Day 113: COVID practices for returning to work.
As more and more places are beginning to return to work, based on what type of industry and how close you come into contact with others, it will probably never be the same, again.
I feel some sorrow about that. Not that I want people to be in a position to get sick, or unknowingly spread viral germs they might be a carrying. Not for any selfish reasons, but I wonder what will become of the buildings in our downtown area that had employed a large number of people. I won’t miss all the traffic during rush hour, and it seems a bit eerie not hearing school buses, or seeing groups of kids playing in the park. It feels a bit like walking into a Twilight Zone movie when I go to a grocery store and all the workers and many customers are wearing masks. Many of the customers who wear them aren’t wearing them correctly, meaning their mouth is covered but their nose is not, or they pull it down when they are out of eyesight of store personnel.
Service industries, like salons and spas, are allowed to open here on June 1, as long as they have certain protocols in place. And, if your industry doesn’t allow you and the customer to wear a mask while performing the service, then they cannot perform the service. That doesn’t include some other industries because your dentist can’t work on your teeth if you have a mask on. But, if you give facials, you won’t be able to, at least at this point. So, if you can still wax eyebrows but the rest of your facial services can’t be performed, I have heard that there is no point to open because they can’t make a living doing just eyebrows.
In case you haven’t heard what types of policy practices are being implemented to help slow the spread of the virus, I’ll mention them here. These may not pertain to all types of work, but it is being asked of several kinds, such as, medical, massage, hair stylists, and the like. All is to be documented due to the possibility of a ‘triggered event’, not that anyone can really prove how or where someone may have gotten sick.
Your client must come to the appointment wearing a mask, and you are to have one on, too. At the door, you greet them and take a no-touch temperature to make sure they don’t have a spike in temperature. If that clears, they can come in for their appointment. There must be hand sanitizer for them to use before they enter the treatment room. If it is possible to keep people at a social distance, that is what you do. There will not be people in a waiting area, but are to stay in their car until you send a message to them to come in. There will no longer be walk-in clients (unless you need an emergency room), but I am speaking more to the places that are non-emergency.
The client was screened either before the appointment was made, or when they are at your door. The practitioner or service provider must question them on any illnesses, have they been in contact with anyone who they knew had been sick with the virus, and if so, what symptoms did they have, etc. All of this is to be documented and kept in their chart. The practitioner must also document what cleaning procedures they did after the client has left. Basically, everything has to be wiped down, changed out, the practitioner must change their clothes — a lab coat is recommended so that you don’t have to change your whole set of clothes. It is recommended to wear those slip over things for your shoes like operating people wear. For my business, I will just have the person take their shoes off outside the room and enter in stocking feet. That will be a problem if they don’t wear socks. I have sent out a newsletter to my email list stating what is expected of them, per the Governor’s ruling and what I am adding to further keep things as safe and clean as I can. You can go over the policies when the appointment is scheduled. Then no one is surprised. It is suggested to no longer do online bookings where the client can schedule themselves.
You are to ask the client to bring their own pen with them for signatures on consent forms. If they don’t have one, you can hand them one of yours that are kept hidden so many don’t touch the pens and cross contaminate the whole cupful. Then, instead of worrying about disinfecting the pen, just give it to them to take home. Magazines and other shared items are to be taken out of the room. The less in the room, the less you have to worry about unless you need the piece of equipment to do your job.
Clients are to be staggered out to keep the least amount of people gathered together, and those that are there, must still practice social distancing. The client is not to bring anyone else with them, because the extra person who doesn’t have an appointment won’t be allowed to enter. The exceptions would be if the client is a minor and needs an adult with to receive the session, or if someone has a disability and needs the help of someone else. Now, I know that I am speaking of industries that are not primary types of care. As an acupuncturist, we are not necessarily considered a primary care healthcare provider even if your client (patient) might want you to be.
Due to the cleaning after each session, appointment times between clients will be increased to allow for proper protocol to take place. Basically, everything gets cleaned each time, door knobs, chairs — I wonder if cloth chairs will be replaced by chairs that can be easily wiped down or disinfected. The problem with disinfecting is most solutions must remain wet on the surface for a minimum of 10 minutes, per EPA rules. Can’t do that with cloth. If you sell retail, like cosmetics, shampoos, and the like, you will not be able to allow clients to touch them, or what’s the point of trying to not cross contaminate? Yet, you can touch any items in a grocery store, and many sell items that aren’t food. As a customer, I don’t have to wear a mask but then no one is right in my face, either.
Here in MN, the amount of people allowed in the business of serving people (salons and spas), you are to have no more capacity than 25% of what the fire code allows. You are not supposed to do services that are too close to someone else providing a service. Most aren’t going to be able to make a living if they can’t carry a full schedule, or perform all the services they did in the past. Yet, at that point, once they re-open, they are no longer allowed unemployment insurance benefits because they will be making some money.
I listened to a Town Hall meeting from my acupuncture industry that had two lawyers speaking and giving us advice. They weren’t representing any of us, but they were able to bring up scenarios that may further affect a practitioner. For example, if they can’t make enough money but have a landlord that they have a signed lease with, will they be expected to have to pay the full rent? If it goes into court, it means you may have to pay something but maybe not the whole thing. I think that is going to change people wanting to sign three, five, or even ten year leases.
If you can’t pay, and you are asked to turn over your keys, they may make you wait 30 days before you can get your things. I would suggest taking your things out before that comes up if you aren’t planning to stay, then turn in your keys. Once you turn in your keys, you no longer can enter but it also proves that you were not there trying to work. Landlords don’t usually get the better end of the deal because you can’t force someone to complete a lease that they can not earn a living to pay for, especially if it was mandated by a government ruling. It’s a catch 22. It is a sad situation.
So, dear Readers, we are learning patience, planning, and to slow down. Please understand that it may not be so easy to get an appointment with whomever you wanted to make one. You will have to plan ahead, and not just decide that you want a massage, or haircut today because walk-ins have become obsolete. Even with membership programs that allow you to go to any of the franchises in that industry, they all will be trying to service their own members and have too implement the same practices. The Corporate offices will have their own say in how some things go, as well. In order to keep the number of people down, they may not have as many therapists, etc., working at the same time.
It’s not going to be the same, again. I think this pandemic will set the tone for the future of business practices because I believe that the things that are asked of all of us, are here to stay. Expect longer wait times, and more paper work. Practice patience.
