As you’ve probably heard by now, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has landed in RI. It’s not time to panic, but it’s a good time to review what we can all do to reduce transmission of this and other contagious diseases. And it’s a good reminder of how interconnected we humans are… we can help each other.
First and foremost, we ask you to stay home if you’ve got a fever, or chills or are vomiting. We do not, and never have, charged a fee for appointments cancelled because of illness –– even same day cancels. But we do ask that you give us a heads up. In light of COVID-19, if you’re caring for someone who is sick, we suggest rescheduling your appointments until everyone is recovered.
Please be fever free for 48 hours before coming to PCA for acupuncture, for the time-being.
Take care of yourself, and take precautions. They say those cheap paper masks don’t work well to protect you from respiratory illness, but hand washing sure as heck does! Wash your hands. Get adequate sleep, eat nourishing foods, get some acupuncture. But Wash. Your. Hands. A recent study showed that washing ones hands five times a day reduces the likelihood of contracting a respiratory illness by 45%!
Be responsible to others. This includes staying home if you’re sick. It includes coughing into your elbow or a tissue. If you’re under the weather, or if you’ve been around someone who is, consider avoiding places where you might contact vulnerable people (kids, elders, immune-compromised folks), like daycare centers, nursing homes, and hospitals.
What we’re doing. We always have, and always will, sanitize our hands thoroughly before and after each client. We’ve put out extra bottles of hand sanitizer for you to use around the clinic but please don’t use the sanitizer on our needling stations. We’re doing extra cleaning around the clinic. Our washing machines are running overtime. We pledge to stay home if we’re sick. And we’re keeping an eye on the Rhode Island Department of Health for updates and recommendations.
Closing requests, in view of a possible pandemic: Check in with loved ones. Do not engage in xenophobia. Stay informed; avoid unreliable news sources. And support local and national efforts to enact universal health care. If some of us are left behind, we’re all at risk. You can sign this petition to urge the RI legislature to take immediate action to ensure that everyone in Rhode Island has access to enough paid sick time so that no one’s choosing between making this month’s rent and staying home if they are sick!
With all that said, there’s currently no reason to freak out. If you’re feeling fine but a little stressed or sore, we hope to see you at the clinics. In fact, we depend on it.
So let’s help each other through this unsettling time. Remember that regular acupuncture is an excellent immune-booster and stress reliever so we encourage you to come for treatment as part of staying healthy.
Thanks to our friends at Westside Wellness and Manchester Acupuncture Studio for much of the text of this email: we are, and always have been, all in this together.
With care,
the folks at PCA
