Statement about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – 12th March 2020
Dear Patient,
With the current Coronavirus outbreak escalating we wanted to send you a quick email with regard to contingency planning, and what we at Clinic4Sport are doing to try to ensure there is as little disruption to service as possible, if any.
Having checked with our Government Bodies: GOsC (General Osteopathic Council), BASRAT (British Association of Sports Rehabilitators), The Society of Sports Therapists & Health & Fitness Association; at this present time these organizations want us to maintain services to patients, clients and service users, keeping safe and healthy as you do so.
We at Clinic4Sport have been carrying our own planning with regard to workforce management to ensure that all treatments are provided as safely as possible for our patients and practitioners. If at any point our processes have to change to accommodate staff absence then we will inform you by email or phone. We ask patients that are suffering from symptoms, to cancel the appointment with us and re-schedule when GP has confirm is safe to do so.
With regard to treatment contingency planning, The good news—so far—is that sweat cannot transmit the virus, and there’s a lower risk of picking up coronavirus at a gym or health club than at a church service, according to David Thomas, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (The New York Times, March 8, 2020)
Preventive Measures
Since no vaccine exists to protect against COVID-19, public health experts recommend the following personal preventive measures:
- Wash hands frequently. Wash hands thoroughly and often, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or with a 60% alcohol-based rub, to kill any viruses on your hands. Hand dryers alone are not effective at killing COVID-19. For effective hand-washing practices, check out this video. When you get to work or arrive home, after you blow your nose, cough or sneeze, before you eat or handle food
- Avoid touching your face. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands, as any virus on hands from a touched surface can enter the body through the eyes, nose or mouth, according to current information.
- Maintain social distance. Keep a distance of at least 3 feet between you and apparently healthy persons and stay 6 feet away if a person is coughing or sneezing (WHO 2020).
- Limit contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you’re sick with respiratory symptoms like a fever, runny nose and/or cough, stay home. Seek medical advice if your condition worsens with a high fever and/or difficulty breathing.
- Cough into an elbow or a tissue. Cover coughs with a tissue or cough into an elbow. Dispose of tissues immediately in a covered bin and wash hands with warm, soapy water. Wash clothing into which you cough. It is unknown how long the virus can live on hard and soft surfaces. According to the WHO, coronaviruses may survive on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. The best way to ensure that surfaces you touch are germ-free is to clean them with a disinfectant.
- Dry Needling acupuncture: We have gloves in place for our therapists to use when using dry needling acupuncture. Gloves are of a single use only and will be disposed in the bin after appointment. The needles itself are kept in a closed container locked and disposed regular via Council sharp bin collection
- Towels usage: We have new towels in place and will be washing them using laundry facilities in place with water being over 90degree heat.
- Sanitizing & hand Gels: Are available at our clinics and we ask both patient and practitioner to use before, during and after the appointment.
- Mask use: If you’re wondering about wearing a face mask, public health experts advise that it’s not currently recommended for the general public. For more information about masks go here.
At Clinic4Sport we are staying updated and each day, scientists and medical professionals are learning more. We are keeping informed of actual risks by following status updates offered by the CDC, the WHO and other health departments.
Finally, Clinic4Sport also offers a mobile therapy service so if you would like us to come to your home address/office to provide treatments, please get in touch and we will endeavour to help you recover as soon as possible.
Please download our statement below:
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