Forum: Reopen swimming pools for benefit of seniors

An empty swimming pool at the Sengkang Sports Centre on April 4, 2020. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

As the calibrated easing of circuit breaker measures gets under way (Easing measures a balance between need and risks, May 3), I hope the Government can prioritise the return of activities that are critical to the physical and mental health needs of seniors.

One area would be swimming pools. Swimming is one of the most popular forms of exercise in Singapore and is ideal for seniors. As it is not weight-bearing, swimming is easy on the joints for those who suffer from joint pain.

For some seniors, the current options of brisk walking and jogging may not be suitable. They are deprived of options for sufficient physical activity to maintain health.

The National Environment Agency states on its website that "for now, there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 can be transmitted through swimming pools".

Being open-air, our swimming pools are well ventilated and exposed to sunlight, which should further reduce the risk of transmission.

Additional safeguards can be easily implemented. These include limiting the number of users, temperature checking, scanning of identity cards, forbidding group activities and frequent testing of water quality.

The Covid-19 crisis has taught us that our health is dependent on the health of those around us. Let us do what we can to give our seniors the opportunity to stay healthy.

Tan Yi Han

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 09, 2020, with the headline Forum: Reopen swimming pools for benefit of seniors. Subscribe