Get Healthy Carson City: Outdoor swimming and eating season

As the cold weather sweeps away, summer has finally arrived. This means watermelon, ice cream trucks, birthday parties, graduation parties, weddings, barbecues, hiking, camping, and swimming. As the temperatures rise, the need to cool off and relax next to a pool increases as well.

In Carson City and Douglas County, there are over 100 public bathing facilities that certified environmental health specialists review, approve, and perform inspections to verify compliance with state and local laws. Some examples of what is observed during an inspection include: water clarity and chemistry, handrails, life-saving rings, perimeter fencing, first aid kits, and water turnover rate. We encourage you and your family to “Be Water Safe” and help us by doing your part in preventing possible swimming or water-related illnesses and safety injuries.

A study performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed diarrhea, vomiting, skin rashes, cough, and congestion, as the most commonly reported and confirmed causes of swimming-related illnesses. Children, pregnant women, and people with health problems are the most at risk for these illnesses.

What can you do to prevent the spread of illnesses?

• Do not drink, come into contact with, or breathe in mists from contaminated water

• Do not swim if you have diarrhea, as it is easily spread by swallowing

• Stay out of the water if you or your child have been sick with diarrhea in the past two weeks

If you have a weak immune system, please consult a health care provider before participating in recreational water activities.

In addition, please remember and practice these preventative measures when swimming:

• Adults, do not become distracted. Designate a water watcher for children and rotate to maintain vigilance

• Do not leave children unsupervised. Get in the water with your child and keep them away from drains, filter inlets, and suction outlets

• Do not dive in shallow water

• Discourage running, pushing, or other dangerous behaviors

• Take a shower and use the toilet before entering the water

• Protect your skin by limiting the amount of sunlight received between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15spf.

• Wear protective gear; ensure children wear properly fitted flotation devices that are U.S. Coast Guard approved

• Avoid using alcohol in or near public bathing places. Alcohol and swimming do not mix

Best recommended practice is to go into public bathing places at least 2 to 3 hours after your last meal to prevent possible vomiting or asphyxiation.

Now, nothing beats relaxing in a pool than having a delicious watermelon, your favorite snack, or food nearby to enjoy. According to the Department of Homeland Security, foodborne illnesses (also called food poisoning, foodborne disease, or foodborne infection) increase during the summer because of warmer temperatures and the extended time that food is typically handled. Every year, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

Carson City Health and Human Services encourages the following food safety tips for your gatherings this summer:

• Pack and transport food safely – keep cold food cold by placing it in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. Cold food should be stored at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below to prevent bacteria growth. *Keep a thermometer in your refrigerator to ensure food is at safe temperatures

• Keep hot foods hot – hot food should be kept at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Wrap it well and place it in an insulated container until serving. Do not let these foods sit out for more than 2 hours or 1 hour in temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit

• Cook foods to the right temperature: whole cuts of beef and pork to 145 degrees Fahrenheit; fish with fins to 145 degrees Fahrenheit; ground meats to 160 degrees Fahrenheit; all poultry, chicken, and casseroles to 165 degrees Fahrenheit

• Clean your hands and surfaces often – use hot soapy water and paper towels

• Separate – separate raw meats from other foods; use one cutting board for produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Also, do not reuse marinades

• Chill foods - bacteria can multiply rapidly if left in the “danger zone” between 41 degrees Fahrenheit and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerate perishable food (meat, seafood, dairy, cut fruit, some vegetables, and cooked leftovers) within 2 hours.

We wish your family and our community a fun and safe summertime season. Happy eating and swimming. Let the splashes begin!

For additional information on recreational water safety and swimming-related illness prevention, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/rwi.html. For additional information regarding food temperatures and safe food handling, please visit: https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures and https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/keep-food-safe.html. 

For information on services offered by Carson City Health and Human Services, please visit our website at https://www.gethealthycarsoncity.org. You can also follow us on Twitter @CCHealthEd or Instagram @gethealthycarsoncity, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cchhs, or call us at 775-887-2190. Feel free to also visit us at 900 E. Long St., in Carson City.