County Outlines Swimming Pool Guidelines

Outdoor municipal and private-club swimming pools will be able to reopen on Monday, June 22. Summer camps will be able to use their pools when they reopen on July 6. To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Cape May County Department of Health has issued the following social distancing and mitigation guidance that must be followed:

• Staff must be screened for fever and symptoms on entering.
• Facilities are urged to stagger access to entry and exit points to avoid congregation, and reduce capacity to 50 percent for the facility and grounds.
• Social distancing of six feet is also required while in the water, as well as on the pool deck, with the exception of immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners.
• A sign-in sheet is to be maintained for all staff and patrons to facilitate potential contact tracing efforts.
• Patrons can use their own water play equipment, such as goggles, snorkels, fins, kickboards, pool noodles and toys, but sharing is prohibited and such equipment cannot be rented for patrons' use.
• Staff and pool-goers are encouraged to wear a cloth face covering outside of the pool when social distancing of six feet cannot be maintained, with the exception of children under age 2 and lifeguards on active duty.
• Sharing furniture and equipment such as lounge chairs, towels, umbrellas and other equipment provided to patrons is prohibited except among immediate family members, caretakers, household members or romantic partners. Cleaning and disinfecting are required after each use.

Call your healthcare professional if you have concerns about COVID-19 and your underlying health conditions. Stay up to date on the current situation as it evolves. Some reliable sources are the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System hotline at 211 or 1-800-962-1253, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov, the World Health Organization at www.who.int and the New Jersey Department of Health at COVID19.nj.gov. For additional information, visit https://capemaycountynj.gov/ or Cape May County Department of Health at www.cmchealth.net.