
This plan was developed with
the goal of reducing the risk of exposure to the virus that causes Covid-19 for
both patients and the practitioner within our clinical and spa setting. Here, we identify the actions that the
therapist at Avora Skin Spa (Registered Massage Therapist, Registered
Acupuncturist) and esthetician commits to, and that all visiting patients must
commit to, in order to resume our services.
“Coronavirus
is transmitted via liquid droplets when a person coughs or sneezes. The virus
can enter through these droplets through the eyes, nose or throat if you are in
close contact.
The
virus is not known to be airborne (e.g. transmitted through the particles
floating in the air) and it is not something that comes in through the skin.
It
can be spread by touch if a person has used their hands to cover their mouth or
nose when they cough. That’s why we recommend you cough or sneeze into your arm
and wash your hands regularly.”
Source: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/how-it-spreads
The overall aim of these
protocols is to reduce potential coronavirus transmission by:
- Required ongoing
self-assessment for signs of Covid-19 related illness in both the patient and
the therapist - Reducing all
physical, non-treatment related interactions amongst all people within the
practice environment - Hand hygiene requirements
- Avoiding face
touching - Enhanced
cleaning protocols - Appropriate use
of personal protective equipment (PPE) - Meeting
professional obligations, particularly related to informed consent and
liability insurance
Self-Assessment for Symptoms
of Covid-19: For Patients & Therapists
Pre-Screening / Prior to
Arrival
- Patients will be
informed about their responsibilities at the time of booking. A notice will be
placed on the website, and the online booking software ( coming soon) will send
them a copy of these protocols as part of a Covid-19 specific consent form they
will be required to sign electronically, prior to arriving at their
appointment. - One day prior to
their booked appointment, the patient will be required to complete the online
BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment tool and to stay home if they experience
any symptoms of Covid-19.- The tool can be
found here: https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en
- The tool can be
- The therapist
will phone the patient one day before their booked appointment to discuss using
the self-assessment tool and to verify that it has been done. - The therapist
will use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool herself, daily and commits to cancelling
all appointments if symptoms appear. - Symptoms of
Covid-19 are similar to other respiratory illnesses and seasonal
allergies. An appointment must be
cancelled immediately if either the patient or the therapist presents with even
mild symptoms that may be signs of Covid-19 including:- Fever
- Cough
- Chills
- Shortness of
breath
- Sore throat or
pain with swallowing
- Stuffy or runny
nose
- Loss of sense of
smell
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Covid-19
Symptoms may range from mild to severe. Patients are required to cancel
appointments if they experience what they determine to be ‘just the sniffles,’
‘seasonal allergies’ or ‘just feeling under the weather,’ on the day of their
appointment. - As a part of
this consent form, patients must commit to understanding that while we’ve taken
all possible measures to minimize risk of viral transmission, the nature of
massage therapy, acupuncture and spa facials, and other services at Avora Skin
Spa Clinic means that physical distancing is not possible in the treatment
room. - Patients with
higher risk profiles and/or weakened immune systems should consider
alternatives for care and postpone treatment.- The patient and
the therapist must both agree that the benefits of massage therapy outweigh the
potential risks involved.
- The patient and
- Patients who
develop even mild illness or symptoms should cancel booked appointments, even
without notice.- They will not be
charged a late cancellation fee if they cancel due to illness.
- They will not be
Upon Arrival
- As required we
are By Appointment only - The therapist
will advise patients of her current Self-Assessment results upon their arrival
at the clinic. Patients will be asked to share their own results. - Please arrive 5
minutes early for your scheduled appointment and remain in your car or line up
in front of our window, keeping social distance. - Upon arrival
patients must confirm that they have done a pre-screening and have no signs of
Covid-19 as outlined here: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/symptoms - Masks
must be worn at all times within the clinic space. If the patient does not have a mask, a single-use mask will be
provided to for a $2 fee and they will be asked to wear it upon entering the
clinic space. - The treatment
will be cancelled immediately if the patient does not meet the pre-screening
criteria upon physical presentation at the clinic.
Physical Distancing
Reception Area / Entry into
Clinic Space
- Only 1
patient/person is permitted in the clinic space at any given time. Patients
must arrive unaccompanied.- Minors will not
be treated at this time.
- Minors will not
- The therapist
and the patient will both maintain a space of 2 meters (6 feet) distance
between each other in all clinic areas outside the treatment room. - Patients are not
permitted to lounge in the clinic reception area before or after the treatment. - Appointment
times are staggered to reduce the potential of patients crossing paths, and to
allow for time in-between appointments for enhanced cleaning and disinfection. - Patients are
asked to arrive on time and not early or late for appointments. - Patients are
required to wait in their vehicles or outside the clinic until the therapists invite
them in. - The clinic door
will be opened for the patient by the specialist (therapist) and will be locked
behind them. We are By Appointment only facility
(Including products purchase) as requested by Work Safe BC and Provincial
Health Authority. The clinic door will
be re-opened by the therapist at the end of the appointment for the patient to
leave without touching the door knob. - Please use the hand sanitizer located next to the
reception desk. - If possible bring your own pen to
fill in the pre-screening form, when complete place it in the folder as
indicated by your therapist
Within the Treatment Room
- It is not
possible to maintain physical distancing while in the treatment room. All
health practitioners will be wearing a surgical mask for mutual protection.
Please keep your own mask on if your positioning will be face-up on the table. - Patients will be
asked to keep all personal belongings within a plastic basket, which can and
will be sanitized between patients. - All chairs,
doorknobs, desk surfaces, treatment tables, and face cradles will be
disinfected between each patient. Treatment table linens will as always
be laundered and changed after each visit. - Please keep all personal
belongings together on the chair provided with shoes tucked under the chair. - All other common high contact
surfaces will be disinfected.
Restroom for Patient Use
- Please keep in mind that our washroom is public and treat it as
such. It may be used and not cleaned immediately as we may all be in
treatment. - If possible avoid use altogether
- The restroom has
been equipped with touchless soap dispenser and towels and proper handwashing
guidelines. - Soap and fresh
towels for drying will be available at all times. - A waste bin has
been placed next to the restroom door so that patients may use a paper towel to
open the door, and then discard of it before re-entering the clinic space. - Please take care to avoid contact.
- After using the toilet please
wash your hands well with soap and water, use the small towel to dry
hands, with the same towel in hand turn off the tap and flush toilet in that
order. Then open the door and throw small hand towel in wash basket
provided. - Disinfector spray and paper towels are provided
Hand Hygiene
Reception Area / Entry into
Clinic Space
- Immediately upon
entering the clinic space the patient must either:- Go directly to
the handwashing sink without touching anything inside the clinic and wash their
hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and then dry thoroughly, or
- Use the hand
sanitizer dispenser that is fixed to the wall just inside the clinic door
outside the treatment room
- Go directly to
- The therapist
will wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds between patients, before and
after disinfecting spaces, before donning gloves and after taking gloves off,
and before donning or doffing other PPE like facemasks or shields. - Hand washing
protocols will be posted visibly in the reception area and at sinks. - Payment occurs
in the reception area. If payment is required, our strong preference would be
that you pay your therapist using E-TRANSFER.
That would be our best no-touch solution for payments. - A Point of Sale
system with Tap is available for card use. In the event that this does not
work, and invoice may be emailed to the patient in order that they pay it
online. The POS machine will be sanitized between each patient. If the card terminal is required then please
remain in front of the plexiglass, until your therapist prepares the card
terminal for you. - Receipts will be
emailed, not printed.
In the Treatment Room
- The therapist
will open the door to the treatment room and allow the patient to enter. The
therapist will open/close the door before, during and after the treatment as
required – reducing the need for the patient to touch the door.- Patients will be
permitted to open the door for themselves after the treatment to let themselves
out of the treatment room.
- Tissue is
available inside the treatment room that the patient may use as a barrier when
opening the door.
- Hand sanitizer
is available within the treatment room; patients will be asked to wash or
sanitize their hands after the treatment.
- The door and
doorknobs will be disinfected between each patient.
- Patients will be
Avoid Face Touching
- The therapist
will communicate with the patient that coronavirus can be transmitted by touch
if droplets are on the hand when it touches the face, as it can transfer those
infected droplets to the mouth, nose or eyes. - Tissue will be
available throughout the clinic: in the reception area, treatment room and
washroom in order that patients and the therapist may use tissue to address an
itch and/or touch the face for any other reason. - The therapist
will wear a mask and a face shield at all times. - Patients are
required to wear face masks that cover both the nose and mouth at all times
within the clinic space.
Enhanced Cleaning
- Additional time
has been scheduled between patients to allow for thorough cleaning of the
treatment room. - Visibly soiled
surfaces will be cleaned followed by disinfection with a Canada Health Approved
for use against Covid-19 disinfectant as listed here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/disinfectants/covid-19/list.html - Common areas
will be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day, including the restroom. - All high touch
surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected between patients, regardless of
appearances. High touch surfaces include (but are not limited to):- Light switches,
door knobs, POS machine, electronic devices, table surfaces, chairs,
stools, window coverings, faucets, etc.
- The treatment
table, table levers, face cradle, lotion bottles will be immediately after each
treatment.
- No hydrotherapy
supplies, thermophores, table warmers or covers will be used.
- A Cleaning and
Disinfectant for Clinic Setting Poster will be on Display in the reception
area, patient restroom and treatment room.
- Light switches,
- All linens,
including blankets and pillow cases are single use only and will be laundered
using high heat, detergent and bleach between each use. - A disinfected
single-use plastic bin has been placed in the treatment room. The patient will
be asked to keep all of their personal belongings in this bin during the
treatment. Post treatment, this same bin will be used to carry used linens to
the laundry room for washing. - Bins will be
disinfected between each patient before cycling back into use.
Personal Protective Equipment
- The therapist
will wear a face mask and face shield at all times in the clinic. - The therapist
will wear non-latex gloves if/when appropriate.- Gloves may be
appropriate when over-use of cleaning and/or chemicals causes skin irritation,
or when the therapist’s hands or skin of the hands are otherwise inured.
- Hands will be
washed prior to putting the gloves on and immediately after removing them.
- Gloves are also
considered appropriate and will be worn by the therapist at the patient’s
request.
- Gloves may be
- Patients are
required to wear a facemask in the clinic at all time.- If patients have
their own fabric facemask, they are requested to bring it. If they do not have
a fabric face mask, a single-use non-medial mask will be provided to them at
the time of their treatment.
- If patients have
Professional Obligations
Liability Insurance
- The therapist
carries professional liability insurance through Wilson M. Beck as provided
through the Registered Massage Therapist Association of BC.
Asymptomatic Spreaders
- Asymptomatic
transmission of the coronavirus is an unavoidable risk of practice until we’ve
acquired herd immunity, there is an effective treatment or vaccine against
Covid-19. - We have put into
place protocols to help mitigate that risk as outlined in the preceding
documentation.
Informed Consent
In the current environment
of Covid-19 risk, informed consent requires that the patient be informed and
understands that:
- Any personal
services involves some risk of Covid-19
transmission; - All our therapists
and practitioners are following protocol to help reduce or mitigate risk where
possible, but that risk cannot be reduced to zero; - The patient
consents to the treatment despite some risk; - And we at Avora
Skin Spa will document the patient’s consent in advance and at every treatment.
We
will continue to update our Safety Plan as new information becomes available
from the Public Health Officer and our professional associations. If you
have any questions or concerns about our Safety Plan or your upcoming
appointment, please let us know.