May 20–26, 2019 marks Healthy and Safe Swimming Week! Each year, Healthy and Safe Swimming Week focuses on simple steps everyone can take to help ensure healthy and safe swimming. This year’s theme, “Pool Chemistry for Healthy and Safe Swimming,” aims to encourage swimmers and pool operators to learn how to protect themselves and loved ones before getting in the water this summer.

Facebook Live

To kick off the week, CDC hosted a Facebook Live on Monday, May 20. The event featured CDC’s healthy swimming expert, Michele Hlavsa, RN, MPH, who provided information about steps swimmers can take to help keep themselves and loved ones healthy and safe this summer and year round. Watch a recording here.

New Publications

According to a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, pool chemical injuries led to an estimated 4,535 U.S. emergency department visits annually during 2008-2017. Pool owners and pool operators can take steps to prevent pool chemical injuries.

Read more about pool chemical safety in the May 2019 Journal of Environmental Health.

Promotional Materials

• Healthy and Safe Swimming Week Partner Toolkit, with community outreach suggestions, resources/links, and press release, feature, and proclamation templates
• NEW social media GIFs, buttons and banners to promote pool chemical safety and safe swimming
• CDC.gov Feature in English and Spanish
• FREE laminated chemical safety posters on safe use and storage of chemicals.