Swimmers Excited To Be Back At Public Pools

Swimmers on Friday said they were excited to be able to go back to public pools after waiting for more than three months.

35 public pools reopened on Friday, operating at 30 percent capacity, as part of the eased social-distancing rules announced earlier.

A parent at Kwun Tong Swimming Pool said her 10-year-old son, who's on a swimming team, was happy to be able to train again with his teammates.

"He got his swimming bag ready last night, and looked forward to playing with other kids," she said.

She said they will take extra precautions to minimise the risk of Covid infection.

"I've asked him to just dry himself with a towel, and take a shower after getting home, so we can avoid staying in a confined space."

Another swimmer said she will go swimming every day now that the pools are open, saying doing more exercise will keep the coronavirus at bay.

Meanwhile, a queue of more than ten people was seen outside Morse Park Swimming Pool when it opened at 6:30 on Friday morning.

But an elderly swimmer said it's inconvenient that they have to use the LeaveHomeSafe app or write down personal details before going in.

"There're so many procedures before going in, how do we elderly people know what to do? Our old model phones don't have [the LeaveHomeSafe app]. And can we not go swim if we don't know how to fill out forms?" she complained.

15 public beaches also reopened on Friday, but the four-people limit on public gatherings and the mask-wearing order remain in force. The barbecue sites at beaches will also remain closed.

All museums, except the Museum of Coastal Defence, are also partially open.