According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seasonal influenza causes an average of 36,000 deaths in the United States each year. The new strain of flu, known as H1N1 or swine flu, could mean an even higher toll this flu season. So when President Obama recently urged Americans to help prevent the spread of the flu, I took it as a challenge that could benefit both my clients and my business. I’ve always been hygiene conscious in my practice—I have a master’s degree in public health, after all—but I consciously recommitted myself to a set of practices designed to reduce the spread of viruses in my Pilates studio.
I got a flu shot at my first opportunity. I wash my hands or use hand sanitizer and wipe down the equipment after every client. I try always to cough or sneeze into my sleeve, and if I forget and sneeze into my hands, I immediately wash them. In addition to my regular cleaning routine, I disinfect the studio door handles each morning.
I have explained these measures to my clients and asked them to do their part by either washing their hands or using hand sanitizer when they arrive for their sessions. Although I was initially nervous about making this request, everyone has responded favorably. As with most prevention tactics, I’ll never know if these steps actually avert any serious illness. But I’ve already succeeded in building goodwill among my clients, and if I avoid catching just one cold, it’s more than worth the modest efforts.
* http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.ht
I got a flu shot at my first opportunity. I wash my hands or use hand sanitizer and wipe down the equipment after every client. I try always to cough or sneeze into my sleeve, and if I forget and sneeze into my hands, I immediately wash them. In addition to my regular cleaning routine, I disinfect the studio door handles each morning.
I have explained these measures to my clients and asked them to do their part by either washing their hands or using hand sanitizer when they arrive for their sessions. Although I was initially nervous about making this request, everyone has responded favorably. As with most prevention tactics, I’ll never know if these steps actually avert any serious illness. But I’ve already succeeded in building goodwill among my clients, and if I avoid catching just one cold, it’s more than worth the modest efforts.
* http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.ht
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