Read This Before You Go to a Swimming Pool
Experts say there’s no evidence that the coronavirus is spread through the water, but that doesn’t mean a pool day is risk-free
In many areas of the country, communities are reopening public pools. “This has been a record-breaking summer for heat, and since many people have been cooped up in their homes, coming out to swim can be a really nice respite,” says Jody Gan, MPH, an aquatics researcher and public health professor at American University in Washington, D.C.
Gan says that a dip in the pool is exactly what many Americans need to cool off amid the stress of the global Covid-19 pandemic, but she also warns that it’s “very important that pools are operated safely.” Like any social activity outside the home that involves being around other people, visiting communal swimming pools comes with risks if you don’t follow proper safety guidelines.
Here’s what to keep in mind if you’re going to the pool this summer.
The water provides a safety net
Before you enter the pool, survey your surroundings. “There’s always a risk of crowds coming out to cool off, so you need to look around before you even go in to sense your ability to distance yourself at least six feet from…
