City of Jacksonville continues reopening pools during coronavirus pandemic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Families in Jacksonville can enjoy more public pools after the city moved into phase three of its reopening Monday.

Summertime in Jacksonville means pool time.

“Just coming to the pool to teach my son how to swim,” Natosha Jackson said.

Jackson felt safe at the pool with her family Monday.

“[The city does] have restrictions on the amount of people in the pool, and we’re going to maintain our distance, and I don’t really have any fears about that,” Jackson said.

Monday, these pools opened as part of phase three: Harts Road Pool at Eartha H. Napoleon Park, Robert F. Kennedy Pool and Adolph Wurn Pool.

The city said Mallison Pool will open Tuesday.

These pools will open June 29 as part of phase four: Carvill Pool, Clanzell T. Brown Pool, Pine Forest Pool, Sunny Acres Pool.

Dr. David Caro of UF Health said families should bring disinfecting wipes as the virus can live on certain surfaces for hours, even days.

“The water itself isn’t considered a vector, but the stuff that people put their hands on like the handrails, the seats, those kinds of things, technically the coronavirus can stay on those kind of furniture items,” Caro said.

Caro said families should still avoid crowded pools or ones where people aren’t social distancing.

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