How We’re Protecting You From Coronavirus

MagnifaSkin is committed to protecting your health and safety. In light of the current concerns about Coronavirus (COVID-19), we would like to reassure you that all precautions are being taken to keep our facilities and procedures sanitary and free from any possibility of transmitting the virus.

Our Sterile Procedures to Protect You from Coronavirus

As a medical spa, we always follow professional medical sterile procedures. All instruments are fully sterilized after each use, so you can be assured that any equipment you come in contact with is completely sterile. Of course, our staff also follow these procedures, washing their hands thoroughly between each client and wearing gloves and masks where required.

Our Additional Precautions

However, given the concerns over Coronavirus we are currently taking additional precautions including but not limited to:

• Any staff member who is not feeling completely well will stay home
• All surfaces are wiped down and sterilized beyond our normal routines
• Any client who is not feeling well will be asked to reschedule their appointment

If You Need to Cancel an Appointment

In the event that we must cancel your appointment, we will do our best to reschedule at a time that is convenient for you. An appointment may be rescheduled for any of the following reasons:

• Your service-provider on our staff is unavailable as they are not feeling completely well
• You are not feeling completely well. In this case, we will ask you to reschedule to protect our staff and other patients
• You are concerned about infection. Please read the rest of this post and talk to us about any remaining concerns you may have. If you are still concerned we will be happy to reschedule your appointment until after the risk of infection has passed.

The Facts About Coronavirus (What the Media Isn’t Telling You)

Despite the alarms raised by the media and the President’s declared state of emergency, Coronavirus is not a threat to the vast majority of individuals. The facts are:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the same virus that causes the common cold. It is only a concern because it is a new strain and we have not yet developed immunity to it. 95% of those infected will only develop cold symptoms, and, as with any cold, feel better in a few days to a couple of weeks.
• For the remaining 5%, they may develop flu-like symptoms. In very rare cases they may also develop bronchitis (an infection of the upper respiratory tract) or pneumonia (fluid in the lungs). Rest and a healthy diet will lead to a swift recovery in 99% of cases.
• Thus far, no healthy adult between the ages of 15 and 60, anywhere in the world, has died from Coronavirus. Deaths have been limited to the elderly, those who already have weakened immune symptoms from an existing condition, and very young children.
• The statistics show that deaths from Coronavirus may be no more likely than they are from the flu. While current statistics do show that Coronavirus deaths are higher than from the seasonal flu, this is the case with any new disease, as those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of infection and are often the first to contract the disease. As the disease runs its course and infects more people who are otherwise healthy, the percentage of deaths from the disease will drop. Many medical professionals believe that the final death rate from Coronavirus will be no higher than from seasonal flu.
• Most people who are exposed will either not contract the disease as their immune system will kill it immediately, or, they will not experience symptoms.

But don’t take our word for it. Here is a video from Paul Casey, MD, chief medical officer at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. If you are anxious about Coronavirus infection we do suggest you take a few minutes to watch this. We promise you will be reassured.

Who Is Really At Risk?

Coronavirus is indeed a threat to certain individuals, but it is very important to keep in mind that these are the same individuals who are at risk from the flu and other infectious diseases. These are:

• The elderly. Those over 60 who are in poor health are at greatest risk. If you are in this category or come in frequent contact with someone who is, you should take all measures to avoid infection, as you may pass it to them. Remember that as with the common cold and the flu, you may be infectious before you start to feel sick.
• Those who are already weakened from a pre-existing medical condition. If you are seriously ill or come in frequent contact with someone who has a serious chronic illness, you should take extra precautions. Such persons include those undergoing cancer treatment, those with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as emphysema, and those with advanced diabetes (both type 1 and type 2).
• Very young children. Children can be more strongly affected by respiratory-tract infections than adults. If you have children under the age of 8 who are not completely healthy, you should take extra precautions. Young, healthy children are not at serious risk. If they are infected, they will likely not develop anything more severe than cold symptoms.

Persons who do not fit the above descriptions should of course still take the following precautions, however, if you are infected, do not be concerned. Chances are very high that you will suffer no more serious symptoms than a cold or mild flu. If you do develop a respiratory tract infection, it will be uncomfortable and inconvenient but it is highly unlikely to be life-threatening. Once again, despite combing the internet, we could not find a single report of an otherwise healthy adult dying from Coronavirus.

How to Protect Yourself (From Coronavirus and Anxiety About Coronavirus)

Please don’t think we’re trying to convince you that Coronavirus is not a threat. However, many people are panicking and the media isn’t helping by almost gleefully reporting the numbers of deaths. While the numbers may sound worrying please remember that while COVID-19 has now been active for more than 2 months the number of global cases is far less than seasonal flu, and in the U.S. as of the most recent update from the Center for Disease Control only 1,629 cases have been reported. This is .0005 percent of the population or 1 person in every 164,000.

Thus far, less than 5 cases have been reported here in Delaware.

Please see this current infection map from the Center for Disease Control.

Every year the seasonal flu infects 3 to 5 million people resulting in up to half a million deaths. We take that in stride. While these deaths are tragic, as are the cases of anyone dying from Coronavirus, it is very important to remain calm. Anxiety will inhibit your immune system and place you at greater risk. The best defense against worrying about Coronavirus is to know the facts.

The Best Precautions You Can Take

There are a number of simple things you can do to greatly lower your risk of infection. These are:

1. Keep your hands away from your face. While it is possible to transmit Coronavirus (or the common cold, or the flu) by sneezing, most of the time when you get sick it is because you touched something with germs on it, then touched your mouth or your eyes. Remember that your tear ducts are a very common avenue for infection. Do not touch your eyes or your mouth with your bare hands. This is a very good habit to get into, as it will not only protect you from Coronavirus but other common infections as well.
2. Do not touch your food with your hands. Don’t put anything in your mouth that has been touched by human hands in the past hour. Viruses can’t live long on a dry surface but even a small amount of moisture will allow them to survive for longer, potentially for hours. Only touch your food with utensils that you know are clean. Do not touch the end of your silverware with your hands.
3. Do not shake hands. Yes, we know. It feels rude to refuse a handshake but this is a primary avenue of infection. As a culture, this is a practice we need to abandon anyway as it is one of the most common methods by which viruses are transmitted. The elbow bump is becoming recognized as an alternative. If you are concerned about offending someone by refusing a handshake we suggest the following explanation…”I’m sorry. I’m not feeling completely well and I’m a little concerned I may be getting sick. I would feel terrible if I infected you.” Most people will not only accept this explanation but appreciate your concern for their health.
4. Wash your hands 3 times per day. A 20 to 60-second washing with warm water and soap is the best method of keeping your hands free of infectious viruses and bacteria. While we should not touch our faces with our hands, often we do it unconsciously. Keeping your hands cleans is an excellent defense and will greatly lower your risk of infection.
5. Do use hand sanitizer where handwashing is not available. While the overuse of hand sanitizer is leading to more resistant strains of viruses and bacteria, it is a good alternative when soap and water cannot be accessed.
6. Don’t bother with a face mask unless you are sick. A face mask may assist in keeping an infection to yourself, but studies have shown it is not effective in protecting you from illness.

Finally, go about your normal life. Go to work or to school. Go to social engagements. Continue on with life as normal. This, combined with the above precautions is the best response to the current environment of fear.

We at MagnifaSkin look forward to seeing you at your regularly scheduled upcoming appointments.