On your marks - pools prepare to re-open

But Swim England pleads for funding to save them long-term

We can all look forward to taking the plunge from next Wednesday (2 December) when the national lockdown ends, with swimming pools being given the go-ahead to welcome visitors.

So after large parts of this year have seen pools being out of bounds to many of us, locations across the UK will be re-opening in a week’s time.

But the good news has been tempered by a warning from Jane Nickerson, chief executive of Swim England, that many facilities would need long-term financial help to ensure their survival.

As of next Wednesday, national restrictions will be replaced by a new, tiered regional approach. Under these regulations, pools and gyms are being allowed to re-open, but participants in outdoor sports will still have to abide by the rule of six.

Jane Nickerson, chief executive of Swim England, called the news “a most welcome development [which] will be music to the ears of the millions of people who go swimming in England each month.”

She added: “We know how important the water is for so many people. I commend the Prime Minister for recognising the importance of supporting people’s physical and mental health and allowing swimming pools to play their part in doing just that.”

But Ms Nickerson said that, in spite of the government pledging £100million to help secure leisure centres’ futures in the medium term, “the financial pressures facing too many of our swimming facilities have not gone away.”

She added that some credit for the relaxation in the rules should go to people who supported a Swim England campaign to get pools open again once the national lockdown ended, and concluded: “We will keep up the pressure on behalf of the aquatics community … for the financial support our pools and clubs need.”

New guidance on public swimming was due any time as this article was written, but it was expected to include the following, according to Swim England:

• No restrictions covering swimming sessions for under-18s.
• Tier 1: Rule of six applies, so over-18s cannot mix in larger groups than this.
• Tier 2: Indoor group swimming is permitted, but mixing between households isn’t allowed. Some sports - not involving close contact - are allowed with one person from another household.
• Tier 3: Indoor sport for all over-18s is restricted to within your household only. All group activities, e.g. exercise classes, are not allowed.

No COVID risk from pool water, states WHO

At the same time as Swim England announced it would be pressing for greater safeguards for the future of indoor pools, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reiterated its advice that COVID-19 is not transmitted through water.

Jane Nickerson called this “a welcome intervention” and “an incredibly helpful contribution which I hope is being noted by politicians and public health professionals as we seek to get pools open as soon as possible.”

However, the WHO added that swimmers should still avoid crowds and try to stay at least one metre from each other while swimming.