The world is going through the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

It’s typically spread by people who come in close contact (within 6′) of an infected person or through respiratory droplets from sneezing or coughing.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

To protect yourself, (at the time of this blogs posting) the CDC recommends:
1. To clean your hands often-wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (especially after you’ve been in a public place, have blown your nose, coughed or sneezed).
2. Use at least 60% alcohol hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
3. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands.

And now, onto our GUEST POST, written by a past Center for Barefoot Massage instructor who taught with us for a very short time, but is no longer with the company.

So, this photo is probably my most least Instagram/Facebook worthy. 😆 It may, however, be one of my most important posts to date.
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My sanitation practices have not changed since the outbreak. I leave an hour in between each guest so I can clean and disinfect.

I do this *FOR EVERY* client.

I wash my hands
✔︎for 20 seconds before I know you’re arriving
✔︎ for 20 seconds before I begin your treatment
✔︎ again if I need to step away and
✔︎ post-treatment.

Between every client
✔︎I clean the bathroom with disinfectant
✔︎I wipe down my computer, cell phone, iPad, hot towel caddies with Barbicide wipes
✔︎ I spray soft surfaces and door knobs with Lysol
✔︎ I use a fresh Ashi strap for each client and soak them at night

✔︎ I wash my feet and sanitize them with wintergreen alcohol for barefoot massage

✔︎I wear rubber flip flops that are sanitized if I step off the table
✔︎I wash with soap and soak all coffee mugs in bleach water
✔︎I wipe my bars with disinfectant
✔︎ I wash and disinfect any and all tools used during facials and body rituals
✔︎I clean the floor (even though y’all wear slippers to move around in the space)

I have an air purifier to clean the air of viruses, bacteria and impurities.

All linens are washed on a sanitary cycle every night. All whites are bleached. (Pro tip, splashless bleach is not a disinfectant!!! Read the label!)

All blankets, towels and sheets are fresh and are used only on you. I have fresh towels, blankets and sheets for my other guests, there’s no cooties passing around here. 😷
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I’m also asking each client to wash their hands before their treatment begins.
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I know many of you are afraid and many are not.

I will tell you that I do have geriatric clients, I have clients with autoimmune disease, diabetes and some clients who are smokers. People falling in this particular demographic are being hit the hardest, just because you don’t fall in those categories doesn’t mean you’re not susceptible to spread the disease.

Please, I beg you…if you are ill, if a family member or someone in your inner circle is sick…please stay home. I will turn you away if I feel you’re contagious.
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All this being said, the biggest thing you can do to make an impact is by practicing good hygiene by washing your hands.

Also, please be kind 🙏🏻♥️✨ to others while in public spaces. I’ve been reading article after article about rampant xenophobia. We are in this mess together y’all. A little kindness, compassion for others and plain old common decency goes a long, long way.
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I also want to encourage other Massage Therapists, Estheticians, Stylists & Nail Artists to share their sanitation practices here on social media so we can all put our clients’ minds at ease.

We are, have and always will be doing our part to protect you and your health.

The author of this guest post was _{K r i s t y P o u x}