Going to pools is pretty much the only thing we've done out since Covid began (aside from grocery shopping). Never felt concerned about the safety of it. Summer and I are a bit more careful than most at the pools (masks all the way to the deck and back on pretty much as soon as we're out of the pool), but it's easy to avoid people. I'm in the habit of walking to the 'far' end of the pool from where most people setup their stuff. Figure since most people spend a good chunk of their swim time standing on the wall talking, I'd rather not have to worry about taking a rest after a hard effort and coughing into people's faces.

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Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
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Are you swimming every other lane? Here in Washington DC YMCA, all lanes are open. It's not uncommon for swimmers in opposite direction to come up for air and meet one another. I guess that's what I'm afraid of.

Nope. Every lane. And I'm often sharing a lane with someone else. As far as I'm aware, neither of us have has been infected. Summer is vaccinated now and a good portion of the other patrons at the YMCA we swim at are older, and are also likely vaccinated at this point as well.

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Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors

That's great to hear! Stay safe.

You'll have to make the call. If you or someone living near/with you is high-risk and not vaccinated, it's a harder decision with potential real risk.

If your household is all low-risk (<65, no comorbidities), I'd go so far as to say that pools are pretty safe - at least no outbreaks have been traced to pools, and most pools do enforce some sort of spacing, even if it's on entry so it makes risk even less.

It's be worth trying it, see how the risk feels to you, and decide from there. It may not be for everyone and that's fine. I've been swimming in pools 1x/wk but not due to COVID concerns, just logistics (Vasa erg to the rescue - haven't even been using it enough!)

I think a lot depends on the pool and the regulations the gym establishes. My pool has six lanes in a room with 40 foot ceilings. You must make a reservation and the max is 45 minutes. They empty the room and wipe everything down for the 15 minutes in between reservations. Even numbered lanes enter from the west side of the pool; odd numbers from the east side. I'm sometimes the only one there, other than the lifeguard, and most of the time it's 1-2 other swimmers. I change poolside and wear a mask at all times except when in the water, as is the requirement. So, all in all, it feels pretty safe. I've been back in the water since September, except for 7-8 weeks when everything closed in Nov/ Dec, and swim 2-3 times a week.

Thanks.

Man, f covid!

Sounds like you're not in the same boat. You've had access but choosing not to go. No judgment (everyone has to make their own choices) but it's not the same.

Our local pools have just now started to reopen, reservations only. No lane sharing as far as I know.

One coping strategy is to come in with swim trunks on and wearing sweats over it, go straight to the lanes, take the sweats off by the poolside, swim, towel dry, get dressed and go straight to the car and home to shower. Don't use the locker rooms.

The pool is likely the last place you'll get Covid19, provided there are some basic social distancing measures and you practice good hygiene and sanitization.

My pool closed down for two months this winter...again...and I was pissed. The place is damn near empty most of the time.

If you're really scared then enter your lane at the deep end and skip the post swim shower/locker room. Use your foot to open doors or one finger and use hand sanitizer after contact with common surfaces.

There are a lot of simple things you can do to minimize risk. Some of it may seem over the top, but we are in a global pandemic so who cares. You do you and let the others worry about themselves.

Couple of things:
1) Chlorine kills germs.
2) When swimming correctly- you should exhale underwater. (Backstroke and kick being exceptions).
3) Outdoors has very low risk of spreading germs if you maintain reasonable distance.
4) Well ventilated indoor pools should also be pretty good.
5) Poorly ventilated indoor pools often seem to have toxic chlorine clouds.
I imagine Covid19 doesn't like that either.

Bottom line- hanging out in the locker rooms is dangerous. (But that is not allowed anyway).

Swimming with reasonable precautions should be especially safe.

Some people have literally become total pansies about the pandemic. Do online grocery pickup, takeout (if you dine out), avoid crowds, etc. Avoid social gatherings most of all.

If you live in a large city then exposure risk is going to be higher given population density. Provided you're careful and you haven't gotten it after one year you should be fine with maintaining current practices. The pool will likely not be the place you contract it. It will be that small social gathering of close friends.

My last pool swim was 3/5/2020. I went from 3 times a week to nothing. There are a few pools open but the waiting list to get a spot is prohibitive to someone with a work schedule like mine. I can't sign up for a 45 minute pool spot 3 weeks in advance and have any confidence of making it.

As for the total pansies comment, I'm 59 and got COVID on 1/19/21 from my wife, who got it at her work (retail). She had a fever for a day and a half. I had it bad enough that my liver is damaged, so it is no joke for some, you just don't know if you are one of them or not until you get. I would have passed on that experiment if I could have, but it was unavoidable.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

My last pool swim was Oct. 2014. I blame COVID.


Bummer. Hope you're on the road to feeling better.

This is a bit tone deaf and unkind especially when over a half million in the US have died from the virus. And people on this forum have suffered from the virius and/or lost loved ones.

We are swimming 3x a week in a pool with a small safe masters group but it's still a risk I'm not entirely comfortable with doing on a regular basis. I cannot wait for open water season and we don't have to swim in a pool.

And I do agree that the locker room is more risky. You can't control the random person who shows up w/o a mask or doesn't wear it properly (below the nose). My husband encountered that recently from some high school kid in the locker room after our group was done swimming. Luckily I think someone spoke to him as we haven't seen him back. I almost wanted to stop going to the pool. Not worth it. But we are still taking that one risk. We don't do anything else that involves the general public unless you count picking up curbside orders but we do that carefully and don't get close to anyone except sometimes the store workers.

I think many people are in the same boat w/o much swim training this winter. Get into the open water asap if you do have a race.

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Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

same here, haven't set foot in the Y since March 2020. Husband is high risk and I'm just not taking the chance at least until he is vaccinated. I am lucky in that there is a lake with a beach 10 minutes from my house. Swam there up until the end of Sept and I'll go back with a wetsuit as soon as possible. Right now it's just the vasa twice a week as that's about all I can take on it. I have a swim-run that was postponed from 2020 supposed to happen beginning of May and I will be woefully unprepared for the swim portion. I think many people will be undertrained for swimming this season, if/when it starts.

Entirely unrelated & given that it's hard to talk about covid w/out getting "political", it infuriates me when people are that irresponsible. I learned a new trick I'd like to share w/the ST'ers: Too many people in a store (e.g., 7-11) not wearing a mask? As you walk in, warn everyone that you have the virus. Watch the store clear for your safe shopping. I speak from experience as I "warn" people all the time. Funny how people start taking this serious when they see THEMSELVES in harm's way.

You could be held criminally liable for doing something that stupid.

Just grow a set and start swimming again with precaution in mind.

BTW what you describe is not funny either.

Not at all trying to be funny. In my state, masks are mandatory. I shouldn't have to risk my and my family's health b/c others don't want to follow the mandate.
Also NOT retaliating to your post. Civil conversation is my intent.

Stay safe friend.

It seems like there are two things:
1) People that refuse to take reasonable precautions and expose people to unnecessary risks
2) People that take UNREASONABLE precautions like not swimming, or not going for a walk - which does nothing to prevent unnecessary risks.

There are also many, many people that take UNREASONABLE precautions (like not swimming).
Then refuse to take reasonable precautions (like avoiding large indoor family events without masks).
And these people can often be quite self-righteous.

I couldn't have said it any better myself. Self righteous is a fitting description

as velocibuddha notes, pools are unlikely to be an issue. Some friends have been swimming indoors all winter with no-one getting sick, and I haven't heard of any pool infections at all. That said I still am not swimming indoors, age 60 with asthma and a heart thing, it's just not worth even the tiny risk to me.
Theoretically I am eligible for vaccine next week, will see how long it takes to get an appointment..

my usual season-opener has an indoor swim, they planned to go to duathlon but now it's all off until 2022.. pfui

When you say 'many, many people that take UNREASONABLE precautions (like not swimming)' let's dig into that.

How many is 'many, many'
How do you know?
Why is someone choosing not to swim unreasonable (let alone UNREASONABLE).

I had the same discussion here a while ago regarding cycling and being passed closely by others without mask.

There is a risk, and it may be as big or small as anyone thinks it is. We don’t have data, unfortunately.

It is good to be aware of the risk and trying to mitigate it as good as you can without giving up living..
Relying on others to be much help in that aim is foolish (see above: perceived risk).
All one can do is make sure others know about your concerns (“would you please not stay/pass close to me or breath in my face”), and mitigate it as best as possible (wear mask, ride towards the left, breath opposite side from others, don’t touch common surfaces or stay in poorly ventilated areas).

Most rational nice people will try to be accommodating, but you’re going to encounter those who put their freedom over the well-being of others and society.
It’s frustrating, but your best course then is to walk/stay away (their day of reckoning will come sooner than later).

Be positive, don’t be afraid of that new danger in your life. Other than drowning, it’s not certain death, and you’ll maybe make new friends or new enemies. Both are good to know.

Take care.