EWA Develops Concept Guidelines for Safe Opening of Leisure Pools and Thermal Bathing Facilities

Operators of indoor pools and thermal baths throughout Germany and Europe are demanding the opening of their facilities. To support this claim, the European Waterpark Association (EWA) developed a new guidelines concept which consists out of the four aspects of testing, vaccinating, contact tracing and social distancing.

Guests with a negative Covid-19 test not older than 24 hours, or a negative rapid test which can be done directly at the facility, will be able to enter the pool. All employees will be tested regularly. Visitors who already received their Covid-19 vaccine do not have to make a test again to enter the bathing complex. The name on the vaccination card or on the rapid test results will be compared to the personal ID of the visitor. Already implemented hygiene and safety measures to controle the infection risk will continue to be in place. Operation could thus be maintained in the long term regardless of regional developments in incidence levels.

“It is getting clearer every day that the orientation of safety measures regarding the incidence levels is not the key to success. We think that the combination of an increased testing and vaccination strategy is the right way because it would help to create a sustainable containment of infections. Our suggested concept relies on this strategy. It is comparable to the way of how to fight a wildfire: During a major fire single sources of the fire are extinguished and it is not the whole forest which is contantly set under water,“ it says on behalf of EWA. (eap)