pools

Many people rely on their gyms, public pools, or other facilities for swimming. A majority of these services are closed for the duration of this emergency, but the concern with public pools isn’t related to virus exposure in the water. Instead, the issue is all of the surfaces and people you come in contact with before and after your swim. COVID-19 can be transmitted before carriers show symptoms, and some people never develop symptoms at all.

Others using the pool might leave germs on surfaces that you and your children touch, such as door handles, lockers, sinks, shower handles, and so on. Even if you wash your hands regularly, it is possible for those germs to make their way into your body. During this period of rapid virus spread, spending time in public buildings is not recommended as a general rule, though swimming pools themselves are still safe.

Swimming During the Pandemic

The good news is that you can continue to enjoy your private home pool and spa without risk of infection. Swimming during the pandemic is still safe. As soon as stay at home orders are lifted (or if they already have in your area), private swimming lessons can also resume at your own home pool.

Sunsational Swim School operates throughout the United states, offering in-home lessons for students six months old through adult. All instructors are experienced professionals who have been certified in CPR and First Aid. One-on-one classes ensure rapid skill development, as the entire lesson is customized to the specific needs of the swimmer.

Most importantly, even in the midst of this unprecedented global crisis, Sunsational Swim School ensures your family can continue to develop the water-safety skills that help prevent dangerous water-related accidents. After all, drowning is the number one cause of death for children under the age of five.

Safety Tips for Swimming Lessons During the Coronavirus Pandemic

After stay at home orders are lifted, your instructor will take every possible precaution to ensure your family’s safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes entering your home through the backyard gate, frequent use of hand sanitizer, modified activities to eliminate the need for physical contact, and using your child's own swimming toys and equipment.

Contact Sunsational Swim School for more information on at-home swimming lessons.