Et cetera : Title: Swimming Safety, Guidelines for Protecting Against Illness As area sc

As area schools are letting out for summer break and warmer weather is upon us, Benton County Public Health offers the following information to help keep children and adults healthy during the summer swimming season.

Chlorine does not kill all germs instantly and there are some germs that will actually not be killed by chlorine. With this in mind, the following guidelines should be followed when considering a trip to the pool.

· Do not swim when you have diarrhea. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.

· Don’t swallow pool water and avoid getting water in your mouth.

· Practice good hygiene. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet or changing diapers.

· For younger children, take kids on bathroom breaks frequently or check diapers often.

· Change diapers in a bathroom or a diaper-changing area and not at poolside. Germs can spread in and around the pool.

With your help, we can keep our pools safe for swimmers this summer.