How to Safely Share Your Backyard Pool This Summer
Now that summer has officially arrived, and temperatures in many parts of the country are above comfortable temperatures, many of us dream of a cool pool. We’ve already discussed what you need to know before swimming in the public pool or on the beach , but what about swimming in your backyard? (After being invited, of course.) Or, if you’re lucky to have your own backyard pool, how can you invite friends to use it and still make sure everything is safe?
Don’t get together for long
There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 can spread through pool water, especially if the water is treated with chlorine or bromine and purified regularly, according to the CDC. The key to safely using backyard pools is to maximize social distancing when you are outside the pool.
“If families living in an outdoor pool don’t get together for extended periods in and around the pool, it’s probably quite safe,” Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University’s School of Public Health, told the New York Times . … “Adults swimming in a circle at a distance from each other are probably quite safe.”
Know who you swim with
Not everyone has taken social distancing and wearing masks seriously in the past few months. So if someone falling into this category invites you to use their pool, you might think twice. (The same goes for pool owners when it comes to deciding who to invite.)
“I would encourage people in this situation to discuss risk mitigation measures and consider ways to minimize the impact on multiple households when using the pool, ” Rasmussen told the New York Times . “I would not want my children to play with children from the family, who all the time walked in public without masks and generally ignored the precautions for COVID.”
Communicate with each other
Whether you are the guest or the host, it is important to make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of rules for being both in and out of the pool. For example, if you have a pool and have set a swimming schedule or set a limit on the number of people who can swim at the same time, inform your guests right away. This will help avoid confusion and frustration, especially when people are already hot and moody.