Happy official summer! Now that we are all thinking about being outside, it’s good to understand the risks of our favorite summer activities we try to make the best of gorgeous weather while coming out of a pandemic.
Thank you for your patience as I navigate the tangled jungle of information about reopening safely. I was just reading “I’m a Chef in a Seaside Town. I’m Not an Epidemiologist.” by the owner of The Canteen, one of our favorite places in the Cape. He writes about how small business owners being put in the position of making public health decisions without the proper support, knowledge or tools… and I can totally relate. We are all making this up as we go along, so l hope we can support one another as best we can.
Friends who are nurses and doctors on the front lines have been very helpful. They advised that both my patients and I should wear face masks and wash our hands frequently. (No surprise there.) Since the rate of airflow circulation seems to be a key factor in virus transmission, I convinced the landlord to upgrade the HVAC filters to MERV13, which is capable of capturing airborne viruses and bacteria.
More information on safety protocols are detailed below, as well as what needs to be done before coming back to the clinic for a treatment. I look forward to seeing you all soon! If there are any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Be well and enjoy the sunshine!
What you need to KNOW
- If you or someone in your family has increased risk factors like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, chronic pulmonary illness, etc., please consider delaying our appointment until Phase 2 or 3.
- If you are feeling unwell or have any flu/cold symptoms, DO NOT come in. Reschedule your appointment online using the original confirmation email or contact me if we are scheduled to meet within 24 hours. We can explore using telehealth and herbal medicine instead.
- If you (or someone in your family) tested positive for COVID-19 and has since recovered, you must be symptom free for at least 14 days or tested negative. Please contact me first before you come in just in case there are high-risk patients like pregnant or elderly people scheduled on the same day. (I would like to give all concerned parties the option to reschedule.)
What you need to DO
- Wear a face mask and expect to keep it on for the duration of the treatment. Somerville requires a mask or face covering in all indoor and outdoor spaces.
- Wash your hands or use the provided hand sanitizer before and after contact with… well, anything.
- Fill out this COVID-19 informed consent. Either:
- Sign and send it back to me electronically (You should be able to use the Photos function in your phone to markup the document as a picture.) or
- Fill out printed copies at the waiting room, but know that it would mean touching clipboards and pens.
- Come right on time to minimize hanging out in the waiting room. I am the only person working in our suite right now, so the chances of running into other people is minimal.
- Set up contactless/cashless checkout when you next come in.
- Consider installing Apple/Samsung/Google Pay on your phone so you don’t have to take out cash or cards.
- We can store your credit card information for future use.
- I have Venmo and Paypal.
New Safety Protocols
- Everyone will wear masks and either wash their hands or use hand sanitizer, which will be provided in the waiting room and treatment rooms.
- Surfaces will be wiped down and the floors mopped (rugs have been removed) after every patient.
- Treatment rooms will be aired out for 30 minutes between sessions.
- An air purifier will run constantly to clean the air, unless the noise bothers you (in which case, they will run on High in between sessions).
- I will now be wearing “clinic only” clothes that will stay within the space and be sent out to be washed with the linens.
What I have always done/already had in place:
- Wash my hands and use hand sanitizer before every contact.
- Change the sheets for every patient.
- Use gloves when needed, i.e. during dry needling
Finding Joy (aka Staying Sane)
It’s been said that the biggest crisis we may face post-pandemic is one related to mental health, and I believe it. Hang in there! If you can, get a therapist (if you haven’t already) to help process what’s going on.
Here are some of the things that have brightened my days during quarantine:
- JK Rowling is releasing her first children’s story since Harry Potter called The Ickabog and she is posting a chapter (or two, or three) online every weekday between 26th May and 10th July!
- Emilia Clarke (Khaleesi!) has convinced the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Idris Elba, and Andrew Scott (yup, the hot priest from Fleabag) to read poems from The Poetry Pharmacy. Such a balm for the soul!
- Did you know that you can get ice cream delivered to your doorstep?! My friends sent me four pints from Rococo’s handmade ice cream in Maine for my birthday and it was magical! Gracie’s in Union Square does delivery and pick-up too.