In response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) global pandemic we remind everyone of our existing and some new health and safety policies which we will now be enforcing.
Please stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through our local public health authority. There is a lot of mis-information being shared on radio, TV and social media which is contributing to heightened panic.
So let’s keep it real and all do some of the simple measures that are recommended to stay healthy.
In Studio Classes
Patients attending physio exercise rehab or yoga classes, please:
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Bring your own towel to place on equipment.
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Wipe equipment down after use with our specially formulated spray. Your therapist will help with this.
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Bring your own water bottle to keep hydrated.
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Prior to class please wash your hands with soap, then dry with paper towel and then apply alcohol gel. This can be done in the toilet, at the central sink or in one of the treatment room sif they are not in use.
General Information
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All equipment in the studio and treatment rooms are cleaned daily with surface spray soap and then our essential oil spray. This spray, containing essential oils of tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary and lavender, is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial.
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We anticipate shortages in hand sanitiser alcohol gel but will have it available at every sink. More info on Hand hygiene can be found here but in general hand washing with soap is far superior to just using alcohol gel.
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We will be placing paper towel in every room for hand drying.
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Please dispose of all tissues, paper towels, items your nose or mouth has been in contact with in our bins.
Be cautiously responsible
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If you are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading, stay at home if you feel unwell, slight runny nose and headache. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen.
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Our late cancellation policy remains the same. This means we need 24 hours notice if you are unwell or unable to attend an appointment.
Boost your immune system
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Vitamin C both prevents and treats respiratory and systemic infections by enhancing various immune cell functions. We have Bioactivited Vitamin C an dother
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Many medicinal plants have excellent immune enhancing properties. Our naturopath can assist you by individually formulating a tincture for you.
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Maintaining your usual routine of exercise, sleep, work, socialising with friends and leisure activities is important for your health.
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Don’t panic!
This following is useful information written by Daniel Baden Director of BioMedica Neutraceuticals.
It would not be unreasonable to assume that by the time this piece is written our understanding of COVID-19 would have changed. There’s nothing like the threat of a potential global pandemic to bring the media to frenzy and invite a wide array of commentary from “experts”.
Fear is driven from the unknown, and relatively little is known about COVID-19. We can establish that the virus is highly contagious and spreading globally – quickly. For these reasons it has been tagged as a Class A infectious disease (requires compulsory response measures).
The most commonly reported symptoms include a fever, dry cough and tiredness. In the most severe cases, people with the virus can develop difficulty breathing, and may ultimately experience organ failure. Some cases are fatal. Many other individuals will just get a runny nose or a sore throat. Some people with the virus are completely asymptomatic.
Mortality rate is an often used parameter to help us grasp the seriousness of a health threat. In the case of COVID-19 the rate is around 2.3% (data varies on source from 1-3%). The vast majority (80%) of deaths is in those over 60 years old, three-quarters of whom had other disorders that may have made them more vulnerable including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Many media channels are remarking that the mortality rate is indifferent to the annual flu. Once again there are statistics and then there are statistics. When quoting flu associated deaths it would be reasonable to give the numbers context. Since flu statistics are gathered in wealthy nations they are far less dramatic than those in poorer nations with lesser healthcare services. Flu associated deaths also change significantly from year to year depending on the particular strain.
It may also be pertinent to consider comparative mortality per age group. By comparison the flu mortality rate in those over 64 years of age can be 67% (as a percentage of all deaths).
In respect to COVID-19 young people, on the other hand, appear to be better protected against the virus. A report by the World Health Organization and China, based on the 75,465 cases reported up to 20 February 2020, found that only 2.4% of cases were in those aged 18 or under. No-one knows if children aren’t catching the virus at the same rate as adults, or if they just don’t show symptoms when they do have the virus.
One of the concerns is the combination of COVID-19 and influenza. We are already hearing a push for flu vaccines in the elderly however an article published in Annals of Internal Medicine this month declared: “no evidence indicated that vaccination reduced hospitalizations or mortality among elderly persons.”
To be pragmatic, all we can focus on is what we do know. From a natural healthcare point of view all that we do know is that vitamin C is playing an important role. Based on experience from other potential epidemics coupled with recent success, Chinese health authorities have publicly recommended that vitamin C be used in high doses.
