Georgia Gives Public Swimming Pools the Green Light to Open

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Georgia public swimming pools will be allowed to re-open this week, Governor Brian Kemp confirmed on Tuesday. Like many other states, public pools will need to adhere to a strict set of guidelines, including but not limited to: limiting gatherings to 10 people where six-feet distances cannot be maintained.

“They can reopen if they comply with all applicable requirements,” a statement from the governor’s office said. “Operators need to contact their local health department to determine if and when they need an inspection, what local mandates apply, etc. The Governor’s order still requires that, even if they are open, users must comply with social distancing mandates, and the large gathering ban applies where more than ten people in a single location must maintain at least six feet between each person.”

Summer camps, movie theaters and bowling alleys will also be able to open under the government order. Swimming will be permitted at summer camps if swimming facilities are available, and to stagger the times to prevent overcrowding in the water. Georgia joins Texas as one of the few of the states to open up its public pools after the coronavirus caused a lot of concerns over the future of this summer activity.

Swimming Through a Pandemic

The postponements and cancellations wrought by COVID-19 haven’t just affected the Olympics and the ranks of elite swimmers. They’ve trickled down to neighborhood clubs and summer youth leagues, affecting thousands of recreational and competitive swimmers alike. Here is some of our coverage of COVID-19’s effect on the American summer swimming calendar.

Resources for returning to the pool in the COVID-19 era

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John Eife

3 years ago

With strict guidelines as is approoriate

Lisa Jacobs Miller

3 years ago

Our local pool has opened to lap swimming. They are renting lanes online in one hour blocks. Those with memberships are free , those without are $5 per hour. My daughters swim team is not back yet, but at least she’s getting in the pool 3 days a week.

Jason Barnard

3 years ago

Reply to Lisa Jacobs Miller

What a racket! You have to pay on top of the membership dues that you already pay to use the facility that you built and financed! Nice!

Lisa Jacobs Miller

3 years ago

Reply to Lisa Jacobs Miller

Jason Barnard , no, members are free. Most community pools charge fees to use or you buy a membership. I’m just happy she can swim

Sarah Rindfleisch Ellsworth

3 years ago

Reply to Lisa Jacobs Miller

I like this idea.

Heather Underwood

3 years ago

Reply to Lisa Jacobs Miller

gosh this would be amazing! my daughter went from an hour a day 5 days a week 10 months a year to nothing…would love nothing more for her to get an hour a week at least…but im in upstate new york i dont see that happening at all…so getting a wetsuit and she will swim in gmas pond as soon as its a touch warmer

Jason Barnard

3 years ago

What a misleading picture to go with this headline! Way to start the argument Swimming World! No way the pool just opening this week looks anything like this! LOL!!!

Sha Oui

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Jason Barnard bro get a life

Jason Barnard

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Sha Oui can’t! The pool’s closed!

Sha Oui

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Jason Barnard touché ?

Jason Barnard

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Sha Oui You’re in LA! You’re locked down for the whole summer!!!!

Sha Oui

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Jason Barnard nobody is happy about that here but the last thing I want is my swimmers and family dying from covid because we resumed practice too early

Trevor Trimpe

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

That pool needs some new lane lines , may as well swim open water ??. Lane lines are free right??

Jason Barnard

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Sha Oui All you have to do is stay home then.

Maureen Fluehr Carll

3 years ago

Reply to Jason Barnard

Nah,people don’t need to stay home.Or maybe the selfish irresponsible ones do.Just follow the guidelines and don’t ruin it for everyone else or things will get shutdown again.

Kimberly Joy

3 years ago

There should be NO guidelines. People need to go back to normal fully and completely NOW.

Doug Schack

3 years ago

Reply to Kimberly Joy

Kimberly Joy oh but there is a plethora of armchair epidemiologists who wil tell you, “but! but! but!”

Maureen Fluehr Carll

3 years ago

Reply to Kimberly Joy

Here’s your problem,people can’t follow directives.The sooner you do,the quicker normal happens.Otherwise,things get shutdown again.

Elena

3 years ago

Reply to Kimberly Joy

YESSSS!

Tim Connolly

3 years ago

Reply to Kimberly Joy

Kimberly Joy wow that’s great advice! Not!

Heather Gaston

3 years ago

Let’s gooooo!!!

Dave Hoover

3 years ago

Meems Hoover

Josh Heebner

3 years ago

Laura Kulp Heebner

Russell Dale

3 years ago

Open up !!!

Debbie Terry

3 years ago

georgia…. figures

Greg Simmon

3 years ago

Reply to Debbie Terry

says someone from California??? ???

Debbie Terry

3 years ago

Reply to Debbie Terry

Greg Simmon yes, says someone from California. Your from Snellville GA.

Greg Simmon

3 years ago

Reply to Debbie Terry

Debbie Terry and I feel sorry for you.

Debbie Terry

3 years ago

Reply to Debbie Terry

Greg Simmon – Now that’s a new one!

Spencer Pinter

3 years ago

The Governor of Nevada has remained silent on public pools in Nevada. I do not suspect that he will be following the lead of Georgia and Texas. Should he, he would be excoriated by his masters from California, Oregon and Washington. ???

Meems Hoover

3 years ago

Wulf Kuehmstedt be careful!!

Wulf Kuehmstedt

3 years ago

Reply to Meems Hoover

We will, we are 65 and older we are suppose to wait til June the 12th. The Governor said !

Amy Lynn

3 years ago

Way to go Georgia!

Susan Dawson-Cook

3 years ago

This picture spells doomsday for swimmers who have already suffered enough. It will end up getting pools closed again because this is not how they should or even are opening.

Andrew Spencer Ashby

3 years ago

Reply to Susan Dawson-Cook

Isn’t in this the empty headed BS we heard 19 days ago when Georgia reopened?

How have they done since then any way ?

Paul Smith

3 years ago

Reply to Susan Dawson-Cook

Susan Dawson-Cook swimming world once again going the #cnn route and using some unrelated stock photo vs doing some actual thinking and work. Horrible reporting by these guys

Hermes Oliva

3 years ago

Reply to Susan Dawson-Cook

Susan Dawson-Cook try not to drown in your stupidity.

Susan Dawson-Cook

3 years ago

Reply to Susan Dawson-Cook

Hermes Oliva wow, you’re super sweet! I hope I run into you on deck (not so much)…

Rob Richardson

3 years ago

Reply to Susan Dawson-Cook

Susan Dawson-Cook even if this wasn’t a stock photo – how do you know from your armchair who is in a family unit that can be as close together as they want. Otherwise it looks like most people are 6 feet apart. The chlorinated water kills the virus (per experts), so what is the risk?

Susan Dawson-Cook

3 years ago

Reply to Susan Dawson-Cook

Rob Richardson, I would have liked to picture of lap swimming since it’s Swimming World instead of a picture that more resembles public free for all at the pool, which doesn’t seem too safe yet.

Shawn Cowper Daniels

3 years ago

Tennessee is opening!

Erika Marie

3 years ago

I will take my chances depending on what my gym decides to do. I will get one of those stupid snorkel masks for laps though.

Jennifer Lichty Ziolkowski

3 years ago

Unfollowing you swimming world. Why does a swimming page have an obviously biased and political agenda?

Jenny McCauley

3 years ago

Moving to Georgia!!!!

Kathryn Newberry

3 years ago

We’re still locked down tight up here in Canada. This too shall pass.

Eney Jones

3 years ago

Why are they using this stupid stock photo?

Irina Clark

3 years ago

Thank you Georgia !❤️

Donald P. Spellman

3 years ago

Stay Safe Peach ? State!
This virus ? is super tricky and harsh.

Yu Dong

3 years ago

Sadly it’s not happening here….

Leslie Cichocki

3 years ago

Alice Tiuseco Pergolini

3 years ago

Reply to Leslie Cichocki

Leslie Cichocki yes, you should. Come on down and visit us. We would love to have you and explore Georgia. Just let me know and would love to have you stay with us while you’re down here. ?

Chris Hill Ludwick

3 years ago

Georgia is in the top ten in the USA in the amount of deaths due to the virus. I personally put more value on life and would not move there just yet my friends!

Robo William

3 years ago

?‍♂️

Jessica Middleton Newman

3 years ago

Lots of people will be traveling

Cindy Sykes Denny

3 years ago

I want to to GA where they have real people in charge

Kathy Herr

3 years ago

Reply to Cindy Sykes Denny

Cindy Sykes Denny who’s stopping you. Go see if you can become a Covid19 statistic.

Cindy Sykes Denny

3 years ago

Reply to Cindy Sykes Denny

Sure since I have a .01% of catching it

Cindy Sykes Denny

3 years ago

Reply to Cindy Sykes Denny

Peter Scott

3 years ago

Reply to Cindy Sykes Denny

Cindy Sykes Denny I’m not American but you might find that in those particular states the population density is greater and has nothing to do with whether it is R or D. Taken on a country to country comparison then the US is not doing so well ?stay safe?

John Eife

3 years ago

Reply to Cindy Sykes Denny

Cindy Sykes Denny Transplanted Yankee HAPPILY down here in Georgia where pools are open and kids are exercising!

Greg Gillette

3 years ago

Reply to Cindy Sykes Denny

John Eife there wasn’t anything stopping your athletes from exercising the last 2.5 months. I’ve got mine going 2x a day. Probably the fittest they’ve ever been? And they are bonding in ways they never did before.

Rebecca Skroback

3 years ago

Suzanna Skroback

Héctor Ruvalcaba

3 years ago

Pepita Villanueva José Urueta Flores

Pepita Villanueva

3 years ago

Reply to Héctor Ruvalcaba

Héctor Ruvalcaba ¡excelente noticia!

Pepita Villanueva

3 years ago

Reply to Héctor Ruvalcaba

Nada más con que sean muy estrictos en los protocolos de seguridad y no deben tener problema.

D Rury

3 years ago

I think pools are one of the safest places you could be…. we KNOW sunlight kills the virus, We KNOW chlorine kills the virus and there are studies showing that there is very little chance of spread in open air environments. Don’t come to the pool if you feel sick or if you are scared. The rest of us will enjoy it.

P Seymour

3 years ago

Reply to D Rury

Absolutely, bathing in bleach, albeit, diluted, and the occasional ingestion, what could be better. Keeping the pools closed, as some HOA’s are, will just lead to overcrowding at the few open ones and overcrowded beaches around the lake.