Some Myrtle Beach area pools reopen, others will remain closed amid COVID-19 outbreak
Public and commercial pools are allowed to reopen Monday in the Myrtle Beach area as South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster lifted restrictions on another wave a facilities and businesses.
Pools have been closed for nearly two months amid the coronavirus outbreak to help prevent the spread of the virus. Hotels, home owners associations and local municipalities have weighed or are weighing the decision to reopen.
Though the governor has allowed pools to reopen, it does not necessarily mean all pools across the Grand Strand will reopen Monday. Most Myrtle Beach hotels are reopening pools, which will be open in time for Memorial Day weekend, while municipalities across Horry County are choosing to keep public pools closed at this time.
Matthew Brittain with Brittain Resorts said the pools at the 10 hotels the company manages will reopen Monday.
“We are taking the governor’s guidelines, we are limiting occupancy and encouraging social distancing,” he said. “We are stepping up the attention to chemicals to ensure proper sanitation.”
Brittain added the facilities plan to assign extra staff around the pool areas to encourage social distancing.
Reopenings will not be a free-for-all — there are specific restrictions when visiting pools and pool deck areas, including practicing social distancing and cleaning guidelines for facilities.
Occupancy recommendations state facilities should only allow 20 percent of normal occupancy or five people, including staff and visitors, per 1,000 square feet of pool deck area, and should be decided based on which occupancy figure is the lowest.
Activities between people in separate households should be limited and distancing yourself of at least six feet is recommended. Facilities should provide hand sanitizer and remove shareable equipment, like floats, according to the governor’s office. More guidelines for visiting pools may be found online.
Waccamaw Management, one of the Grand Strand’s largest management companies, manages 200 properties. It is up to HOA boards to decide on reopening, said president Press Courtney.
“They are weighing it based upon their facilities and their capacities,” Courtney said.
About half of the properties the company manages plan to reopen, while the other half will remain closed, Courtney said.
Myrtle Waves waterpark plans to reopen May 23, followed by Wild Water and Wheels on May 30, said owner Mark Lazarus. The parks will take social distancing precautions like adding mobile ordering so visitors do not have to stand in line and have installed glass shields and sanitation stations, Lazarus said.
Can COVID-19 spread through pools?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states there is “no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water play areas.”
If facilities are practicing proper maintenance and disinfecting with chlorine and bromine, it should “inactivate” the virus in the water, according to the CDC.
Visitors, owners and operators of pools should follow local and state guidelines, practice social distancing and good hand hygiene, the CDC recommends.
Local governments’ decisions to reopen
The City of Myrtle Beach does not have a “definite time” on reopening its pools, said city spokesman Mark Kruea. But the city’s parks, city hall, public works, municipal court and the police department plan to reopen Monday, followed by Myrtle’s Market on Wednesday.
Taylor Newell, City of Conway spokeswoman said the plan is to reopen the city’s two pools — one at the recreation center and the other at Smith Jones Park — in “phase three” of the city’s reopening plan.
“We don’t have an exact date yet for when that phase will happen — it will be in line with whenever the Governor relaxes social distancing guidelines,” Newell said.
The North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center’s pools and track will reopen for current members only Monday, according to a release from the city. No daily, weekly and guest passes allowed. The center will be open 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Pools will close 30 minutes before the facility closes.
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
