Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey brain Stuff, Lauren Vogel bomb here. With summer fast approaching here in the Northern Hemisphere and the governments easing coronavirus lockdowns, many people are longing for days by the pool, But social distancing recommendations still remain. So is swimming in public pools or lounging on the deck, especially if they're packed
with strangers safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or c d C says quote, there is no evidence that COVID nineteen can spread to people through the water used in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds. Additionally, proper operation of these aquatic venues and disinfection of the water with chlorine or bromine should inactivate the virus. That means that the normal, correct use of and disinfection of these
spaces should kill the coronavirus that causes COVID nineteen. And that goes whether it's a chlorine or a saltwater pool. Which is a great news, but swimming in the pool isn't the whole story when it comes to diving into summer fun. Public pools are public spaces, so social distancing practices are still necessary. So what does a safe public pool look like? Hopefully the pool or aquatic venue you visit will be following CDC guidelines for these types of settings.
These recommendations include frequent cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, maintaining good ventilation of indoor areas, spacing the seating and standing areas so that visitors can stay six ft or two meters apart, marking lanes and areas in the pool, and limiting or discouraging the use of shared items like goggles
and kickboards. Signage or regular announcements by staff reminding visitors about safe practices is a good indication that the public pool or water venue is making COVID nineteen safety a priority. This holds true for apartment complexes, city pools, and water
theme parks alike. For example, although six Flags White Water in Marietta, Georgia, near this podcasts home base remains closed as of this recording, the park has created and shared its health and safety reopening plan, which it developed in coordination with epidemiologists. The plan includes requiring guests and team members to wear masks and temperature checks for both groups when and if your local pools do open. Heading to the pool, just like visiting any other space indoors or outdoors,
requires the practice of safe behaviors for starters. Anyone who has shown symptoms of COVID nineteen, tested positive for COVID nineteen, or been exposed to someone with COVID nineteen within the last two weeks should stay home. If you do choose to go to the pool, washer, sanitize your hands while you're there, cover your coughs and sneezes, and social distance
as much as possible. Wear your mask. The CDC reminds us that a cloth face covering is most important at times when it's difficult to maintain physical distance from people outside of your household. However, you should not wear a mask in the water because it's too hard to breathe through wet cloth. You should also practice these same safe behaviors if you're at a beach, river, or lake two. Today's episode was written by Carrie Whitney, pH d and produced by Tyler Clang. For more in this lots of
other topics, visit how stuff works dot com. Brain Stuff is production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app. Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.