Illness Precautions and Policies

COVID can be a contentious subject for many people - I know many of us are tired of dealing with it, and have adapted to various levels of precautions in our daily life. My goal with this page is to keep you up to date with the current precautions I am taking, as well as share what my policies in the clinic are. If you have any questions about this policy or my precautions, don’t hesitate to email me!

As many patients know, I have chronic health problems that are made worse by COVID and other viruses, so I am really appreciative of people being careful about illness exposure in the clinic. Additionally, I have many patients with compromised immune systems, so reducing exposure in the clinic is very important!

I know we've been dealing with COVID for over 4 years now, and it is easy to feel exhausted with it all. It can feel very isolating and awkward to be the only person wearing a mask in public or to ask people if they have tested for COVID - I feel it too! (Even writing this feels a bit awkward!) But again and again, I return to the idea that we truly need to practice and rely on community care and think of how we can best take care of each other.

Below, you’ll see the most current precautions, along with the date the policies were last updated. I will continue to update this page as needed, so check back if you have any questions.

Living with chronic illness can be tricky, and balancing it with providing a service to the public can make it even harder to navigate. I am so grateful for everyone’s help in keeping the clinic space a welcoming space for disabled people and helping to reduce transmission of illness to everyone!

-Kate

Current Fireweed Acupuncture Illness Policies

Last updated: December 1, 2024

What I am doing to protect you in and out of the clinic:

  • The treatment room always has a HEPA filter running. This filter is rated for a much larger space, so it replaces the air in the room multiple times per hour!

  • I'm not currently wearing a mask with all patients, but I am happy to wear one by request. I may choose to wear a mask depending on how I am feeling and/or what the data says about illness in the area.

  • I'm regularly cleaning frequently touched areas with appropriate cleaners.

  • I always take a COVID test when I’m unsure if my symptoms are allergies or an upper respiratory infection.

  • I reschedule appointments if I am feeling unwell or have been exposed to COVID.

  • I am fully vaccinated for COVID, and received the most recent COVID and flu vaccines in November.

  • I stay up-to-date on current COVID variants and their changing symptoms to know what symptoms to look out for.

What I ask you do to protect me (and other patients!):

This section used to be more complicated! But it really boils down to these two points:

  • If you feel unwell, regardless of whether or not it is COVID, please reschedule your appointment or switch to a virtual appointment. During a virtual appointment, I can provide home care suggestions to help with colds, such as food therapy (including specific teas, foods, etc.), hands-on practices like moxa or gua sha, herbal recommendations, and more. You can do many things at home to take good care of yourself, too!

    • Symptoms that indicate that you should reschedule include fever/chills, sore throat, lasting cough, extreme fatigue, unfamiliar or new body aches, changes to taste or smell, vomiting, extreme digestive symptoms, etc. If you’re not sure, contact me!

    • Please notify me as soon as possible if you need to reschedule; the late cancellation policy applies to any appointment rescheduled within 24 hours (see the Financial Policies for more information). Switching to a virtual appointment does not count as a late cancellation, so this is a good option if it is within the 24-hour window.

    • To change your appointment to a virtual appointment, email (kate@fireweedacupuncture.com) or text me!

  • As you recover, please wear a mask in the clinic if you have upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as coughing, frequent sneezing, sore throat, etc., even if you think it is allergies! You're, of course, welcome to wear a mask regardless of symptoms - but if you do have symptoms, please come prepared with a high-quality mask. If you don’t bring a mask, I will offer you one. If you decline to wear one, your appointment will be rescheduled, and you will be charged a late cancellation fee (the amount varies by appointment; see the Financial Policies for details).

    If you're not sure what to do about your appointment, don't hesitate to contact me! You can email or text me, and we can figure it out together.