Safety/Covid Guidelines
AQUATIC PARTICIPANT GUIDELINES FOR COVID-19 RISK REDUCTION AND CONTACT TRACING BEFORE LEAVING HOME
• Take your temperature and complete COVID-19 daily health check. If you answer “Yes” to any COVID-19 health questions, stay home. Symptoms include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty breathing, or other symptoms identified by the CDC.
• Shower and dress for swimming or other aquatic activity before leaving home.
• Wear a facemask to/from the facility.
ENTERING AND EXITING FACILITY
• Arrive approximately 5-10 minutes prior to start time to maximize social distancing when entering the facility. All persons must wear a face covering upon arrival, starting in the parking lot. These safety protocols must resume when exiting the facility.
• Post instructions for entering and exiting the facility to provide for minimal contact and traffic.
• Provide parking lot signage marking paths throughout the facility to guide swimmers and staff for safe entry and exit procedures.
• Post signage denying entry to those answering “Yes” to any COVID-19 health questions.
• Arrive in swimsuits ready to swim, carry minimal personal belongings, and exit the facility immediately upon completion of swimming.
• Do not participate in extra-curricular or social activity while at the facility. Change clothes and shower at home to eliminate locker room use.
• Confirm contact information of anyone who enters the facility in the event they need to be notified for COVID-19 contact tracing.
• Staff should be responsible for opening entry and exit doors to limit contact of surfaces by swimmers.
ENTRANCE AREAS | LOBBY | STAFF AREA | LOCKER ROOMS | CLASSROOMS
• Conduct professional cleaning of the facility with CDC-recommended products and procedures prior to first opening as well as subsequent cleanings at intervals mandated by local health officials.
• Conduct full-facility cleaning following all CDC guidelines after closing and prior to opening the following day.
• Sanitize high-touch areas at high frequency throughout the day with CDC-approved cleaning products.
• Provide hand sanitizer and wipes throughout the facility for use by participants and staff. Participants are encouraged to also bring their own hand sanitizers and wipes to use as needed.
• Eliminate the use of low-ventilated spaces and rooms that prevent social distancing, such as locker rooms and small dryland rooms.
For facilities in which deck showers are available, participants and staff should shower before entering the water to remove chemicals that might negate the effectiveness of chlorine.
• Facial coverings are required for staff and participants not in the water.
• Staff and participants should follow directional signage throughout the facility to direct traffic flow and maximize social distance.
• Provide CDC-recommended signage throughout the facility, including but not limited to 6-feet social distancing signage.
• Staff/participants who begin to cough/sneeze for any reason must move away from others until coughing/sneezing dissipates.
• All chairs should be set up at 6-feet social distancing and disinfected before each subsequent use.
• Conduct electronic customer check-in and paperless transactions for customers.
• Remove all shared items such as pens, flyers, toys, business cards, hairdryers (closed), suit dryers (closed).
• Open doors, if appropriate, to increase outdoor air circulation.
Close employee staff rooms or limit the number of employees in staff rooms at one time to maintain social distancing.
POOL
• Wash your hands with a disinfectant soap and water (for 20 seconds or longer) or use a hand sanitizer before entering the pool.
• Remove all unnecessary toys or pool equipment from the pool and pool deck.
• Any equipment will not be shared (e.g. goggles).
• Wear appropriate PPE if the facility has in-water instructors (such as “plastic shields” that allow ease of breathing for instructors).
• Reduce class sizes and limit the capacity of in-water participants to maintain proper social distancing (diagrams below). • Establish appropriate start and stop points for participants to maximize social distancing.
• Follow directions for spacing and stay at least six feet apart from each other. Do not make physical contact with others, such as shaking hands or giving a high five.
• Maintain proper pool chemistry at all times.
• Facilities that can shift toward more outdoor-like environments should do so (i.e., open all window bays, bubbles, retractable roofs, etc.).