Mask Wearing Is Vital
Because its now known that the virus can pass easily between people via droplets expelled from the lungs, wearing a face mask when youre in proximity to others is now considered the most important thing you can do to keep yourself and others safe from infection. Studies have shown that a simple cloth covering can greatly reduce the transmission of viral particles from one person to another via droplets expelled from the lungs while talking, laughing, coughing, or singing.
Initially, public health officials advised skipping the face mask unless you had symptoms in an effort to make sure that enough supplies would be available to health care workers. But its now clear that everyone should wear a mask when in public.
Many pool facilities now require that all patrons wear a mask when entering the facility, and youll probably be required to wear the mask on the pool deck, right up until you enter the water. Obviously, dont wear your mask in the water itself, as a wet mask becomes nearly impossible to breathe through and could be dangerous.
How Do The Coronavirus Vaccines Work
There are three vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S., one manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, one by Moderna, and one by Johnson & Johnson. The first two require injections administered in two doses a few weeks apart, and the J& J vaccine is a single shot.
The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines deliver genetic material that mimics the SARS-CoV-2 virus particle. Your immune system learns to recognize the material as foreign and that triggers an immune response in your body. This is why some people feel run-down, have a fever, or develop other symptoms in the day or two after receiving the shot. Those symptoms are a good thing. They mean your immune system is learning how to protect you from the virus. Once that immune system memory has been established, your body can successfully fight off the virus if youre exposed to it later.
The J& J vaccine works a little differently. The J& J shot uses a harmless virus to act like a Trojan Horse to sneak into cells and prime the immune system to be ready in case of exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
For a deeper dive into the science behind how coronavirus vaccines work, read COVID-19 Vaccines and Coronavirus Variants: Background Information for Swimmers
Immunisations Your Baby Will Have At 8 12 And 16 Weeks
At 8 weeks, your baby will have immunisations against:
- diphtheria
- Haemophilus influenzae type b
- hepatitis B
- meningococcal group B disease
These will be given as 2 injections and drops into the mouth.
At 12 weeks, your baby will have immunisations against:
- diphtheria
These will be given as 2 injections and drops into the mouth.
At 16 weeks, your baby will have immunisations against:
- diphtheria
These will be given as 2 injections.
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Your Baby Is Ill On The Day Of The Appointment
If your baby has a minor illness without a fever, such as a cold, they should have their immunisations as normal. If your baby is ill with a fever, put off the immunisation until they have recovered. This is to avoid the fever being associated with the vaccine, or the vaccine increasing the fever your child already has.
If your baby:
- has a bleeding disorder
- has had a fit not associated with fever
Speak to your doctor, practice nurse or health visitor before your child has any immunisation.
Chat To The Disability Team

The team is made up of people who have experience of a disability themselves, or who have worked with the disabled community.
They can answer any questions about:
- accessibility arrangements at different vaccination centres
- getting your vaccination safely
- any effects the vaccine may have on the child or medications.
The disability team is available Monday to Friday, from 8am to 8pm.
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What Does Fully Vaccinated Mean
According to the CDC, youre not considered fully vaccinated until its been at least two weeks since your second dose of a two-dose series like Pfizers or Modernas vaccine, or its been two weeks since you received a single-dose vaccine like Johnson & Johnsons.
The CDC stresses that if its been less than two weeks since you received a single-dose vaccine or you havent received your second dose in the series, you are NOT fully protected. That means you still need to take all of the necessary precautions like wearing a mask, washing your hands and avoiding large crowds.
Why two weeks?
When you get the vaccine, it enters your body and helps your immune system learn how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Youre not getting the live virus when youre vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved for emergency use simply teach our bodies to protect us from future infection.
It can take about two weeks after vaccination for your body to build up immunity against the virus that causes COVID-19. Because of this, its possible to contract COVID-19 before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine didnt have enough time to work as intended.
So, what can fully vaccinated people do?
Travel Advice For Children
If your child is going abroad, make sure their routine immunisations are up to date. Your child may also need extra immunisations and you may also need to take other precautions.
Contact your doctors surgery or a travel clinic well in advance for up-to-date information on the immunisations your child may need.
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Must Vaccinated Persons Go Into Self
Vaccinated persons holding a valid interoperable digital EU certificate or a valid proof of vaccination or recovery issued in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada need not go into self-isolation, except if arriving from a very high risk country. For the list of the countries see the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control website.
What Types Of Exercise Should I Do After The Covid Vaccine
There is no specific type of exercise recommended after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. However, exercise in general has been shown to be an effective immunity booster and may even increase the effectiveness of the vaccine.
In a 2021 review on exercise and immunity, researchers noted that moderate to vigorous physical activity resulted in a 31% reduced risk of community-acquired diseases and a 37% reduced risk of mortality from infectious diseases .
In addition, exercise has been shown to increase the potency of the vaccine by increasing antibody concentration. These results were not specific to COVID-19, but this is another benefit of habitual exercise .
The review looked at aerobic exercise and resistance training individually and in combination. All proved to be beneficial .
Summary
Habitual exercise such as aerobic exercise and resistance training has been shown to be beneficial in reducing risk of community-acquired diseases and may also boost the potency of vaccines.
6 ).
If youve had a fever, increased fluid intake is also recommended for preventing dehydration, although this may be more important in those who have a higher fever or whose side effects last longer .
If exercise makes you feel sick, you may want to decrease your exercise intensity. For instance, opt for a walk instead of running.
However, this recommendation applies only if these medications wont aggravate any other medical conditions you have .
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Is It Safe To Swim
Simply jumping in the pool to cool off or get some exercise is safe. The virus is not waterborne, says Dr. Khabbaza. In general, the virus doesnt live in water, so its not going to spread very well in water.It follows that outdoor pools are better options than indoor ones a great option during warmer months, although sadly not feasible when the snows falling. However, as with land-based activities, how much you do keep your distance from other people can make a difference. That means the size of pools matters bigger ones with space to spread out offer fewer risks as does the environment.
Dr. Khabbaza notes if youre hanging out shoulder-to-shoulder in an outdoor pool, listening to music and chilling with friends, that setting is not too different than indoor events might be. If its very crowded or its a smaller pool, and theres lots of singing and laughter, those are things that cause more respiratory droplets and aerosols.
What Is The Nhs Guidance
The NHS states that babies can go swimming at any time, even before they have been vaccinated, and that it doesn’t matter if they haven’t completed their course of injections. Their guidance says that leisure centres suggesting that babies shouldn’t swim before having all their jabs are offering out of date guidance.
For more details on NHS guidelines for baby swimming and vaccinations, visit theNHS website.
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Keep Up Healthy Habits To Protect Us
Even though we are a highly vaccinated country, COVID-19 can still spread in our communities.
To slow the spread of the virus, and continue to help protect you, your whnau, and your community, it is important to keep up the healthy habits we know.
- Regularly wash and thoroughly dry your hands or use hand sanitiser.
- Sneeze and cough into your elbow.
- Keep your distance from people you do not know.
- Clean or disinfect shared surfaces often.
- If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, stay home and get a test.
Is It Currently Permitted To Enter Latvia

Entry is permitted. The state of emergency has not affected the incoming travel requirements. They remain the same as before, namely, entry requirements depend on whether the person is vaccinated, on the type of the vaccination certificate, and on the country that the person is arriving from.
COVID-19 incidence rates per country and the list of very high risk countries is available on the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control internet site.Travel to Latvia from high risk countries is allowed for essential purposes only.An urgent and essential purpose for travelling to Latvia from the EU and EEA member states, Switzerland and the UK can be work, training, studies, family reunification, receiving medical services, transit, accompanying a minor, returning to ones permanent place of residence, or attending a funeral.The following persons entering Latvia from third countries are considered as essential travellers:
Persons vaccinated against or recovered from COVID-19 may also enter Latvia for non-essential purposes , if they can provide evidence of vaccination or recovery by presenting:
- a valid interoperable digital EU certificate
- proof of vaccination or recovery issued in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Australian Commonwealth, New Zealand, or Canada.
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Sta Baby Swimming Advice: Rotavirus
STA has recently received an increasing number of enquiries into babies swimming and the rotavirus vaccine. Reports have suggested that health visitors are informing parents not to take their child swimming until at least two weeks after the second vaccination STA would like to reiterate that the rotavirus vaccine does not have an impact on a babys wellbeing during swimming.
What is the Rotavirus?
Rotavirus is a highly infectious stomach bug that typically strikes babies and young children, causing an unpleasant bout of diarrhoea, sometimes with vomiting, tummy ache and fever.
How does the rotavirus vaccine work?
Some of the rotavirus is in the vaccine and this helps your baby build up immunity so that the next time they come into contact with rotavirus they will not get the disease. The rotavirus in the vaccine is weakened, so your baby wont get rotavirus disease just from having the vaccination.
The rotavirus vaccine does not have any impact on the chance of infection from swimming. STA advocate that when swimming babies always undertake the STA double nappy system.
But what is a double nappy system?
Quite simply, it is a purpose-made waterproof nappy worn with a swim nappy cover over the top.
This second protective layer over a disposable or reusable swim nappy is required in the majority of swimming pools across the country because it helps to stop the contents of the nappy leaking into the water.
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Swimming Schools To Reopen
Indoor Pools will reopen for swimming lessons on the Monday after NSW vaccination rates reach 80 per cent.
Swim Schools will be allowed to operate with fully vaccinated staff, with non-vaccinated children accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or carer.
Its a victory for common sense with the Government reversing its original decision to delay reopening indoor learn to swim centres until December 1.
Its a tremendous result. The Governments motivation is the same as ours, to save lives. It will be great to get back teaching children this vital skill, said Carlile Swimming General Manager Jon Harker.
Full credit to everyone in the industry who lobbied for this result, and we owe thanks to the Sydney media who got behind the cause.
Last year, after a shorter lock down Australia had a terrible increase in drownings, so the decision was vital. There has been no case of community transition in swimming pools and the virus cant survive in properly treated water.
If your child isnt enrolled for swimming lessons, you should book now.
The pools will open for organised lessons only, with no public lap swimming or play time.
Staff, parents and carers entering the facilities will need to be fully vaccinated and other COVIDSafe protocols will be in place.
This will include:
We would also encourage you to wrap and go to avoid delays and overcrowding the change rooms. After-all its spring and getting warmer so a quick dry and throw on a hooded towel will be perfect.
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And Be Sure To Get Your Covid
Recent studies have shown that protection against the virus, and the ability to prevent infection with variants, can decrease over time after vaccination. The CDC says with the recent emergence of the omicron variant, vaccination, boosters and prevention efforts are very much needed to protect us from COVID-19. So if you think two doses of a vaccine are good enough, think again. Dont skip your COVID-19 booster.
According to the CDC, clinical trials showed that a booster shot increased the immune response in trial participants who finished a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna two-dose series six months earlier or a J& J/Janssen single-dose vaccine two months prior. This increased immune response could mean improved protection against getting infected with COVID-19, including the delta variant. For Pfizer-BioNTech and J& J/Janssen, clinical trials also showed that a booster shot helped prevent COVID-19 with symptoms.
Some Light Exercise After The Vaccine Is Advisable
Once a couple of hours have passed since you got your shot, you can monitor your side effects and see if you feel well enough to engage in some light exercise. Evans told Verywell Fit that people should listen to their body and think more conservatively about exercise in the days following vaccination. He encouraged his clients who got the jab to go for a walk outside or take a slow flow yoga class rather than hit the treadmill or deadlift. And for more up-to-date information, .
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Can Coronavirus Survive In Pools
Theoretically, yes Dr. Dalai says it’s possible that infectious respiratory droplets may end up in a pool. “But it’s likely that the virus at that point is neutralized , or diffused to such a degree that transmission is unlikely,” Dr. Dalai clarifies.
You are more likely to face COVID-19 risk when swimming in crowded pools that don’t offer you the opportunity to maintain social distance, especially if you are swimming in an indoor facility. As CDC officials have declared, COVID-19 primarily spreads when infectious respiratory droplets or aerosols are inhaled by those around you. The disease may also impact your skin after touching a contaminated surface, with virus particles ending up in your mouth, nose or eyes.
Because there’s been a lack of evidence to suggest that COVID-19 outbreaks stem from public pools, many local municipalities have reversed last year’s policy of keeping these facilities closed. Americans can likely return to their favorite swimming spot in time for the summer holiday season, as cities from Los Angeles to Chicago and as far south as Albuquerque have already reopened at full capacity.
Dont Panic About Covid
If youre wracked with flu-like symptoms and anxious about your bodys unpleasant reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, hearing a loved one repeatedly tell you That means its working! might not be the sympathy youre looking for. But its true. Chills, muscle aches, fever, fatigue, and other unsavory side effects are all signs that your immune system is mounting a resistance to the virus. Theyre completely normal and no cause for paniceven if youre feeling way worse after your second dose than you did after the first.
With the two-dose vaccines, the first dose typically primes the immune response to the vaccine, creating antibodies, Dr. Brandon Dionne, a clinical pharmacist in infectious diseases at Brigham and Womens Hospital, and assistant clinical professor in Northeastern Universitys department of pharmacy and health systems sciences, tells Mental Floss. Basically, the first dose contains instructions telling your cells to make a harmless version of the viruss spike proteinthe spiky compound on the surface of the pathogenand then produce antibodies that will know how to fight the real thing.
On the flip side, if you feel totally fine after you get the vaccine, you shouldnt worry that it isnt working. You can still have an adequate immune response even if you didnt experience side effects, Dionne says.
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