COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Cherry Blossom Healing Arts uses standard, transmission-based, and staff safety precautions recommended by OSHA, the CDC, and the DC Department of Health to keep our office clean and safe. As of March 25th, 2021, all acupuncturists and staff have recieved the both doses of their vaccine. 

Standard Protocols

Hand Hygiene

All staff at Cherry Blossom Healing Arts will sanitize their hands:

• Immediately before touching a patient
• Before performing an aseptic task (e.g., inserting an acupuncture needle)
• After touching a patient or the patient’s immediate environment
• After contact with blood, body fluids, or surfaces
• Immediately after glove removal

Personal Protective Equipment

• Patients, administrative staff, and acupuncturists shall wear masks at all times in the clinic, covering both the mouth and nose
• Acupuncturists must wear protective eyewear when within 6 feet of patients
• There should always be a physical barrier (e.g., plexiglass) between administrative staff and patients

Transmission-Based Protocols

Scheduling Protocols

• Patients who are at risk of transmission will be rescheduled until they have a negative test or the then-recommended amount of time (10 days as of 6 December 2020) without symptoms has passed
• Patients are deemed to be a risk if they have had exposure to someone with a positive COVID-19 test within the past 10 days or have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (e.g., cough, fever, body aches)
• All patients will be screened via email 24 hours before their appointment; any patients who do not pass the screen shall be rescheduled
• Patients who travel shall follow DC Department of Health guidelines, which currently require a mandatory 3-day quarantine after travel and then a COVID-19 test to be taken

In-Office Protocols

• All patients who pass their pre-screen shall also have their temperature checked; any patient with a temperature of 100.4 or above shall immediately leave the office and be rescheduled via phone or email
• HEPA air filters shall run in the waiting room and all treatment rooms
• Staff shall wipe down acupuncture table, face cradle, pillow cases, handles and counters with a List N EPA-approved COVID-19 disinfectant after each patient is treated
• Staff shall wipe down bathroom sink, toilet handle, and door handles hourly with a List N EPA-approved COVID-19 disinfectant
• Staff shall wipe down all counters, handles, door knobs, and chairs in the clinic with a List N EPA-approved COVID-19 disinfectant

Operations Protocols

• Only one acupuncturist will treat at a time
• Each acupuncturist will use three rooms to allow at least 30 minutes to elapse between treatments in that room
• Patients will be escorted to and from their treatment rooms to avoid contact with other patients as much as possible
• Payment methods will be stored online to minimize the need for contact with administrative staff
• Waiting room literature and our tea bar will be suspended
• If a patient only needs herbal medicine or nutrition support, they are encouraged to use telemedicine