Hide from Coronavirus in the Hot Tub

The world has changed - right from under our noses as we receive daily reports of increasing spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.  What one day feels like a temporary hiccup our way of life, turns into a plunging stock market and empty store shelves along with the hoarding, of all things, toilet paper.

The new normal is Social Distancing.  Staying away from any type of gathering, places of worship, restaurants and bars, sporting events, concerts and other community events is recommended or in many cases required.  There is no place like home and that is where we are all ending up.  

With the looming threat of even domestic flight groundings, home is where the heart is..   and where will will have to wait out the storm taking the proper precautions.

While at home, there is Netflix, popcorn, water and plenty of toilet paper to last weeks depending on how bad the spread in the United States gets.   One question we get is, is it safe to use the hot tub?

The hot tub is a great place to get away from it all for awhile, regroup our thoughts and gain a little perspective.

Well according to the CDC, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tubs. Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection (ie., with chlorine or bromine sanitizer) of pools and hot tubs should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.

Plus this virus also does not like heat and evidently high temperature and high humidity reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

For spas that have been neglected, it may be a good idea to clean them out with a Biofilm remover such as Ahh-Some that also gets rid of build-up in the unseen plumbing lines.  Cleaning or changing the filter is also recommended.  As always, spas can safely be enjoyed as long as the water quality is properly maintained.

In general, it seems keeping ourselves and the areas around us clean, using disinfectant wipes when you can find them, avoiding public gatherings to avoid community spread and frequently washing hands seems to be what we will be doing for the next many weeks or longer.

The stores will not run out of food though, and many have implemented shortened hours in order to have more time to restock shelves overnight.  As tests become more ubiquitous, the number of reported cases will be going up over the coming weeks. 

In Italy where the number of infected has climbed well over 25,000 with over 1,800 deaths as of today, March 15, 2020, society has ground to a halt with empty plazas and most folks staying in their own homes. But even as they sit and wait for things to improve while helping to minimize the spread, music breaks out on random balconies across the cities - even flash music mobs playing together from adjacent balconies with accordian, guitar, harp and other instruments joining in with singing and dancing to pass the time.

This is a time to spend with those closest to us and to all work together to minimize the spread of this contagious strain of the flu.  We also need to take care of ourselves as we will be inundated with constant reporting of this terrible disease.  Hot tubs are a great stress reducer and also will give us a little time away from this ongoing and stressful ordeal.  Infrared saunas are also a great option at home for relaxing in a high heat environment.

Drink plenty of liquids, wash hands frequently and take care of ourselves, our families and our communities.  

Stay informed from reputable news sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.