Can you catch COVID-19 from a swimming pool?

‘Swimming is not a risk factor for COVID,’ according to St. Tammany Health System’s Dr. Mike Hill, an infectious disease expert. ‘The issue is social distancing safety in the pool since masks are not practical.’ (Stock image)

By STHS Communication Department

It’s summertime, which for many people means it’s also swimming pool time. But just how concerned should you be about the possibility of catching COVID-19 while splashing in the sun?

According to Dr. Mike Hill, an infectious disease expert at St. Tammany Health System, swimmers should indeed be on-guard – but not necessarily because of any virus lurking in the water.

“Swimming is not a risk factor for COVID,” Hill said. “The issue is social distancing safety in the pool since masks are not practical.”

That echoes the advice of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of recreational waters alone. That includes pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds, since proper disinfection should kill the virus that causes COVID-19.

That being said, the long-standing warnings against mass gatherings still stands, whether those gatherings are held in water or on terra firma. That is: People should practice good hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and they should wear a mask whenever in public, particularly where social distancing is difficult.

And whatever you do, don’t do this.

Visit the CDC website for more information about swimming and COVID-19, including tips for maintaining healthy environments in public settings.