ANZACATA Guidelines for Art Therapists during COVID-19

Guidelines to Workplace Safety

• Use good hygiene practices, washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially before and after each client.

• Ask clients to do likewise and use the sign provided by Australian Physiotherapists on entry to your practice. Some members are emailing clients before visits to remind them of hygiene practices (and to make a new appointment if unwell).

• Practice ‘social distancing’, but perhaps explain the need for it and/or call it ‘physical distance’ (1.5 metres)

• It is reasonable and acceptable to ask clients who have travelled recently and have symptoms to make a new appointment in 14 days’ time
  

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces with detergent and disinfectant wipe/solution between each client.
  

• Take care to clean/disinfect surfaces in areas that clients have been directly in contact with or may have been exposed to respiratory droplets.
  

• Perform routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces with detergent/disinfectant solution/wipe at least daily.
  

• Floors should be cleaned using a detergent solution.

• Materials such as clay and sand that is used generally by more than one client should not be used.  If you were to use sand or clay, consider it "single use only" and toss at the end of the session.
  

• Use items such as pencils, pens, paintbrushes, scissors (that can easily disinfected) and then hand out paper, textiles or other materials so that the client doesn't come into contact with everything. This can be done sensitively, explaining to the client that you wouldn't want them to become physically ill.  Alcohol wipes are great because the alcohol evaporates

  (from member Marie Horvath)