Illustration by Peter Hamlin

Is it safe to swim at a beach or pool during the coronavirus pandemic?

Health officials say it can be safe, as long as swimmers stick to social distancing guidelines in and out of the water.

According to the crowds still pose a risk. That's why communities that are reopening and are instituting temporary rules limiting capacity and requiring facial masks.

Health authorities say people heading to the beach or pool this summer should follow the same advice for anyone in public: stay at least six feet from people you don't live with, wear a facial covering around others, wash your hands frequently and stay home if you're not feeling well.