20 min listen
Ocean swimming... and COVID-19
ratings:
Length:
37 minutes
Released:
Mar 26, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Hannah Sassi is a virologist from the University of Sydney who studies the persistence of viruses in the environment. She is also an ocean swimmer who trains with BondiFit, whose local beach is Maroubra. Right now during the Coronavirus pandemic, many swimmers are wondering whether it is OK to go for a swim. At the time of recording, a lot of world is in lockdown or headed towards it, so some of this is a moot point. If the local laws say don't swim, then obviously, don't swim!
In summary, should you swim right now?
In public pools: NO
In ocean pools: NO
In the ocean: If you take social distancing very seriously. But don't be a dick, if the beach is closed or you're in lockdown, don't swim.
While a properly cleaned pool will kill the virus, the virus can live for a long time in the surrounding environment and everywhere you go on your way to the pool. And in such places where people exercise, people tend to be breathing heavily. Viruses can persist for a longer period of time in fresh/salt water, and so there are further risks with ocean pools, especially those that don't get flushed or cleaned regularly. If you want to swim, swimming at some distance from others in the ocean is the way to go.
Songs in this episode - all licensed under a Creative Commons License:
Virus - Danik3
Virus - Victor Vicodin
Virus - DJ RockinHoof
Corona - Alexander Nakarada
Sapphire - Tobu
In summary, should you swim right now?
In public pools: NO
In ocean pools: NO
In the ocean: If you take social distancing very seriously. But don't be a dick, if the beach is closed or you're in lockdown, don't swim.
While a properly cleaned pool will kill the virus, the virus can live for a long time in the surrounding environment and everywhere you go on your way to the pool. And in such places where people exercise, people tend to be breathing heavily. Viruses can persist for a longer period of time in fresh/salt water, and so there are further risks with ocean pools, especially those that don't get flushed or cleaned regularly. If you want to swim, swimming at some distance from others in the ocean is the way to go.
Songs in this episode - all licensed under a Creative Commons License:
Virus - Danik3
Virus - Victor Vicodin
Virus - DJ RockinHoof
Corona - Alexander Nakarada
Sapphire - Tobu
Released:
Mar 26, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (55)
Ocean swimming... with Beachwatch: Beachwatch test the water quality of Sydney beaches to see if they are suitable for swimming. The program also partners with councils and wastewater managers for swimming sites along the NSW coast. Water samples are collected and tested for bacteria, whi... by SWIMMING WITH THE POD