Staff at Vernon Recreation Centre are advising users that visited the Vernon Aquatic Centre on March 30-31 that they are taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of hand, foot and mouth virus. An infected child attending swimming lessons was diagnosed as having the virus earlier on Friday, April 1.
Staff immediately contacted Interior Health Authority, who have assured the City that the chlorine levels at the Aquatic Centre are sufficient to kill the virus in the pool. Additionally, Recreation Services is taking the matter seriously and is taking extra steps to disinfect the pool area and change rooms beyond the normal disinfection that is completed daily in the facility.
The virus can be spread through close personal contact such as kissing, or sharing drinking cups, forks, or spoons. It can also spread through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can be infected by inhaling these droplets or touching objects contaminated with them.
If you have any concerns, please contact Vernon Recreation Services by calling 250-545-6035 or emailing greception@vernon.ca. More information on the virus, and symptoms to be aware of, can be found here.