By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 1: Operators of spa, wellness, massage and reflexology centres as well as beauty and nail salons must obtain approval from the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) which is subjected to inspections by local authorities prior to reopening of their businesses.
These businesses can resume their operations from today (Oct 1) with 80 per cent workforce capacity and customer capacity limited to 50 per cent.
The latest standard operating procedures (SOP) for Phase 3 of National Recovery Plan (NRP) enforced throughout Sarawak have also mandated operators and workers to undergo self-testing for Covid-19 with rapid antigen test-kit three days prior to opening of businesses.
Only fully vaccinated workers and customers are allowed to enter business premises with a face mask on the entire time.
Operators and all their staff including masseurs, therapists, nail technicians and any service providers are also required to get tested for Covid-19 with self-test kits once every two weeks.
Services must be provided based on appointments only whereby walk-in customers are not allowed, to avoid unnecessary crowding or waiting at the lounge or lobby areas.
The duration of a treatment or service session cannot exceed two hours.
Customers must leave the premises immediately after the end of each therapy and treatment session.
On operation protocols, floor plan arrangement must comply with at least two-metre distance between seating in the waiting lounge as well as treatment area for body massage, foot massage, shoulder and head massage, reflexology, spa, facial as well as pedicure and manicure.
Food, drinks, reading materials like magazines, newspapers and books and refresher towels cannot be provided, while services of sauna, steam bath and body scrub are not allowed.
Only one customer is allowed at a time per room, except for married couples, for treatment.
After a treatment or service session, the room, bed, chair and other equipment must be sanitised, while the bed sheet, pillow case and towel used must be changed after every customer.
The therapy and treatment room must be cleaned and sanitised after every customer and can only be used for the next customer one-hour after disinfection or sanitisation.
Operators should ensure workers and customers keep a safe distance of at least one-metre at counters, offices, general open areas and any facilities in the premises.
It is mandatory for operators to ensure good ventilation and airing within premises according to the guideline for Ventilation Improvement at Non-Residential Building or Space issued by State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
On safety protocols for workers, a face shield on top of a face mask is compulsory for all therapists during therapy and treatment sessions and these personal protective gears should be changed or sanitised frequently.
Operators must provide personal protective gears including gloves and sanitisers for their workers.
On housekeeping protocols, all used face masks, disposable wear, shower caps, plastic aprons, gloves and other general waste must be disposed properly.
Other basic SOP that must be in place for safe reopening including MySejahtera check-in or manual logs, hand sanitisers, body temperature scanners, physical distancing measure of at least one metre, indicators to guide the movement of people in and out of premises, high standard of hygiene, display of Covid-19 safety and prevention guidelines and wearing face masks at all times.
Once a premises is exposed to a Covid-19 case and if operator or worker tested positive, it must be closed for cleaning and disinfection before reopening to customers while all workers must undergo self-testing to ensure they are free from Covid-19. — DayakDaily
