Life will always be filled with highs and lows. While we may not be able to stop the waves, we can learn how to swim.

Over the past eight months, that’s exactly what we’ve done. In working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state and local health officials, we’ve learned what we can do to stay Safer. Stronger. Together.®.

We feel fortunate to be able to continue doing what we love, and would like to thank all of those who have trusted Goldfish Swim School to provide a safe place for children to move, grow and learn lifesaving skills during this turbulent time.

Our strict safety precautions and protocols have helped keep Goldfish Swim Schools open during the pandemic.

As we continue to weather the storm of COVID-19 together, we remain focused on doing everything we can to continue providing the safest environment for our families, guests and team members.

Each Goldfish Swim School is closely monitoring guidelines set forth by state and local health officials, and will continue to follow safety protocols in accordance with recommendations from local public health officials as the pandemic continues to evolve.

While the majority of our schools currently remain open, we encourage you to connect with your local Goldfish Swim School to review their health and safety protocols.

WHAT OUR SWIM FAMILIES SHOULD KNOW

We remain committed to taking extra precautions to protect the health and well-being of our Goldfish Family, and wanted to share some reassuring information from industry experts regarding the ability to minimize virus transmission at indoor pools, like ours.

The Virus is Not Transmitted Through Pools

According to the CDC, there is no evidence COVID-19 can be transmitted in pools and that proper operation, maintenance and disinfection of the water with chlorine should remove or inactivate the virus. At Goldfish, we always use chlorine in our pools as a disinfectant to provide the safest swimming environment.

Indoor Pools Have Superior Ventilation

Indoor swimming pools are also required to have a very high ventilation rate, meaning the air you find at an indoor pool is better ventilated than many other indoor spaces you will be in.

In fact, indoor pool ventilation is:

  • 8X more effective than an office space
  • 4X more effective than an elementary classroom
  • 2.6X more effective than a science laboratory

All Goldfish Swim Schools are equipped with state-of-the-art ventilation systems that continuously circulate fresh air into the building, further minimizing the spread of any airborne virus.

Research has also shown that relative humidity between 40-60% is ideal to create a healthy indoor space and minimize the spread of airborne viruses. Indoor pools, like ours, are designed with HVAC systems to maintain proper humidity levels.

We Continue to Take Additional Safety Precautions

While we hope you’re encouraged by this information, we remain committed to doing everything we can to help prevent the spread of viruses within our facilities and have implemented additional safety precautions since reopening all of our swim schools.

While protocols vary school-to-school based on state and local health regulations, notable adjustments to social distancing, sanitization, facility capacity and protective measures have been made, including:

  • Reduced class sizes
  • PPE requirements for our team members and guests
  • Health assessment guidelines for team members and guests
  • Social distancing and facility capacity guidelines
  • Increased facility cleaning and sanitizing stations

With the ability to provide a controlled learning environment, swim schools like ours have the ability to operate safely in compliance with government requirements and provide children with skills that can save their life.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EFFORTS TO STAY SAFER. STRONGER. TOGETHER.®

Swim Lessons Save Lives

Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics warned about the increased threat of childhood drowning due to the pandemic—with states like Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan all reporting increases in the number of drowning-related accidents year over year.

The unfortunate reality is that the majority of child drowning accidents occur at home, when parents least expect their child to be near water. All it takes is as little as two inches of water for a child to drown, making common household objects like bathtubs, toilets and buckets of water a drowning hazard as we continue to spend more time at home.

As drowning remains the number one cause of injury-related death for children 1-4, and the second leading cause for kids ages 5-14, our mission of helping children learn how to be safer in and around the water has never been more important.

With the ability to reduce the rate of drowning by up to 88%, access to swim lessons are essential to saving lives! It’s also one of the few non-contact activities that children can safely participate in, and literally the only extracurricular activity that can save their lives!

That’s why we’ve teamed up with the USA Swimming Aquatics Coalition to educate public officials about the profound impact swim lessons can have when it comes to drowning prevention and help purpose-driven aquatics facilities advocate for ‘essential’ status.

SIGN THE PETITION TO KEEP SWIM SCHOOLS OPEN

As a franchise system made up of small business owners passionate about keeping the children of more than 100 communities across North America safer in and around the water, we’re grateful to each and every one of our members for their patience and loyalty as we continue to navigate this pandemic and operate amid a new era.

Creating a safe, fun and welcoming environment for children to learn and grow has always been our number one priority, and we will continue to monitor for new developments, do the right things and evaluate necessary steps and actions to keep our community safe.

Should you have any questions, we encourage you to reach out to your local Goldfish Swim School for more information, and stay connected with them via email and social media for the latest updates.