Dear Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio,

Drownings are on the rise across the country. Swim lessons have been shown to reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children. And yet, even though research shows that COVID-19 is not being transmitted at swimming pools, New York is considering shutting its pools down for a second time.

To help reverse the disturbing pandemic-related increase in drowning rates, the New York Water Safety Coalition is doing everything we can to keep our pools open, safely. 

Indoor pools in New York were completely shut down for 6.5 months during the first wave of COVID-19 infections. Many remain closed, and those that are open are struggling to cover costs under 33% capacity restrictions. A second shutdown could mean permanent closure for your local pool, aquatic center, or swim school, most of which are operated by small businesses or nonprofits. This will result in an unprecedented and unacceptable reduction in access to the kind of swim instruction that has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of drowning in young children.

Swimming is a life saving skill, one that can have a positive lifelong impact on the health and wellness of swimmers of all ages. 

Please, keep New York's pools open!

For more information, including links to research studies, statistics, and other resources, please visit the NYWSC website at www.nywsc.org.

Thank you for your time and consideration.