Pools in Israel are expected to be allowed to reopen to the general public next Wednesday – with social distancing restrictions – in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, YNet reports.
On Monday, a conference call was held via Zoom with the chairman of the Israeli Swimming Pool Managers Association, public health professor and epidemiologist Itamar Grotto, and representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the Environment. Their agreed-upon proposal still needs approval from the National Security Council and government, according Net.
In an appeal to the Ministry of Health to open pools, chairman of the Israel Swimming Pool Manager’s Association Nir Oz wrote:
“In Israel, there are approximately 3,600 swimming pools. About 80,000 workers sit at home waiting to return to work. The summer months make up the bulk of the activity, with about 70% of revenue being in these months, and the worst of the damage to the seasonal ponds sector, whose revenues all come in these months alone. I would like to appeal to you, as far as possible, to open the swimming pools in Israel to prevent our economic collapse and enable us to make a living.”
Two weeks ago, Israeli club swim teams gained access to pools. The majority of the National Team, including names such as Yakov Toumarkin, Anastasia Gorbenko, Meiron Cheruti, Tomer Frankel, Aviv Barzelay, Lea Polonsky, Ron Polonsky, Daniel Namir and Itay Goldfaden, were able to return even earlier.
According to the Jerusalem Post, public beaches also opened in early May “for sports such as swimming and surfing,” while pools were reopened “for professional sport and treatment alone.”
