Mobile Therapists: Seeing Your Clients Following Lockdown

The day that therapists are allowed to perform treatments again is quickly approaching, and we’re seeing the continuation of restrictions being eased safely by The Government, which is exactly what the economy needs – but as a mobile therapist, what does this mean for you?

Now is a good time to consider how you will make the necessary changes to your working processes to keep your clients, as well as yourself, feeling safe and supported. 

Sienna X has put together recommendations around the Coronavirus, these are only a guideline and advisable suggestions, please use these in addition to what the Government might suggest – especially since we all know how quickly the Government advice can change. 

These have been listed so that you may use them as a checklist, we hope you find them useful.

Consider these three main principles for your clients, as well as yourself:

1. Being SAFE
2. FEELING safe
3. Feeling SUPPORTED

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and cleaning are probably the most important considerations and things you’ll need.

Cleaning Considerations and Differences

If you have not used your mobile kit for a long time, chances are there will be no trace of the virus on anything. However, it seems we may be in this new world for a little while longer than we expected, and getting into a new and efficient routine will help keep everyone safe and contamination to a minimum.

Thorough cleaning and disinfecting will be needed on a regular basis on your return to work.

Cleaning is the same as sanitizing, it is a process that removes contaminants including dust, soil, large numbers of microorganisms and the organic matter that shields them, such as faeces, blood, pus, urine and other body fluids. To ensure effective cleaning, the equipment used and the item to be cleaned should be in a good state of repair. Use soap and water, or chemical cleaners.

Disinfection is a process that reduces the number of microorganisms to a level at which they are not harmful and is only effective if the equipment or surface is thoroughly cleaned with a detergent solution beforehand. The use of disinfectants, e.g., household bleach is recommended mixed as manufacturers guidelines.

You

As you may be visiting your clients’ homes, you should be free from any of the symptoms of COVID 19. Take some time to check yourself prior to beginning work for the day, if you are going to record temperatures, then please ensure you follow the correct guidelines.

Alongside this, please be sure that you are following best practice on hand cleaning. A handy recommendation from our team is to take at least 70% alcohol sanitising hand gel with you to each appointment, even better so with a touch-free dispenser

Personal Transport/Your Mobile Office

Since you may be doing a large portion of travelling between clients on a daily basis, it may be beneficial to ensure that your personal transport is also kept in a sterilised state for your own safety.

• Prior to beginning your workload again, be sure to clean your car and possibly keep a checklist to show your client should they request.
• Pay particular attention to frequently touched areas and surfaces, such as your steering wheel and door handles
• Leave a portable bin in your car for your used disposables for easy disposing and traceability of PPE.

Your therapists’ uniform

As always ensure your therapists’ uniform is cleaned daily and put on a clean disposable apron, once you have arrived.

You can also enhance your protection while out and about with disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) such as:

• Disposable Medical Grade Masks to be worn and changed each day
• Visors advised being worn and cleaned each day
• Disposable or Clean Aprons to be changed each day
• Dispose of used face masks, aprons and gloves into your own closed bin.

Your clients

On booking your client in for their treatment book also a telephone slot the day before the treatment, to check that they and you are free from any symptoms, and have not had contact with confirmed cases of COVID 19 in the previous 14 days.

Consider asking questions such as:

1. Have you been away/abroad?
2. Have you tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days?‚Äã
3. Have you experienced the following symptoms now or in the past 14 days?‚Äã  Such as a temperature, dry cough, body aches, headaches, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste and/or smell, diarrhoea.
4. Are you or your immediate family/friends in a high-risk category?

If a client responds with a yes to these, the beauty treatment should be declined and potentially rearranged for a later date, along with clients in high risk and vulnerable groups such as those of advanced age or with pre-existing medical conditions are currently advised not to get treatments.

On this call also use this time for

• Regular clients check, such as any changes to their consultation card for your records 
• New clients – you can fill in the consultation card for them ready for signing on arrival

NHS guidelines of individuals who are very high risk and high risk can be found here

Arrival at your Clients’ homes

We understand that it can be a very exciting time for you to see your clients again, and perform the treatments and services that you love. However, there are a few things to consider:

• Ensure social distancing protocols such as keeping 2 metres apart, are in place as much as possible.
• Offer your clients to use your Hand Sanitiser on arrival
• Avoid all direct physical contact, such as the application of barrier cream and pre-treatments for a spray tan. You can ask the client to apply this following your instructions to ensure the professional service by providing them with a ‚ÄúClients’ Kit Bag‚Äù including everything they need.
• Offer your client the use of a disposable mask
• If possible in front of your client, wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, before and after touching clients, and after contact with used or unsterilized tools and surroundings.
• Gloves do not offer cross-contamination protection, nor are suitable for some beauty treatments, unless they are requested or Government advised, thorough hand washing for 20 seconds is currently one of the Government’s main recommendations.  
• If gloves are used, be sure to change them both before and after touching clients and after contact with any used or unsterilized tools/equipment and surroundings.

Treatment Beds, Towels and Linens 

We understand that some treatments may require a treatment bed, towels or linens, especially to protect your clients’ homes.

• Any treatment bed or tent must be covered with either clean couch roll, a clean towel or a clean sheet before each client.
• After a towel, sheet, robe, linen, or hairdressing cape has been used once, it should be deposited in a closed container and not used until properly laundered ideally at 60 degrees.

Tools, Equipment and Supplies

• Have well-marked, covered containers for clean and dirty items, tools etc
• Non-electrical items should be completely immersed for at least 30 minutes in a registered bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal disinfectant. 
  • Your electrical items should also be sprayed or wiped with disinfectant, mixed according to manufacturer instructions. ‚Äã
  • When a disinfectant solution is used for immersion, it should be clearly marked and changed daily.
• All single-use items should be disposed of after one use in a closed waste container.
• All professional use products shall be disinfected after each use, Barbicide is a great way to do so and stored in a cabinet or sealed container when not in use.

Leaving your clients home

Now that your client is feeling fabulous and you’ve given them a great treatment and experience, there are a few things to consider… 

• For payments, consider contactless where possible. 
  • Bank transfer, simply give your client your Sort Code and Account number and name of the account
  • By Paypal
  • There are small portable terminals which can be synced to your phone for easy payments
  • Or your client could put the cash into an envelope
• Ensure clients put any disposables they have used into a closed bin themselves. 

We would love to hear your ideas too and share them with other professionals, please email your thoughts to [email protected]

Please remember these are only advisory guidelines, for further information, you can visit the Government website here or World Health here

If you have any post-COVID 19 tips you would like to share with us, then we would love to hear them, please send them to [email protected]

Coronavirus Facts

(Source World Health Organisation)

What is a coronavirus?*

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans.  In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

What is COVID-19?*

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a pandemic affecting many countries globally.

How can we protect others and ourselves if we don’t know who is infected?*

Practising hand and respiratory hygiene is important at ALL times and is the best way to protect others and yourself.

When possible maintain at least a 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and others. This is especially important if you are standing by someone who is coughing or sneezing. Since some infected persons may not yet be exhibiting symptoms or their symptoms may be mild, maintaining a physical distance with everyone is a good idea if you are in an area where COVID-19 is circulating.

How long does the virus survive on surfaces?*

The most important thing to know about coronavirus on surfaces is that they can easily be cleaned with common household disinfectants that will kill the virus. Studies have shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel, less than 4 hours on copper and less than 24 hours on cardboard.

As always clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

For more advice and guidance, be sure to follow us on social media via our Instagram & Facebook pages.