Closed petition Allow open-air swimming pools, lidos & lakes to open in a new Covid-19 lockdown

Open-air swimming pools should remain open:
●WHO & Gov state that transmission of Covid-19 outdoors is lower
●CDCP states "no evidence that Covid-19 can spread to people through recreational water"
● WHO states that chlorine kills Covid-19

More details

●CDCP states there is "no evidence that Covid-19 can spread to people through recreational water"
●PWTAG states "Chlorine-based disinfectants[...]penetrate microorganisms like bacteria & viruses and inactivate them"
● UKGov & WHO say chlorine kills the virus
●Advice from UKGov is to exercise outdoors
●Swimming often can help guard against heart disease, stroke & type 2 diabetes; it can also lower anxiety & depression
●The closure of swim venues will damage the sector & cause more unemployment

This petition is closed All petitions run for 6 months

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Government responded

This response was given on 23 November 2020

Physical activity is crucial for staying active. Due to new national restrictions, all indoor and outdoor sport facilities must close until 2 December. Grassroots sports will return soon as possible.

Read the response in full

Sport and physical activity including all forms of swimming are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. Regular exercise has been shown to treat, manage and prevent a number of physical and mental health conditions. We recognise the role swimming plays in this and its wider benefits in building endurance, maintaining a healthy weight and reducing stress.

Nobody wanted to be in the position of having to introduce further National Restrictions. However, as the Prime Minister said, with the virus spreading faster than expected we cannot allow our health system to be overwhelmed. Therefore, from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December indoor and outdoor leisure including swimming pools and lidos etc. will need to close.

The National Restrictions are designed to get the R rate under control through limiting social contact and reducing transmissions. In order for these measures to have the greatest impact, we will all need to sacrifice doing some things that we would otherwise like to do, for a short period of time. We have not introduced further exemptions because once you unpick one activity the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised.

However, people can still leave their homes to exercise in public outdoor places, with their household or on their own, or with one person from another household or support bubble. This includes swimming in the sea or any other outdoor body of water to which the public has legitimate access. However, if in doubt, people should check with the relevant owner or local authority of the relevant body of water before swimming. But people can still exercise in outdoor public places. This would include swimming in the sea, or any other outdoor body of water to which the public has legitimate access. However, if in doubt, people should check with the relevant owner or local authority of the relevant body of water.

In order for these measures to have the greatest impact, we will all need to sacrifice doing some things that we would otherwise like to do, for a short period of time. We have not introduced further exemptions because once you unpick one activity the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised.

As soon as we're in a position to start lifting restrictions, grassroots sports will be one of the first to return. DCMS and Sport England will continue to work with National Governing Bodies to allow the safe return of all sports as an immediate priority after the national measures have been relaxed.

People are still allowed to leave their homes for exercise and recreation outdoors, with their household or on their own, or with one person from another household or support bubble. DCMS and Sport England will continue to work with National Governing Bodies to allow the safe return of all sports as an immediate priority after the national measures have been relaxed.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

DCMS Committee to hear from sports facility representatives on surviving the pandemic

On Tuesday 12 December, a group of MPs called the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee will hear from the gym industry on making sure our sports facilities, including pools and leisure centres, can survive the pandemic.

Watch the session from 10 am on Tuesday 12 January on Parliament’s streaming site: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/c4f1d7a0-2370-412b-8d88-a297b6abf06a

This 'evidence session' is part of the Committee's inquiry into Sport in our communities. The Committee will hear from two panels:

Panel 1 (10 am to 11 am)
Rich Emerson, CEO, The Climbing Academy, and Chair of the Association of British Climbing Walls.
Rebecca Passmore, UK Managing Director, PureGym

Panel 2 (11 to 12 pm)
Marg Mayne, CEO, Mytime Active, and Treasurer of Community Leisure UK
Huw Edwards, CEO, ukactive

The session is part of a longer inquiry looking into Sport in our communities. You can find out more here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/647/sport-in-our-communities/

You can get involved with the inquiry by recording your own video message or short film to answer the question: What does community sport mean to me?

You must follow current COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions when filming your video- do not put yourself and others at risk. You can use animation, film your video indoors and you don’t need to film outside. We want to hear about why community sport is important to you and why it matters to you.

Find out more here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/647/sport-in-our-communities/news/123537/what-does-community-sport-mean-to-you-contribute-to-our-inquiry/

Further information

Find out how to get involved in the work of the UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/

Find out about the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/378/digital-culture-media-and-sport

Follow the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Twitter:
@CommonsDCMS and take part in this discussion with #MyCommunitySport

Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c