@ PRESENT : (1 Jan 2024)
I removed the question about wanting me to wear a mask because no one says “yes” anymore. If you wish me to, say so in your appointment’s “Booking Notes”. I do wear one when I feel I’ve been overly exposed to anything and always when trimming more than a mustache on the face.
The fan still blows across us and I’m running version 3 of the air purifier (a big white box*) constantly while open. This one uses only MERV 10s instead of 12s, so we’ll see. Seems every 8 months I have to rebuild it.
Very few clients still mask though they will always be welcome to. I prefer masks whose straps do not crush the hair on the back of your head. Worry not: by now I’m a master at ear strap manipulation.
*About the Box
In February 2023 I built version 2 of my Corsi-Rosenthal box in the center of the shop to scrub the air of anything that may be in it–virus carriers, bacteria, allergens, odors or cut hair. Seems to work–first one built in MAY 2022 was filthy by then.
(BTW: Another good article about the history of this DIY air scrubber can be found on theconversation.com.)
IN THE FUTURE :
Masks years from now?
I will always welcome masks on any client any time of year.
Will Amanda’s stay Appointment-Only ?
Yes!
Despite my strong refusal to take appointments prior to Covid-19, I have discovered I’m much happier operating this way due to better time management & self-care.
Any further changes to business practices will be made with as much advanced notice as I can provide. The sudden switch from walk-ins to appointments in May 2020 hurt business far more than y’all’s fear of infection.
For Even Safer Service do any one of the following or all to be Safest:
– #1 make sure no air escapes around your mask, breathe thru it!
– wear 2 masks of different styles, like cloth over surgical/N95
– minimize talking–feel free to zone out, nap, text, read, whatev’s.
– don’t make me laugh (forceful exhales expel more aerosols)
When known exposed I will get tested and inform clients as needed.
IN THE PAST :
In case you’re curious to know how the pandemic impacted this close-contact business:
In April 2020 TN Gov. Lee ordered us closed while the Dept. of Commerce and Insurance (under which I am licensed to practice) wrote up 4 pages of guidelines for barbers, cosmetologists, aestheticians, manicurists, shops and salons to follow in order to prevent infection.
Six weeks later, with this guidance (based on what was known/assumed at the time) and only 6-days to prepare we were able to reopen in May.
The most impactful guideline — do not use a waiting room!
Thus, commenced my operation by appointment with NO broad advanced notice given to the general public. Thanks Gov. Lee.
In September of 2020 I was contact-traced by the state and did a week of quarantine after contacting all my scheduled clients.
In Nov. a client informed me he had tested positive after his cut, but by then I had already planned to voluntarily close following Thanksgiving*.
I contacted all those booked and told them I was willing to wear two masks if they trusted me to come in anyway. Some did, some waited for my negative test result before coming in, while others chose not to risk it at all.
* Having heard how clients were planning to celebrate and being very close loose mask wearing, I did not wish to go into/through the traditionally busy Christmas haircut season constantly getting exposed and having to contact and cancel numerous appointments. Nor did I wish to get Covid or bring it home.
I was closed for 8 weeks–Dec. 2020 – third week in Jan. 2021. I reopened when case counts returned to where they had been when I’d closed and the most vulnerable individuals had had access to vaccines.
Many clients did not wait for me to reopen, nor return once I did.
Some clients who did said they had covid right after one of those holidays.
Since then I have only closed for vacations and when open tried to balance preventing infection with many people’s strong desire to not wear a mask. So far, I believe I’ve been successful. ~ aL, 3 Oct. 2022