here are three key reasons why that’s not a concern with the novel coronavirus.
For one, it’s a respiratory, not water-borne, illness, meaning it spreads when spit droplets fly through the air. Once they hit the water, they’re likely diluted enough to no longer be an issue.
“In general, respiratory pathogens don’t survive in the water,” Joseph Eisenberg, chair of the epidemiology department at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, told Insider.
Second, also because it’s a respiratory virus, catching it involves inhaling it, not swallowing it, Eisenberg said.
Water itself is quite safe from the coronavirus, especially if it’s properly treated with chlorine.
But you could still catch or spread the illness if you’re clustering around others above water, on the pool deck, or in the locker room.
To reduce your risk, keep swimming, try to maintain distance from others while you do so, and avoid the locker room.
Just because you’re unlikely to catch the coronavirus while swimming, be aware of other pathogens and the risk of sunburn.
What do the new Swim England guidelines say?
‘Swimming pools are well managed, chlorinated, controlled environments where the risk of transmission can be successfully mitigated.
‘As well as being a safe activity, swimming is vital for many people’s physical and mental wellbeing with 1.4 million adults in Britain feeling felt that swimming had significantly reduced their symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Is it safe to go swimming – could COVID-19 be spread in the swimming pool?
Earlier in the outbreak of coronavirus, the The Pool Water Treatment and Advisory Group (PWTAG) said after consulting with Public Health England,
‘We have checked with our national leads who confirm that coronavirus would be inactivated at the levels of chlorine used in swimming pools.
‘However, visitors to swimming pools are reminded to shower before using the pool, to shower on leaving the pool and to follow the necessary hygiene precautions when visiting public places to help reduce the risk of infection.’
The World Health Organisation recommended chlorination level of 15mg.min/litre is sufficient to kill non-enveloped viruses such as poliovirus, rotavirus and coxsackievirus, and an enveloped virus such as Covid-19 would be inactivated at even lower levels, the document says.
‘This will be more important than ever as people try and cope with a second lockdown – at a time of year when it will be more difficult than before to be active outside.
Earlier this year, guidelines released by Swim England outlined the precautions swimmers should take when returning to the pool. At the moment, pools are shut, but when they are allowed to reopen, swimmers should follow the following precautions:
You should not go to the pool if you have any COVID-19 symptoms.
You should check your local pool’s timetable and swimming guidelines before leaving the house.
You should aim to arrive at the pool ready to swim, with your swimming costume or swimming shorts on to minimise time spent in the changing room. Once you have finished your swim, you should leave. Shower at home pre and post swimming.
You should also shower before entering the pool, the guidelines state, ‘showering before you swim is a vital contribution to ensuring the free chlorine in the pool water is available for disinfection of SARS-CoV-2.’
Take hand sanitiser with you and ensure any equipment or aids (eg floats/ kick boards) are clearly labelled as yours and cleaned before going to the pool.
At the pool, follow the facilities guidelines on the duration of your swim and social distancing measures when in the pool.
When it comes to overtaking in the pool, Swim England have said, ‘Choose your lane using the fast, medium and slow signs and by watching those already swimming. Please do not overtake whilst swimming. Before pushing off at each turn, check to see if anyone faster is approaching.’
Wide strokes such as butterfly should be avoided when lanes get busy.
When resting, Swim England have shared the following advice, ‘Whether stopping for a rest or catching your breath after completing your swim, please be mindful that others using the lane will want to keep on swimming without stopping; so keep yourself to the edge of the lane allowing others to turn at the wall, turning head away and allowing others to maintain social distancing measures.’