Maintaining a COVID Secure environment
While the vaccine and booster rollout in the UK continues apace, we remain cautious heading into the winter months. Therefore, it’s important to remind staff and customers about our COVID Secure protocols. We expect the following measures to be in place for at least the remainder of 2021. However, we will revise them on an ongoing basis, and we envisage some relaxation heading into the Spring of 2022.
Periodically, we review our site plans, risk assessments, staff and customer protocols to ensure we are in line with updated HM Government (HMG) and Swimming National Governing Body (NGB) guidance. If you attended classes with us after the first two lockdowns, very little has changed in terms of the site and workflow. If this is your first time with us, we hope this piece helps reassure you about the measures we are putting in place for your safety.
Our Staff
All new and existing staff complete COVID-19 training modules and risk assessments to understand what is required to keep our customers COVID secure. **Refresher modules have also been completed before each re-opening. The team are cleaning the changing rooms, poolside and public areas regularly and they are on hand to help. Please support our staff by following their instructions.
Pre-Swim protocols
Please refer to the current HMG guidance for instructions on attending indoor venues, they have laid out clear advice on self-isolation. We would ask that you refrain from visiting Calmababy if either you, your child, a family member or someone you have been in contact with is showing symptoms or is unwell. As we have seen with COVID-19, self-isolation is one of our best defences against the further spread of the virus.
Please shower at home before each class and arrive ‘beach style’ with your costume under your clothes. This helps us maintain our excellent water quality and is vital for bather comfort. More information on the role you play in keeping our pool clean is here. For children wearing nappies, we recommend changing them into their swim nappy on arrival in the dry changing rooms.
Arriving at the Centre
When you arrive at the Centre, please use the NHS Test & Trace App by scanning the QR code using your smartphone. **Remember to turn off the NHS tracking in the App once you go through the changing rooms, poolside or the training studio.
Please do not arrive in the building any earlier than ten minutes before your class unless you are going into Selina’s cafe. There will be no access to the changing rooms or training studio before this time. The entrance to the building is through the main front doors.
At the reception desk, check-in using the iPad or you can also use the Calmababy App. Please observe Calmababy signage and directions at all times during your visit.
We support the use of face coverings in internal settings. Please wear a suitable face mask (where practicable) for your and others protection during your visits. However, once face masks get wet, their effectiveness significantly reduces, which means you cannot wear them in the pool.
Getting changed for swimming
There is a one-way system in place throughout the changing areas. We have created a unisex dry changing room with cubicles for your privacy to change before your class. After swimming, there are separate wet changing areas for men and women. Unisex showers are available to use after your classes.
You’ll need to take all of your belongings (including shoes) with you into the pool hall because of the one-way system. Please bring a large bag with you. The blue Ikea bags are ideal for this, and we have a small number available should you need one.
Please remain in the changing rooms until your class start time. The teacher will invite you in when the class before yours has exited the pool hall. **Keep an ear out for the bell!
Your classes
There is plenty of space in our pool and training studio, and we follow HMG and NGB guidance to deliver COVID secure lessons. We endeavour to keep your experience of classes the same as it has always been. Lessons run as expected, but some adaptations are necessary. For example, instructors may teach from the poolside on occasion.
We aim to have only one class in the pool hall at any given time. The teacher will take a few minutes at the end of each class to allow for the bathers’ safe movement through the pool hall. They also clean handrails and equipment after every session.
For the time being, we must limit the number of people in the pool and around the building. We can only accommodate one adult swimming with each child per class and only eight women in each Aquanatal Yoga session. Pregnancy Yoga, Baby Massage and dry classes are also limited in terms of attendees based on our studio space.
At this stage, we are unable to offer additional swim spaces or allow spectators in the narrow pool hall corridor. Replacement classes are available as usual; please make your bookings via the Calmababy App.
If you need assistance to attend your classes, such as a medical condition or disability, please contact us to make suitable arrangements.
Pool disinfection and air handling
We have always maintained the highest standards of pool water quality and disinfection. The Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) has issued updated guidance which we have implemented. Their advice is to maintain a lower pH and ensure primary disinfection remains at the high end of the pool range for increased safety.
Our pool has secondary disinfection via UV filtration; this eliminates 99% of all micro-organisms. PWTAG, in conjunction with Public Health England (PHE), has confirmed correct disinfection levels in swimming pools help kill the virus within 15-30 seconds. COVID-19 is not waterborne or transmitted through pool water. Research from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that similar coronaviruses are sensitive to chlorination and UV light.
The main risk in a swimming pool is person-to-person respiratory transmission–similar to any indoor public space. In 2016, we installed a Heatstar EC XF air handling unit at Calmababy. The system uses fresh air cooling to modulate the room’s temperature, humidity, and fresh air intake. At full speed, it can deliver 3000m³/hr of fresh air into our pool hall. The unit is currently running at 100% fresh air circulation, completely replacing the air in the pool hall every ten minutes.
Our cleaning standards
We have always strived to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness at Calmababy. In addition to cleaning changing rooms after every use, the team will be paying particular attention to touchpoints around the building. We have also purchased a fogging machine that releases an anti-viral mist disinfecting all surfaces in any room. The device is used in changing rooms and high traffic areas around the building to ensure adequate disinfection of all surfaces. Deep cleaning will continue every evening as per our pre-lockdown routines.
Heading home
After your classes, please exit the building via the main doors in reception. The fire exit door at the end of the long corridor is alarmed and must be kept clear. Access to Selina’s cafe is via the pool hall corridor through the main reception area.
But what about the cake?!
Selina’s cafe is open as normal for eat-in and takeaway. There is plenty of room in the cafe and our garden area is available throughout the summer months. We also have a deli fridge stocked with a lovely range of items. And of course, as always, there will be plenty of glorious handmade cakes!
**The team regularly clean the equipment in the play areas during the day. Please help us maintain the equipment’s cleanliness by cleaning after your child has used the area using the materials provided.
Further updates
It is important to note that HMG and NGB guidance changes in real-time. We expect to update some of the measures outlined in this document to keep pace with these changes, and we will inform you whenever this happens. If you are still unsure or have further questions, please talk to us–we are here to help.
Health and safety remain our number one priority at all times. We trust these steps offer reassurance that we are doing everything we can to make Calmababy COVID safe for your family.
Let’s hope we have no more national lockdowns. Thank you for your co-operation in what has been an immensely challenging period for everyone.
Best wishes
Chris Duff
Director
