(September 16, 2020 3:13 PM) Although outdoor pools have been open this summer in Michigan, supervised indoor pools and waterparks have been closed in most parts of the state for months. Experts such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and health departments around the country sounded the alarm earlier this year that kids may be at an increased risk of drowning during the coronavirus pandemic. Among the contributing factors: With many businesses closed or operating at reduced capacity, kids searching for something to do seek out lakes, ponds or backyard pools, which do not have lifeguards Distancing may cause kids to spread out when they are by water, putting them at increased risk in unguarded situations In homes with pools or near lakes/ponds/streams, parents multitasking as they work from home may be dangerously distracted. According to the State Alliance of Michigan YMCAs (michiganymca.org), from March through September, 15,575 children throughout the state were unable to receive swim lessons and Safety Around Water instruction. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second-leading cause of injury death nationally for children ages 1 to 14. Per state order, the Jackson YMCA can offer infant/child drowning prevention/water safety…
