• We follow all sanitation and surface disinfection guidelines set forth by the State and County, and are being extra vigilant about wiping down surfaces, pillows, doorknobs, light switches, and technology (including our iPads, phones and credit card terminal). We also switch out all sheets, blankets, and pillow cases after each patient.  In addition, for acupuncture we have disposable table paper for extra layer of protection. 

• All of our laundry (sheets, towels, covers, blankets) is serviced in-house on site using dedicated washer and dryer just for the clinic.  We always use bleach in addition to detergent.  We do not outsource our laundry because it gives us greater control over its sanitation/disinfection and we take great pride in our laundry and destroy any linens that are not up to standard or have been contaminated. We do not outsource our laundry since most laundry services also service hospitals (which would be treating active COVID-19 patients).

• We are cleaning our hands obsessively, and encouraging all our patients to do the same. Each room has hand sanitizing wipes to use and we have 3 stations for hand washing. We encourage patients to wash hands before and after treatment.

• We are minimizing any massage to the face unless indicated (TMJ issues, etc.)

• Our staff are monitoring their own health and will be recusing themselves from work (staying home) if 1) any active symptoms of any infection are present or 2) they have been exposed to COVID-19. 

• We ask any patients who are feeling any signs of illness or fever to reschedule for another time.  For the safety of everyone at the clinic and community, we are asking that you stay home if you have any upper respiratory symptoms (cold, allergy, viral or flu symptoms).

• We are spacing out our massages and acupuncture treatments so we have more time to ensure thorough disinfecting.  What we learned during our early trial opening is that prior to COVID 19 pandemic, we already had a stringent disinfecting and cleaning protocol in place.  However, It will smell more like bleach and lysol in the clinic rather than our usual lavender scents.

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We will keep you informed if there is any temporary disruption to our service. (We'll be posting any updates on our facebook page.)

 

Other questions you may have:
1) Is massage and acupuncture safe? Massage is definitely an intimate experience, with skin-on-skin contact. And while we are taking all precautions and increasing our vigilance with sanitation and disinfectant, we cannot guarantee anything. More important to consider for all activities right now are your own risk factors and risk tolerances. Acupuncture is generally considered to be safe when done by a trained professional. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates acupuncture needles and restricts their use to licensed practitioners. The FDA requires acupuncture needles to be sterile, nontoxic, and labeled for single use.

2) Are pregnant women at greater risk? This is a conversation between you and your healthcare provider. While the emerging international data is that pregnant women are actually one of the lowest impacted populations and are not transmitting it to their newborns, those are at the "population level" and you need to look at your individual situation and pregnancy to assess your susceptibility and risk factors. 

3) Cancellations? We do have a 24 hour cancellation policy and if you do need to cancel, we encourage you to give us as much notice as possible so that we can continue to make plans. Given the nature of this crisis, we will not be charging fees for last minute cancellations through mid July.

4) Will you stay open for business? As long as we are healthy and have not been exposed, and as long as staying open fits within the public health guidelines recommended by San Diego County, the State of CA and our credentialing and professional massage organizations, we will continue to stay open for business.

This global health crisis is changing hour-by-hour and we are trying to stay abreast of everything -- the health of our clients, community, our staff and their families are of the utmost importance. That said this crisis is profoundly stressful for all of us. We have patients in pain and whose lives are improved with treatments; as long as it is still safe, we will continue to help treat you. 

Take care of yourself and be well!!

 

In health and Wellness,

Shanti Wu, Matt Franco, Trisha Bear, and Tommy Wu