ODESSA, Texas — The CDC says pool water is not a concern when it comes to COVID-19 exposure risks, and the Odessa Regional Medical Center's chief medical officer, Rohith Saravanan agrees.
"The issue is not the pool, hot tub, spa or water playground, the issue is the congregation of people who show up to use those facilities," said Saravanan. "There's no evidence that COVID-19 spreads through these pools"
Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are confident that COVID-19 doesn't survive in water that's found in pools, hot tubs, spas or water playgrounds.
Treating and disinfecting pools and hot tubs will deactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.
"Proper operation meaning they know when to open and close, they know when the pumps are running, maintenance means they check the water in the pools to make sure that the chemical levels are correct and the disinfection is what you use chlorine or bromine or saltwater pools, things like that," said Saravanan.
If that's the case, why keep public pools closed?
Doctor Saravanan says it's in the best interest of the community to keep them closed, at least for now, because social distancing would be nearly impossible to practice at a public pool.
"I don't think this is going to last the whole summer, I sure hope not, but it's not a decision that you can make today for the rest of the summer," said Saravanan.
If the threat of COVID-19 subsides before the hot temperatures do, public pools across the country could safely open.
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