Are lidos open and can you swim outdoors during lockdown?

The UK has been taking the first tentative steps out of coronavirus lockdown in recent weeks, with people in England now allowed to spend unlimited amounts of time outdoors to exercise or sit in the sun.

Over the past few few weeks people have also been allowed to meet with one other person from outside their household provided they adhere to social distancing measures – and sports such as golf and tennis have also been permitted.

With the temperature rising however – and people flocking to the beach, causing concern about social distancing – the question of whether outdoor swimming in a lido or other body of water is currently allowed.

Are lidos currently open – and what are the rules regarding outdoor swimming during lockdown?

Are lidos open?

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Bad news for anybody hoping to take the plunge in the current hot spell – the majority of lidos and outdoor swimming facilities are currently not open.

One notable exception to this is the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park, which re-opened last Monday, 18 May.

However it is open to members only, with swimming times restricted to between 5 and 10am in the morning – and with members having to adhere to social distancing rules, wear goggles and apply hand sanitiser before and after swimming.

Can you swim outdoors during lockdown?

With the rules having been eased slightly to allow for unlimited outdoor exercise, it’s paved the way for certain water-based sports such as fishing and sailing to make a return – and technically this also allows for swimming in outdoor lakes and ponds also (keeping to social distancing measures obviously) as well as the sea.

It’s not yet been confirmed when outdoor or indoor swimming pools might re-open, although when they do it’s likely to be with certain restrictions in place.

These might include a cap on the number of people allowed into a swimming facility at any one time, fixed time slots for swimmers and the closure of changing rooms to prevent people from meeting in groups outside of the pool.

However, swimming itself is thought to be safe, with the risk of contracting Covid-19 through water reported to be low – while the chlorine in a swimming pool may also kill the virus or reduce its ability to spread.

Swim England Head of Facilities Richard Lamburn told the Telegraph: ‘According to the World Health Organisation, a residual concentration of more than 0.5mg/l in the pool water for a minimum of 30 minutes of contact at a pH of less than 8.0 is sufficient to eliminate enveloped viruses like coronavirus.’

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