Sanitation and Masking

Clients are required to mask within the office and will be asked if they are generally up-to-date on their recommended vaccinations.

Please don’t ask to book if the above doesn’t sound good to you. If you don’t like the idea I’d love to help but you’re just not going to like my office environment!

Why are you still doing any of these protocols?

I am in very close contact with clients in an enclosed space for hours every workday! I spend prolonged periods very close to the faces of multiple people with a variety of medical conditions so this is what makes the most sense to me. I understand if people disagree but I’m also not currently offering exceptions.
I don’t want to get sick or get anyone sick! I have many immunocompromised clients but I also don’t want any kind of human in my office to have reason for concern. I have also experienced the benefits of not contracting any contagious conditions for the past few years and I’m really enjoying those benefits! Additionally, as a self-employed person it could be very expensive for me to contract anything contagious since I would cancel appointments, seek medical care, isolate while waiting for test results and to fully recover, etc.
Masking and disinfection protocols are inconvenient but the results are worth it for me and my current clients. Once again, I understand if other people have different priorities and I’m sure they can find a place that is a better fit for their priorities.

What are you requiring from clients?

All clients are required to wear a disposable mask. I provide a variety of types of disposable masks to choose from and clients may also bring their own.
If you bring your own disposable mask, please make sure you’ve bought a mask that’s been proven to be safe to the wearer and has a filtration layer. If you’re unsure, look at the packaging for something that says “ASTM Level” or something that says it’s approved by NIOSH. These resusable masks are also good: Breathe99, Happy Mask brand, and Enro brand masks.
Please scroll down to see my workaround so clients can safely unmask when face down in the face cradle.
All clients must agree to reschedule if they have been near someone contagious or have developed symptoms of anything contagious. Rescheduling policies for possibly contagious clients are posted here.
Clients agree to not to book an appointment within 5 days after a commercial flight.

How is your office sanitized?

In the treatment room, UVC germicidal lights are used to sterilize the air between clients.
Human-safe germicidal and “near-UV” lights are used throughout the day in every other room of my office.
Incoming air from the HVAC system is filtered by vent covers with MERV-13 filters.
High CADR air filters are spaced throughout my office. This includes an AirDoctor Pro, a commercially sized BlueAir brand filter, and several GermGuardian brand HEPA filters with internal UVC germicidal lights.
The treatment table, client's chair, trays for personal items, and shelves are wiped with disinfectant between clients. All other commonly touched surfaces (buttons, doorknobs, handles, pumps) are wiped with disinfectant between clients as well.
Laundry is washed with hot water and chlorine bleach.
All my disinfectant products are on the EPA’s N list of antiviral cleaners.
No fragrances are used. Hypoallergenic laundry detergent, Force of Nature and hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants are used to avoid triggering client sensitivities. (Click here to view info for Force of Nature.) The exception is Purell and Germ-X brand hand sanitizer but, upon request, I can use diluted isopropyl alcohol as a hand sanitizer instead.
Client’s masks are to be worn at all times. (The only exception I offer is while face-down on the table. See below for details.)

If you have any suggestions and requests for additional measures or questions, please contact me!

What precautions Are you personally taking, Erin?

I’m staying up-to-date with recommended vaccines for contagious conditions.
In my office I wear a sealed, well-fitted N95 or N99 respirator and double-mask with a cloth mask.
I only remove my mask between clients if there is more than adequate time before my next client for my high CADR air filters to fully cycle the air in my space. (Like when I break for lunch!)
I wash my hands and forearms directly before and after sessions. I use hand sanitizer directly before hands-on treatment and at intervals throughout sessions.
In my personal life I consistently mask with well-fitted filtration masks and avoid activities that are considered to be high risk by the CDC and WHO.

Clients can remove their mask before lying face-down because the face cradle will be lined with disposable filtration and antimicrobial cloth layers. Masks don’t seal or fit very well when your face is resting in a face cradle (and it’s also very uncomfortable!)

The face cradle lining will hang down from the center so that it feels open, free, and breathable while still protecting us both. (Several clients have joked that it “looks like a feed bag,” but so far I’ve had positive feedback about how it feels!) The inside layer is a mesh, water-resistant disposable polypropylene fabric and draped around the outside for a secondary layer of protection is a soft, high thread count, antimicrobial bamboo and copper pillowcase.

Will I need to wear a mask while face down on the table?

When will any of these measures be changing?

I’ve shifted my focus towards maintaining sanitation at an appropriate level for my immune-compromised clients and for the forseeable future I will be keeping my office at that level.
Indefinitely, I plan to continue to turn away clients with symptoms of anything contagious, hold to a higher-than-typical sanitation and air purification standard for my office, and I will probably always wear some kind of mask during sessions.