Omicron Virus

• Please continue to wear a mask when attending the clinic
• Come alone wherever possible
• Call us if you have any cold like symptoms

Omicron is a variant of COVID-19 which spreads easily and quickly. However, statistics appear to show that although Omicron is able to spread quickly amongst the general population. Although both COVID-19 and the Omicron variant can still be caught, the incidence of serious illness is far less in those who have been vaccinated. Government figures at the end of December 2021 show 90% of the population in England have had 1^st vaccine, 82.4% the 2^nd and figure for the booster jab are 58.3%.

Most people experience symptoms similar to a head cold. Nonetheless people who have symptoms are still infectious, required to take a test and if positive self-isolate. Like COVID-19 itself some people remain asymptomatic and are unaware they are infected.

We continue to believe that in the interest of the health and safety of our staff and clients, the procedures we have put in place should remain for the foreseeable future. This means our staff will still be wearing full PPE and appointments will still be spaced to allow for social distancing. We would ask clients to respect this decision and comply with any requests to sanitise their hands, whilst we cannot enforce the wearing of masks, we would appreciate that people consider the use of a mask whilst attending appointments.

The vaccine roll-out and boosters certainly seems to have made a massive difference in terms of managing the pandemic and although there are variants where people are still contracting the illness, the numbers of people requiring hospitalisation remains low in the population.

The measures put in place at Cristianos to mitigate against risk of COVID have worked well. The policies and procedures set out below will remain in place and continue to be reviewed to ensure safe practice is maintained.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made every one of us more conscious about hygiene than ever before.

Although our risk assessment for COVID-19 is an ongoing working document we feel considering the current spread of the Omicron variant and the Governments change in regulations a full review of policy is prudent. Our objective is to ensure as far as we can, that we are doing all we can to protect our staff and clients.

Please help us to keep everybody safe.

We:

• Continually train our staff.

• Only use single use, disposable items wherever that is possible.

• Dry sterilise those items such as tweezers and scissors which have to be reused. Each client has freshly sterilised equipment.

• Clean couches, equipment and surfaces with antibacterial cleaner between each client.

• Ensure staff are provided with disposable personal protective wear, visors, masks, aprons, goggles and gloves.

• Have provide hand sanitiser which is available for staff and clients.

• Ensure all appointments are scheduled so that only one client is present in the clinic at one time, thereby reducing contact.

• Will continue to screen our clients by asking health related questions when booking appointments.

Our clients can help by:

• Only attending your appointment if you are fit and well, show no symptoms of COVID-19, if you have been in contact with anybody who does have symptoms please email us.

• Arriving no earlier than 10 minutes prior to your appointment in order to reduce risk to yourself and others.

• Wearing a mask (if possible) when attending the clinic, which can be removed where appropriate during treatment.

• Touching as few things as you possible can whilst you are in the clinic.

• If you are in any doubt whether you should attend your appointment ring on 0800 085 0661 or email us on info@cristianos.co.uk before attending.

• Still attending your appointment unaccompanied, if this is not acceptable to you please email us so we can leave longer space in-between appointments as this will help with our appointment change over.

• Do not put yourself, other clients or our staff at risk.