Keep Swimming Safe

Swimming is one of the most popular sports activities in the United States. Just 2.5 hours of physical activity per week, including water-based activity, has health benefits, no matter our age. As with any form of physical activity, we maximize the health benefits of swimming when we each do our part to minimize the chance of illness and injury.
Swimming is a fun and a great way to stay healthy and spend time with family and friends. However, it’s important not to swim or let your kids swim if they have diarrhea. Just one diarrheal incident in the water can release millions of diarrhea- causing germs like Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus, and E. coli O157:H7. This can make other swimmers sick if they swallow a mouthful of contaminated water.
Practicing healthy swimming is important to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy. Whether in the pool, the hot tub/ spa, or water playground we can all help protect ourselves and our loved ones from germs by following these simple but effective steps:
• Don’t swim or let children swim when sick with diarrhea.
• Don’t swallow the water.
• Take kids on bathroom breaks every hour.
• Check diapers, and change them in a bathroom or diaper-changing area—not poolside—to keep germs away from the pool.
• Shower before you get in the water. Rinsing off in the shower for just 1 minute helps get rid of any germs that might be on your body.
Remember: Think Healthy. Swim Healthy. Be Healthy! For more info visit www.cdc.gov/safechild and follow the CDC’s Steps of Healthy Swimming to protect ourselves and our loved ones from illness and injury when swimming or playing in the water.