Swim England reacts as more areas move to tiers three and four before New Year

Swim England has vowed to continue the fight to get indoor swimming pools classed as an essential service as more facilities are being forced to close in the latest coronavirus restrictions.

Heath secretary Matt Hancock announced that more regions will be placed into tier four from 12.01am on New Year’s Eve.

The remainder of the country not in tier four will now be in tier three, with the exception of the Isles of Scilly.

People with a range of physical impairments manage their conditions by exercising in water and being denied access to swimming pools could lead to further pressure on overcrowded hospitals.

Swim England chief executive Jane Nickerson understands the need to protect the NHS but expressed her disappointment at closing facilities where the ‘risk of transmission can be successfully mitigated’.

She said: “We appreciate the need to protect our amazing NHS and help control the new strain of coronavirus that continues to spread throughout the country.

“However, we have proven time and time again that pools and leisure centres are well managed, chlorinated, controlled environments where the risk of transmission can be successfully mitigated.

“We know that pools can help ease the long-term burden on the NHS and our work to have leisure centres and pools classed as an essential service continues to get pools open as early as possible in 2021.”