Swimming Courses Despite Coronavirus – Is The Pool Water Contagious?

Many of our customers are worried. The phone has been ringing non-stop since the government announced its package of measures to fight the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 today. The question we have been hearing most often is: “Is the water in the pool contagious?”

Coronavirus – Chlorinated Pool Water is Harmless

Pool water is disinfected with chlorine. DLike the influenza virus, the corona virus is a so-called “enveloped” virus. H5N1, or “bird flu”, also belongs to this group of viruses. During the outbreak of the bird flu in 2006, the German Environment Agency wrote the following about the effectiveness of chlorine against these viruses:

“Enveloped viruses, which include influenza viruses, are more sensitive to the effects of disinfectants than non-enveloped viruses (e.g. the enteral viruses from municipal wastewater). This makes them more susceptible to chemical disinfection. This particularly applies to the use of chlorine and chlorine dioxide as disinfectants.“

The German Association for the Recreational and Medicinal Bath Industry reports:

“All available knowledge indicates that viruses are safely killed by chlorine.”

An Olympic pool contains at least 2.5 million liters of water

Viruses are not organisms. As a result, unlike bacteria, coronaviruses introduced into the pool water cannot multiply without a host. You therefore do not have to be afraid if a little bit of the virus, for example through a swimmer’s saliva, gets into the water.

Of course a pool’s filter system cannot filter the microscopic viruses out of the water, but the millions of liters of water constantly kept in motion dilute the pathogen concentration enormously. Even if the chlorine was not enough to kill the viruses, a minimum number of germs, the so-called infection dose, is required for an infection.

Considering that an average olympic-sized swimming pool holds several million liters of water, the amount of pathogens introduced by swimmers is, in contrast, very small.

Swimming despite the coronavirus? Yes of course!

One can definitely not get infected from the water in the pool. Nevertheless, a swimming pool is a public place, which is why we all need to follow the measures recommended by the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs in the lobby, in the changing rooms, and in the catering area, etc.

If you have booked a swimming course with us, please do not worry. Children and adults can have fun in our swimming courses without having to fear the water in the pool. Physical activity in the water is good for the body right now, because swimming keeps you fit, reduces stress and strengthens the immune system. Just don’t forget to wash your hands regularly.