There’s no evidence that shows COVID-19 can be transmitted in open water, like swimming pools. It also hasn’t been proven that a specific amount chlorine in a pool can eliminate coronavirus. However, pools are typically large, and the amount of viable virus that someone would come in contact with would likely be very low. Most public pools are heavily chlorinated specifically to kill viruses and bacteria that may be in the water.
If you’re in a pool, the same principles of social distancing apply as when you’re out of the pool. For extra safety, check to see if the pool facility has any requirements for swimmers, like health screenings. Of course, there’s always the risk that even if COVID-19 isn’t transmitted in the water, you can catch the virus before getting in the pool – from touching a door handle or chair arm. In this age of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s no perfect way to know if something is 100% safe. Use common sense and good judgement while experts continue to advance their understanding of COVID-19 and its transmission.