COVID-safe working (boring but important)

Please note that, for the moment, I require clients to wear a well-fitted mask over their mouth and nose for the entirety of the session.

Sadly, the numbers of infections, hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 are all higher than at this time last year.

I am double-vaccinated, and will be taking the following tedious but sensible steps to keep clients and myself as safe as possible as we go into winter:

• Lateral flow tests: I will be testing three times a week (be still, my aching nose) to make possible the earliest detection of asymptomatic infection. I would encourage clients to take a test in the 24hrs prior to treatment, and again in the 2-3 days following treatment, and to let me know in the event of a positive test. At present, you can still order lateral flow test kits for free online and in participating pharmacies.

• Increased ventilation and air filtering: I use an air purifier that is tested to remove 99.9% of viruses and aerosols from the air and that can purify the air in a small room in around 15 minutes. It sits in the corner of the room like a very small Dalek.

• Masking: For the time being, I will wear a mask for the entirety of my sessions, but hopefully this will change over time. Lipstick be damned.

First-time clients are invited to attend an online or telephone meeting with me prior to our in-person session in order to take a medical history in a more relaxed way. At present, due to childcare constraints, this will be easiest to schedule on a Friday afternoon or over the weekend. Please book and I will make contact with you to set this up (there is no additional cost).

If you are exempt from wearing a mask on the grounds of a medical condition such as respiratory disease, it may not be advisable to receive bodywork at this time as it is not possible to maintain social distance. I am happy to discuss any particular concerns in advance or offer an online Embodiment Coaching session. Please do not turn up to a session without a mask. I will keep some masks handy in case you forget yours, but will not, for the moment, treat you if you are not wearing a mask.

If mask-wearing creates an accessibility issue (e.g. if you need to lip-read), please let me know in advance, as I can use a clear mask.

I am aware that this is not ideal, but masking feels like the simplest and most effective way to mitigate the risk of aerial transmission of viral particles in a context where social distancing is not possible.