MIDLAND, Texas — Midland Mayor Patrick Payton discussed the possibility of reopening city swimming pools over the summer in Thursday's Unified Command Midland COVID-19 update meeting.
In response to a viewer question on Facebook, he stated that the city would be reacting to cues first from Midland health officials and then from state health and safety regulations set by the governor on when it might be safe to reopen the pools.
As of May 1, Governor Greg Abbott will be allowing many retail businesses, malls, movie theaters, museums, and libraries to reopen at up to 25% capacity.
The mayor expressed optimism about the potential for pools to open their doors again, saying, "if we can put enough chlorine in the pool to go along with the UV rays, it could be a great thing for all of us."
According to the CDC, there is currently no evidence that the virus causing COVID-19 can spread through swimming pools, as chlorine and other disinfectants used in typical pool cleaning procedures would render the virus inert at normal levels of use.
Pools remain closed across the state despite this due to restrictions on most public spaces where public gathering could break social distancing guidelines.
Future Unified Command updates can be found on the Midland Memorial Hospital Facebook page along with regular Midland health updates, which have been streamed on weekdays during the course of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The full meeting can be viewed below.