CDC released a GIF warning about swimming with diarrhea and it’s truly gross

The CDC has issued new guidance — but it’s unlike any advisory we’re used to hearing from them as of late. It’s not about masks, or travel, or the importance of getting vaccinated (which is still very, very important!). In fact, the warning doesn’t address Covid at all.

Instead, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has taken to Twitter in an attempt to combat a lesser known — and poolside — pandemic: The nation-wide dilemma that is children swimming with active diarrhea. And they’ve done so with an especially detailed depiction of the sensation.

“Don’t leave your mark at the pool this summer,” the explicit gif reads. “It only takes one person with diarrhea to contaminate the entire pool.”

Sharing this gif alongside the legitimate announcement was certainly a unique choice on the center’s behalf, but considering how well a certain nation handled a certain outbreak, perhaps some people really do need health guidance of the sort laid out this plainly — and in such a graphic manner.

Plus, in the CDC’s defence, if you’ve been to a public and/or hotel pool recently, you’ll realise they all don the same sign at the entrance: “Notice: Persons having currently active diarrhea or who have had active diarrhea within the previous 14 days shall not be allowed to enter the pool water.” So really, the CDC was just making the preexisting —(and unintentionally funny) sign funnier — but also more official.

As per usual, Twitter had thoughts on the CDC’s precise portrayal of the poolside predicament.

Per the tweet, we can learn more about the phenomenon at cdc.gov/healthyswimming. But for now, we are personally issuing new guidance, and it’s a strong suggestion the CDC to never make a gif like this again.