Many people are concerned with the possibility of contracting the viruses HIV and herpes through social contact, such as sharing a swimming pool or hot tob. However, it should be understood that it is not possible to spread or contract either virus by swimming or sharing a swimming pool with an infected person.
HIV and Swimming Pools
HIV dies quickly once outside the human body; even air quickly kills HIV; and, beyond that, it is killed swiftly by the chlorine present in swimming pools. Even if an HIV-positive person were actively bleeding in a swimming pool, there is no risk of infection.
Herpes and Swimming Pools
While herpes is spread more easily than HIV, there is also no risk of contracting it by sharing a swimming pool or hot tub with an infected person. Much like HIV, herpes is killed by both soap and chlorine. Herpes.org lists other safety precautions to be taken by people living with herpes during an outbreak, but no extra precautions need to be taken when swimming with a person with herpes.
Discrimination
Reports of HIV-positive people being banned from public swimming facilities remain common because of a lack of knowledge about routes of HIV transmission. Because HIV cannot be transmitted through swimming, neither parents nor businesses should be concerned about HIV-positive persons using swimming facilities.
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