There is no evidence to prove that Covid-19 can be spread to people through the water in a swimming pool. However, the people using the pool can be carriers of the virus and can pass it to the other swimmers. Thus, it becomes necessary to follow distancing norms and other hygiene norms to keep the pool area safe from coronavirus.
With the world grappling with Covid-19, the worst-hit public places seem to be gyms, theatre, malls, and public swimming pools. The reason is not difficult to understand. This is because these are high-risk zones, where a large number of people gather. Also, it is difficult to do swimming while wearing masks and gloves.
But what about personal swimming pools? Is there coronavirus in personal swimming pools? Can coronavirus in swimming pools affect us? How to get rid of coronavirus in swimming pools? This blog is all about COVID and swimming pools.
Can I Get Infected With the Coronavirus Disease in the Swimming Pool?
To answer the question about coronavirus in swimming pools, you have to understand what exactly coronavirus is. The SARS-CoV2 virus which causes coronavirus disease or Covid-19 is a respiratory virus that attacks the lung cells of the human body and causes complications like pneumonia and breathing problems.
Infected surfaces like doorknobs, railings, grilles, surfaces of public transport, and public spaces may spread this virus. These surface areas are called fomites. However, there is no real evidence that the virus can survive in water, at least for long hours.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the virus mainly spreads through infected droplets of a Covid-19 positive patient through cough, sneeze, and, in a limited capacity, through speech.
So if you are interacting with other people who are talking, coughing, or sneezing, even if you’re in the swimming pool, this puts you at risk of inhaling a droplet from an infected person.
This is more of a problem, especially in public pools, where it is difficult to maintain social distance among swimmers.
A private swimming pool used by the members of a single household is better as the swimmers are at a lesser risk of getting the virus.
In a public pool, there can be crowded conditions and common touch surfaces like the deck and the locker room that may provide an opportunity for the virus to transmit.
Can the Coronavirus Disease Spread Through a Hot Tub or a Swimming Pool?
To answer this question we have to look at a holistic picture. First of all, outdoor spaces are believed to have a lower risk of Covid-19 transmission than indoor spaces.
Thus, if the pool you plan on using it outdoors, your risk of getting coronavirus is decreased.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), currently, there are no such evidence that Covid-19 spreads through the water in swimming pools or hot tubs or spas, or water play areas.
Health experts suggest that while the water in a pool is quite safe, the people and surfaces around the pool area could all harbor the coronavirus.
How Can I Check If My Pool Is Safe From COVID-19 or Not?
To reduce the risk of infections, the CDC has come out with guidelines for public pool operators. These guidelines include:
- Maintaining supplies to support hygiene such as soap, hand sanitizer, and no-touch trash cans.
- Disinfecting shared objects such as lounge chairs, pool noodles, and kickboards each time they are used.
- Creating physical and visual cues, for example, lane lines in the water to ensure that everybody stays at least six feet apart, both in and out of the water.
For private pools, you can follow the above guidelines. In addition, there are a couple of things that you can do to check the possible transmission of any kind of virus:
- Clean the filter of the pool to make sure that all the debris is being collected properly.
- The chlorination of the water is equally important. Chlorine and bromine are both used to sanitize pools and hot tubs. As per experts, the Coronavirus does not survive in chlorinated water.
- Adequate hygiene must also be maintained in the deck area and maintaining a distance between swimmers and wearing a face mask is important.
Conclusion
Although there is no evidence that water is a carrier of the Covid-19 virus, adequate hygiene must be maintained at all times both in the pool and the deck area.
Since it is the humans that are carriers of the virus, it is important to maintain social distancing norms in the pool as well.
Taking measures like chlorinating the water helps to keep the water clean from viruses.
On the other hand, maintaining a distance of at least six feet in the water and wearing masks in the deck area are some of the other things we can do to make our pool safe for use in the summer months.
To keep your pool water safe from Coronavirus and for premium pool renovations and filter repairs, use our services. We, at Alliance Pools & Patio, provide you with the most effective solutions to take care of all your swimming pool needs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.