CORONAVIRUS PLAN OF ACTION
The COVID-19 outbreak has now taken a definite turn in our economy. Most schools and universities are migrating to online classes until further notice. On Tuesday, March 11th, President Trump gave a televised address from the Oval Office wherein he described the World Health Organization’s declaration that this is a global pandemic. For cryotherapy this finally hit home when IHRSA was cancelled in San Diego. Cryo Innovations is a long-time exhibitor at IHRSA as are many of our colleagues and friends. Due to the entire impact of the outbreak we have developed the following plan of action for our clients and colleagues in the recovery field. This article contains active links to official government websites to help you in your research.
What to do in your shop
It goes without saying that cleaning with appropriate cleaning materials is mandatory. We recommend wiping down any high-touch surfaces every hour at a minimum. In our own showroom we wipe down all high-touch surfaces after each client. If you run out of Clorox wipes or similar brands you can make your own sanitizer with household bleach. Remember: never mix bleach with ammonia or any ammonia containing substances. According to the Department of Health and Human Services you can use:
“⅓ cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water or 2 tablespoons bleach per 1 quart water. This will give you a 1000+ ppm disinfecting solution. After cleaning the area with detergent, spray or wipe with surfaces with the disinfectant. Make sure to allow surfaces to fully air dry.” ²
The Centers for Disease Control affirms this “⅓ cup of bleach per gallon” rule, with more information about using your own bleach available here. Make sure to read the labels on your bleach carefully and any MSDS information, as well as use complete Personal Protective Equipment, including (but not limited to):
Rubber gloves
Eye protection
Skin and clothing protection
Proper ventilation in the area you are cleaning
Also make sure to color-safe test any bleach solution in an inconspicuous area before spraying anything that might lose color, such as fabric or cloth surfaces. When you wipe down any surface make sure you let the wet surface air dry. We do not recommend using any bleach solutions in your cryotherapy chamber’s interior fabric as this may change the color, damage the fabric, or emit a foul odor.
Instruct your staff to sanitize and wipe down any high-touch surfaces such as:
Doorknobs
Light switches
Toilet handles
Sink fixtures
Arms of chairs in reception areas
Railings
Phones
Coffee Pot handles
Keyboards and computer terminals
Anything else that might be touched regularly
What to tell your staff
Employees who are sick should simply stay home. If you employ many people it may be time to offer work-from-home systems. That decision should be based upon your location and the direction of your local governments. For staff that are working inform them that everyone should help in the hourly wipe-down with sanitizer. Lead by example: hand out materials and sanitize your business as a team effort.
What to tell your clients
Tell your clients the truth. Tell them that you are just as concerned as they are and that you are taking full precautions. You can review the World Health Organization’s website that provides a daily update that is more accurate than the news channels. With so much information on the news and internet is difficult to determine what reports are accurate. You can offer a better service to your clients by only quoting or referring to legitimate government websites.
How to Communicate
Clients may not want to touch the tablet or fingerprint reader. They will feel more at ease if they witness you wipe down the tablet and chamber door-handle before they do their session. Make sure to use only electronic-safe wipes for your tablet. It may also make clients feel better if you use a stylus to operate the tablet instead of your finger. Make sure to wash your robes, gloves, and slippers daily, and offer your clients latex gloves to wear inside of the cold-weather glove during their session. Some clients may want to bring their own PPE slippers/gloves/robe into your store. This should always be allowed as long as the slippers and gloves offer the same or better protection than the ones you received from Cryo Innovations.
Does Cryo Kill Coronavirus?
This is unknown and should not be communicated without current and peer-reviewed clinical documentation from a governing authority. We recommend that you do not say that low temperatures kill any virus. However, if the subject arises you can always point out that cryotherapy helps to reduce inflammation. Cryo is good for maintaining a healthy exercise routine and a healthy person has a better response to any virus than a non-healthy person.¹
What not to say. What not to do.
It is not helpful to claim things as true when they are merely subjects of a clinical study. It can be tempting to claim that cryotherapy does all sorts of things, but please show an emphatic restraint during this emergency. For example, it has been studied and documented that 10 sessions of whole body cryotherapy may improve white blood cell counts. While this may be true it is simply unethical to use it as a selling point during a pandemic. Also make sure to avoid stating any of the following:
Do not say that cryotherapy cures, prevents, or treats any disease. It does not.
Do not say that cryotherapy helps to prevent colds or “getting sick.”
Don’t downplay your client’s concerns. Their fear is legitimate and they may have people in their family more at risk than you.
Don’t make jokes.
Founded on facts: for peer-reviewed articles, scholarly journals, and articles cited above please see the below sources.
Note that cryotherapy in and of itself does not make anyone “healthy” or better. Cryotherapy is an adjunct modality to aid in maintaining an already healthy lifestyle.
Do not drink this water. This 1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water ratio is for surface use only and is not safe to drink. Do not leave any uncovered containers that may be accessible to pets or children.
NOTICE: Information contained within this website and on all materials, communications, or presentations by Cryo Innovations and Cryo Recovery Lounge is for informational purposes only. Whole Body Cryotherapy, infrared sauna, hyperbaric chamber, and any and all recovery methods described and/or offered by Cryo Recovery Lounge or Cryo Innovations are neither designed nor advised for treatment or cure of any illness or disease. No cryotherapy chambers (including the XR) have been tested or approved by the FDA. Please consult with your medical professional before beginning any cryotherapy or recovery method. All material contained within this site is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission. All rights reserved. For permissions contact Cryo Innovations.