24.03.2020   CLINIC CLOSURE - Protecting You

The Australian Federal Government ordered ALL NON ESSENTIAL services to cease at 12 midday, Monday 23 March 2020.

The Australian Federal Government included the cosmetic industry as part of the "Beauty and Personalised Services" category to cease at 12 midnight, Wednesday 25 March 2020.

It is important to understand that cosmetic injections are ELECTIVE procedures. That means they are NOT ESSENTIAL services.

Despite strictly adhering to every rule of infection control and COVID-19 screening measures to protect each and every client, the fact is a cosmetic injection procedure involves physically touching every person's face:

• around the EYES (brow, crows feet/eye lines, tear troughs)
• around the NOSE (nose, nasolabial/cheek folds)
• around the MOUTH (lips, lip lines, marionette folds)
• the whole FACE.

These are the specific areas we are told NOT to touch ourselves to prevent transmission.

Social distancing requires 1.5m between people. Physical distancing is not possible at all when injecting.

A public health emergency has been declared and all hospitals (public and private) Australia wide have now cancelled all ELECTIVE / NON ESSENTIAL surgeries, so the direction is clear.

Suppelle® made the medically ethical decision to close the clinic effective 24 March 2020. Suppelle will continue to sell skin care with mail deliveries.

Suppelle® will remain closed "until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless they are revoked or replaced" as per Queensland Health. (Clinic review 20 April 2020)

Client safety is and has always been a priority at Suppelle®.

Clients with existing appointments will be notified directly.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The World Health Organisation has announced that COVID-19 is a pandemic.

A pandemic is a widespread infectious disease that spreads quickly and widely among human or animal populations. Because the Coronavirus is new (December 2019), the global population is highly susceptible to infection. There is NO specific treatment for coronavirus COVID-19. 

Click here for the latest global statistics. Be aware that because testing in Australia has been restricted, our numbers will be higher than what is currently reported.

Click the following links for the latest information:

• World Health Organisation
• Australian Government Department of Health
• Queensland Government
• Queensland Health

A severe pandemic can disrupt a society and its economy. It can overwhelm a nation's health system and harm its trade. Borders have closed and overseas cities are in lockdown. The rules and restrictions are changing daily. A pandemic may force organisations and businesses to take extraordinary measures: staff management, customer management, the delivery of services and products may need to be adjusted or even stopped.

It is important that people understand the implications of their actions on the global community, the local community, businesses and at home. Are you endangering the health of others? Everyone is at risk. More severe cases are seen in those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease (including smokers), and those who are immunosuppressed (eg. cancer).

Let's quickly refresh:

CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS

• Fever
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath

Symptoms of viral infections can vary between people - some people may be carriers of the virus without any symptoms at all.

TRANSMISSION

COVID-19 is spread from person to person, most likely through:

• Close contact with an infectious person
• Contact with droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze
• Touching objects or surfaces (like door knobs or tables) contaminated by cough or sneeze droplets from a person with COVID-19 infection, AND THEN touching your face, nose, eyes. 

COVID-19 may survive on surfaces from a few hours to several days, depending on the environment.

PROTECTION

Protect yourself and others from getting sick - WASH YOUR HANDS:

• after coughing or sneezing
• when caring for the sick
• before, during and after you prepare food
• before eating
• after toilet use
• when hands are visibly dirty.

Clean Hands Save Lives!

Queensland Health 6 Steps to Successful Everyday Handwashing

World Health Organisation Myth Busters

EXTRA MEASURES AT SUPPELLE

Suppelle® has a client base that ranges from 19 - 84 years of age. These people all have different health conditions, different family lives, work arrangements, social lifestyles and commitments. In order to protect everyone from COVID-19, we all must play a part in keeping everyone as healthy and safe as possible when visiting the clinic.  

Infection Control

• All clients will be asked extra health questions specific to Coronavirus. Close attention will be made to COVID-19 symptoms and behaviours. Your honesty and compliance is appreciated.
• All clients must use hand sanitiser on entry to the clinic, when entering the treatment room, and every time they touch their face. Hand sanitiser is supplied by Suppelle®.
•  As per standard policy, Suppelle® is strict on hand sanitiser and hand washing during all consultations and procedures. Suppelle® uses disinfectant wipes on all surfaces, sterile and disposable dressing packs, syringes, needles, gloves and covers on devices. Masks will be worn for universal precautions for specific treatments. 
• If you work in direct physical contact with people, Suppelle® requests that you do not wear your potentially contaminated work uniform into the clinic. Please either shower and change before your appointment, or book your appointment on your day off. 
• Please do not bring children to your appointment, especially if they are wearing their school uniform that could be potentially contaminated. Children are attending school and congregating in large numbers (possibly more than the 500 limit of outdoor requirements) and social distancing and hygiene requirements cannot be guaranteed. Children may be carriers of the coronavirus without showing symptoms.

Social Distancing

•  Sadly there will be no handshakes or hugs with greetings. Elbow bumps are also declined by Suppelle® (everyone is coughing and sneezing into their elbows right?!)
• As per standard policy, Suppelle has always allocated a 15 minute gap between clients to allow for normal sanitising procedures between client treatments, documentation and client privacy. This is still enough time to allow sanitising of additional items.
• As per standard clinic layout, the 12m2 waiting room area has only 2 armchairs. The 14m2 treatment room has one armchair, one desk chair, one beauty stool and one examination bed. Including myself and a maximum of 2 clients at any time meets the indoor criteria of one person per 4m2. Please do not bring extra people to your appointment.
• If you have travelled domestically using public transport (planes / ferries / trains / buses) where the social distancing requirement of 1.5m was not possible, or one person per 4m2 indoors was not possible - please reschedule your appointment for 14 days from the date of your last travel fare.
• If you have attended any crowd gathering (indoor event with more than 100 people, outdoor event with more than 500 people) OR if you have attended any crowd gathering (indoor event <100 people, outdoor event >500 people) where social distancing requirements have not been met (1.5m distance or 1 person/4m2) - please reschedule your appointment for 14 days after your last travel date.

SHOULD I ATTEND MY APPOINTMENT OR RESCHEDULE?

As per standard policy: You must be 100% well for ALL treatments.

If you can confidently answer NO to all questions you may attend your appointment. If you answer YES to any questions or are unsure, please call Suppelle® to discuss the issue and reschedule your appointment. 

• Do you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms? (fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, shortness of breath)
• Have you been overseas in the past 14 days?
• Have you been in close contact with someone who has been overseas in the past 14 days?
• Have you tested positive for COVID-19? 
• Have you been in close contact with someone who has tested positive to COVID-19? (this includes your home and workplace)
• Are you or have your been in quarantine/self-isolation?  
• Have you been in close contact with someone who has been or is in quarantine/self isolation?
• Have you attended any crowd gathering (indoor event with more than 100 people, outdoor event with more than 500 people) in the past 14 days?
• Have you attended any crowd gathering (indoor event <100 people, outdoor event >500 people) where social distancing requirements have not been met (1.5m distance or 1 person/4m2) in the past 14 days?
• Have you travelled domestically using public transport (planes/ferries/trains/buses) where the social distancing requirements have not been met (1.5m between people or 1 person/4m2) in the past 14 days?
• Do you work in direct contact with people where the social distancing requirements cannot be met? (eg. healthcare, schools)
• Do you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease (do you smoke)? Do you have cancer? Are you immunosuppressed? You may wish to reschedule to avoid any risk of exposure until the virus settles.
• Are you 60+ years old? You may wish to reschedule to avoid any risk of exposure until the virus settles.

Thank you for your compliance and understanding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If any client becomes unwell with COVID-19

AND their appointment was within the 14 days prior to developing symptoms,

PLEASE inform Suppelle® AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.