By Danielle Kutchel
A prominent Narre Warren swim school has raised fears about an increase in child drownings if restrictions on swimming lessons aren’t eased.
According to Paul Sadler Swimland, five children aged two and under have lost their lives due to drowning incidents in the past two months alone.
The swim school said children in Victoria had had little chance to build their life-saving water skills over the past six months of lockdown.
“One of the biggest risks this summer, will be amongst children who were competent and confident last summer and who may no longer be, due to regressed swimming ability,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Additionally, parents and guardians may not watch as closely, expecting that their children’s abilities are the same.
“However, with no lessons for over six months, this may no longer be the case – all Victorian kids will have regressed in their swimming ability to some degree.”
The organisation would like to see the Learn to Swim industry reopened, arguing there is no evidence of Covid transmission in the swim school setting and no evidence that Covid can survive in chlorinated water.
“Transmission increases amongst close contact individuals, which according to DHHS is classified as more than 15 minutes of face to face contact or more than two hours in an indoor setting with an infected person,” the organisation said.
“These risks can be mitigated in the Learn to Swim industry and specifically at Paul Sadler Swimland where our lessons are 30 minutes in duration.
“Spectators can be limited in numbers, spaced a relevant distance apart, issued hand sanitiser upon entry and exit as well as offered to sit outdoors or in their cars with designated drop off and pick up zones, thus reducing an already minimal amount of time in an enclosed space.”
While lockdown continues, the swim school has provided free content online to help swimmers of all levels brush up on their skills – but the company stressed this did not replace in-pool lessons.
Its concerns are echoed by the YMCA, which manages Casey RACE and Casey ARC.
“Victorian children are at risk of falling far behind on the benchmark competencies outlined in the
National Swimming and Water Safety framework. These benchmarks are a key element of drowning
prevention, and Victorian children continue to miss out,” said YMCA spokesperson and Victorian Aquatic Industry Association (VAIA) chair, Amanda Locke.
“In relation to the health and safety of our communities, this remains our number one priority.”
Ms Locke said YMCA-managed facilities have seven safety measures in place to ensure the centres are Covid-safe.
These include temperature scanning, social distancing requirements, signage and instructions on how to be Covid-safe within the centre, increased hygiene – in the form of hand sanitisers – and cleaning, Department of Health Covid-safe straining for staff plus additional YMCA-provided training, an eight-point process for reporting and tracing a confirmed case, and face mask requirements.
“The YMCA supports a safe and timely return to essential swimming and water safety programs,” the company said in a statement.
