New Jersey has officially moved to Stage 2 of its coronavirus reopening plan, with outdoor pools allowed to reopen at 50% capacity.
The state had targeted Monday as its date to move to stage 2, but hadn’t yet released all the details for specific industries allowed to reopen on that date. NJ.com reports that stage 2 will allow a handful of personal-care businesses (spas, cosmetology shops, massage parlors, tanning salons, tattoo parlors) to reopen. The state will also allow outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people, provided people can remain six feet apart. The limit was previously 100 people.
Included in that stage are outdoor pools and outdoor ‘private-club swimming pools.’ They’ll be allowed to reopen under specific guidelines. We’ve pulled out some of the more notable below:
- 50% facility capacity
- Staff screened for fever and symptoms
- Staggered entry and exit points (recommendation)
- Social distancing of six feet between swimmers
- Swimmers can bring their own equipment, but cannot rent or use facility equipment, like kickboards or fins
- Staff and swimmers are encouraged to wear face coverings outside of the pool – with the exception of lifeguards and children under 2
You can read all the rules on the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub here.
According to NJ.com, indoor fitness centers should also reopen in stage 2, but Governor Phil Murphy has not yet provided a date when those facilities will reopen.
They are not letting indoor pools open, some of which are way safer than the outdoor pools. Governor Murphy, please listen to your citizens and experts in this area.
And what about NYC- are we staying closed forever? I can’t believe that we can’t get an answer from the regional board. This is so unfair to the teams with indoor pools.
They’re probably out of $$$ and using Covid as an excuse.
To make it worse most of the pools in NYC are in CUNY’s which means if the schools stay closed, so do the pools. USA swimming has given all LSC guidelines on pool openings, why can’t DeBlasio just allow swim teams to train A) it’s revenue for the school, B) the lifeguards need their jobs. C) the kids need to train.
DeBlasio
Could care less about kids and families it seems. He’s a failure of a mayor.
Me chilling in Washington like 👁👄👁