Scuba Diving and Covid-19 

Diving is restarting and we are ready to welcome you. Of course, we took all the necessary measures to let you enjoy your diving in the safest way possible. But to stay safe while diving everybody has to contribute, not only we but also you need to take precautions.

The world has changed dramatically since March 2020. Lockdowns were put in place in most of the countries to reduce the spreading of the pandemic. After a few months, most of the countries were able to get out of the lockdown and the economy started to recover again slowly. Yet, Covid-19 is lurking at every corner. All possible precautions are recommended. One moment of inadvertence can have a great impact on your life.

What is Covid 19?

The novel coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, is the cause of the disease Covid-19 and is part of the viral group known as "corona". We don't want to be too theoretical about this, just keep in mind that this virus is spread by respiratory secretions in a variety of ways including aerosolized droplets expelled by coughing or sneezing. Also touching surfaces contaminated with the virus or close contact with a person who has the virus can get you infected. The incubation period of the virus is between 2 to 14 days. 

Covid-19 recommendations related to scuba diving

The most important measure against the new coronavirus is that if you feel sick, you have a fever, cough, or difficulty to breath, you should stay home and seek medical advice. In that way, you are not only taking care of yourself but also protecting other divers from getting infected.

Therefore it is important to apply the basic protective measures against the Covid virus:

- Wash your hands frequently

- Maintain social distancing, the 1,5-meter distance between each other in case you cannot wear your mask

- Avoid as much as possible to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands

- Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow when sneezing or coughing

From our side as Dive-Hurghada, we keep on reminding our guests of these rules throughout the diving trip. The boat is also cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis. During the trip, you will find enough soap or alcohol-based gel to clean your hands regularly.

Disinfection of diving equipment

For divers that are traveling without their diving equipment, we guarantee that our rental diving gear is thoroughly disinfected after each use. We disinfect the entire regulator as well as the BCD oral inflators and the internal BCD bladder. We hand-wash masks and snorkels and use recommended disinfectants. Our team always wash their hands and use sanitizer before handling any dive gear.

If you are traveling with your personal gear, we will provide you with a personal storage place. We feel that it is best for divers with their own gear to clean and disinfect their own diving equipment between each dive to limit any other contact. We keep cleaning solutions at your disposal.

What we need to remember

While Covid 19 can almost be asymptomatic it can also lead to severe damage to the lungs and heart. The health of those two organs is crucial to ensure a nice diving activity.

So for people that have been infected with the virus, several studies prove that it is recommended to wait for 1 to 3 months before diving again,  depending on the severity of the symptoms. It is proven that the risk of pulmonary overpressure and heart failure is increased for persons that have been hospitalized for reasons related to Covid-19.

We know that it seems a long period to wait. Just for your own health, we are advising you to carefully consider the above.

How to get your PCR test while in Hurghada 

When you are coming to Hurghada, and you did not have the chance to do your PCR test before leaving your country, it is very easy to do it at Hurghada airport. Many people will guide you and will facilitate the process for you. 

When heading back to your country, you will be required to do the test again while in Hurghada. The most recommended place will be .... The price is $30 per person (non-resident) and you need to present a copy of your passport, a copy of your entrance stamp, a copy of your flight ticket, and a copy of your hotel reservation. You can then head to the "Collective Lab" which is the only lab endorsed by the Egyptian ministry of health. 

We are continuously following the government regulations and adjusting our procedures to ensure that everyone remains safe and so you can enjoy a stress-free diving holiday with us.

If you have any questions or you would like to make a booking, don't hesitate to contact us. We will gladly provide you with all the necessary additional information.