Yahoo: Experts agree that swimming is safe during COVID-19, but you'll need to take precautions
UC expert says public pools present social distancing challenges
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases was featured in an article on Yahoo on the risks posed by public swimming pools as we head from spring into summer.
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases. Photo/Joe Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand
The good news for those who live in areas where public pools have opened? The risk isn't the water itself. According to the Centers For Disease Control, there's no evidence that the virus can be spread through pools or hot tubs. The greater risk comes from fellow swimmers.
Dr. Fichtenbaum agreed, noting that going to a public pool often means showering in a common location and using shared bathrooms. "Individuals with COVID-19 might transmit to others, and social distancing is hard in this setting," Dr. Fichtenbaum said. "And wearing a mask isn't feasible. So, there may be a risk of transmission of COVID-19 when going to a public pool."
Read the entire article here.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Stay up on all UC's COVID-19 stories, read more #UCtheGood content, or take a UC virtual visit and begin picturing yourself at an institution that inspires incredible stories.
Related Stories
An expert pieced together this Roman document like a puzzle
September 1, 2026
National media highlighted a new project by UC Classics Assistant Professor Matthijs Wibier to piece together and translate an ancient Roman text from fragments buried in the desert for more than 1,600 years.
Cancer Center physician receives $150,000 New Investigator Research Grant to study treatment-resistant leukemia
September 1, 2026
The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Sarah Skuli, MD, PhD, received a two‑year, $150,000 Leukemia Research Foundation New Investigator Grant to study TP53‑mutated leukemia, a treatment‑resistant subtype with very poor outcomes.
Her book drive is changing literacy in Cincinnati
August 31, 2026
WCPO highlights a nonprofit dedicated to childhood literacy that has offers co-op positions to UC students.