How to Protect Scuba Divers and the Diving Community from Coronavirus

The impact of COVID19 greatly affected our day to day activities. 

With the pandemic outbreak, everyone has been extra cautious to protect themselves and their community. Even the diving community has adapted to the new normal and followed safety measures to still enjoy diving without compromising health.

Basic Rules:

• Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water
• Avoid touching the nose, face, and mouth
• Any person with cough or COVID19 related symptoms must refrain from visiting dive centers in the meantime.
• Observe social distancing. Maintain at least 1-meter distance.
• Cover mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing.
• Wear a mask when moving around driving center facilities.
• When experiencing fever, runny nose, or cough, seek medical care immediately.
• Always follow medical and healthcare front liners advice.

How to sanitize diving equipment

Prioritize sanitizing equipment that comes in close contact with your face, mouth, eyes, and respiratory tract such as masks, regulators, snorkels, and inflators. Soak or wipe the equipment with the solution for at least 5 minutes. Use an effective disinfectant solution as recommended by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control).

Before cleaning your diving equipment with your disinfectant solution (1/3 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water) always refer to the manufacturer’s care guide for your equipment. ALWAYS sanitize before and after use.

• For your mask, focus on the area where dirt is likely to stick. Clean the layers in the skirt with the recommended solution. Also, sanitize your back-up mask, and the items you keep in the storage pocket.
• Do the same to your regulators and mouthpiece. Clean the area that is prone to dirt build-up.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect your BCD inflator and BCD bladder.
• Once done, rinse your diving equipment with fresh clean water. Then, find a clean area where you can dry the disinfected equipment. Store in a separate area once dry.

Perform equipment cleaning and disinfection in well-ventilated areas. Wear protective gear like gloves, eye protection, and mask.

With the world trying to contain the spread of the COVID19, it is best to stay informed and follow guidelines given by WHO (World Health Organization.) This way we will be updated with new developments and other precautionary measures to observe to protect ourselves and others from the deadly coronavirus.