Hi Everyone,

I want to you update on the steps we’re taking regarding your swimming classes in light of the COVID – 19 virus. As you can appreciate it is a fast moving situation, changing daily and at times hourly. I will do my best to keep these communications coming as developments occur. At the heart of it all this is my desire to keep you and your instructors, my team, along with the broader community, safe and healthy.

There is no evidence to suggest this virus is transferred in chlorinated water. Therefore our classes will continue unless the pools close, the authorities advise us otherwise, or class sizes reduce dramatically.

From today your instructors will be taking the following steps;

1) All instructors will be teaching all class levels from the pool deck, therefore out of the water
2) If your instructor does have to get in the water with you for a short period, they will be practising social distancing, keeping all swimmers one arm and board distance away
3) We will endeavour to keep swimmers 1.5m apart and will discourage congregating at one end of the lane
4) We will develop signals of welcome and celebration which can be done apart, so as to avoid shaking hands or high-fiving anyone
5) It goes without saying, we will always maintain our very high safety standards and get in the water if need be
6) We will be pausing our Treading Water Intensive Classes for the moment, as there is a requirement for this class for an instructor to be close by all swimmers in the water for 60 minutes

We ask you, our swimmers, to take the following steps to minimise the risk to yourselves and others;

1) Do not come to class or private lesson if you have a sniffle, sore throat, fever, or feel unwell
2) Do not come too early to the pool and congregate together, practise social distancing (1.5m apart)
3) Do not shake hands, high-five, or kiss, or hug each other
4) Wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face
5) Do not share goggles, caps, drinks, towels or other items
6) Cough and sneeze into your elbow
7) Do not spit into the pool or blow your nose in the pool water
8) Do not loiter at the pool after class, unless you’re swimming
9) If you have been overseas and returned to Australia on or after today, 16th March, you must self isolate for 14 days

Please note our 24 hour cancellation policy still stands unless you have COVID -19 related symptoms, have been overseas and/or are self – isolating.

Hopefully, by all of us taking these steps we can continue to swim, keep safe and healthy, and most importantly protect the vulnerable. For further information from the NSW Department of Health, please click here. The Australian Government link here will also provide you with more information.

Please feel to contact me if you have any questions at all.

As always, yours in swimming,

Kari Baynes
Director