Summary

1. Health care providers, such as osteopaths, are exempt from the traffic light system.
2. We will decline treatment if we feel you pose a risk to our clinic. This risk is effectively mitigated by getting tested.
3. We have a duty of care to our patients, our loved ones and ourselves.
4. Covid has and will significantly disrupt our business.
5. Having our clients be Covid tested is our best means of staying open.
Do I need to be vaxxed to attend?
No. The law is quite clear that we can not dictate who we treat based on their vaccine status. But we appreciate you informing us of your vax status as part of our wider risk assessment and management. A key part of this management strategy is covid testing.
You do need to follow the usual covid protocols - sign in, stay home if sick, wear a mask (properly please) etc

What is your risk assessment?
We will ask additional questions to the usual Covid questions around locations of interest and symptoms. These questions will include your job, hobbies and living situation. These are questions we generally ask anyway and help us get to know you as a person. If you are somebody who has reasonable exposure to risky environments, then we will ask you to be tested during times where Covid is present.
Why does it matter?
We appreciate that there is a diverse range of thoughts on covid 19 and vaccines. But our reality is that when a person comes through TLC who carries covid 19, our shop becomes a location of interest. This means we have to close, deep clean, self-monitor for symptoms and cancel 90+ bookings that other people in pain needed. There is then the loss of income to contend with. This is all made much worse if our staff then come down with the virus. Whilst we expect this scenario to eventually play out, we would really like to minimize the number of times it happens -and of course, avoid it completely if possible! We have strict clinic protocols in place that staff are following. These include regular covid testing and thorough clinic cleaning in addition to masks, face shields, ventilation, air purifiers etc.
How can patients help?
This is actually the easy part. Vaccinated or not, if you work or play in a risky environment - such as a gym, church, night clubs, health care, school, hairdresser etc then please be getting yourself tested on a weekly basis as covid cases increase. This step will make a huge difference in ensuring we are open and able to treat you. We accept whatever formal test you find the most accessible. We do not do the testing on-site. We can not legally make you get tested, or refuse you on the basis of getting tested, nor do you have to tell us your test results! We are, however, kindly asking for your help on this one. If you are unvaccinated we would like you to let us know and to be extra cautious by also getting tested. We will not turn people away based on their risk or vaccine status. But we will organize our week so that mums bringing in babies, or immune-compromised people are seen in the safest possible way.
Disagree?
That’s ok. This is a very tricky time and not all of our decisions will be right, nor will they please everyone. If you have any constructive feedback, we would love to hear it.
On a more personal note....
Covid and the current environment is an absolute pain in the butt. Writing blogs like this brings us no joy - It's not what we got into osteopathy for. We got into osteopathy to help our patients do what they love, to get them back to work and to enjoy time with their loved ones. Now it would seem that it is our patients turn to do the same for us. Getting tested will keep us doing what we love, keep us open for business and enable us to spend time with loved ones.

All of us at -
TLC osteopaths
Hamilton Nz
Www.TLCosteopaths.nz
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