As we watch portions of the country begin to reopen, I've received several inquiries on how long before I'll begin accepting new appointments. Overall, most clients (and future clients) are simply eager to get back to business as usual. What I want to talk about in this post is that "business as usual" for most shops and restaurants is likely very far down the road. For businesses that are health department regulated, we know that drastic changes are coming down the line. We expect and foresee that need. However, for clients and patrons, some of the safety measures being announced may seem over-the-top and dramatic. I want to bring you to our side so that, first, you know what to expect when you walk into a business post-covid. Secondly, I want you to understand why it might seem like businesses are overreacting (depending on who you ask).
What we know about covid-19 is evolving daily. My job involves not only being in an individual's personal space bubble, but also, obviously, creating open wounds on that individual. I feel that tattooers have a particular responsibility to take the virus very seriously. Tattooers have been fighting an outdated stigma that our profession is dirty and dangerous for decades. By now, it's clear that any tattooer worth a damn puts their client's safety above all else and because of this I think it's important for tattooers to look ahead. As the early studies begin to emerge, we're just now learning of what the potential long term effects of covid could be. Permanent damage to the lungs, heart and liver are among the many complications that researchers are beginning to discover. After years of giving the same old speeches on bloodborne pathogens, I believe that tattooers have the chance to step up and be ahead of the curve on preventative measures for covid safety. Watching the news this week, I can detect a hint of audacity in the coverage of salons and tattoo shops reopening. When, first of all, it is safe to reopen, I believe that industries like ours have a unique opportunity to be leaders in preventative measures. As I touched on earlier, this will look different. We keep hearing the phrase "we're in this together" and it will be just as important going forward. Businesses will need to bring innovation and forethought, while clients and patrons must bring patience and understanding. Once a tattoo shop reopens post-covid, you can expect that access will be different. Either by mandate or voluntary precautions, it's likely that lobbies will be closed to the general public and appointments will be encouraged to limit interaction. Be prepared for this. Phone calls and emails may be the norm for a while. Have patience as well because there will be an influx. Expect that there may be extra time needed for cleaning and prep. Again, pack your patience when you leave the house. Face coverings may be required for both the artist and client. If you're not a "mask person" please know that it's not necessarily about you. I know within my own pool of clients that several have immediate family with compromised immune systems. In asking you to wear a mask, I may be more worried about my next client's spouse or child. We know that this virus can be spread without showing any symptoms. Even the young and healthy should treat themselves as carriers when in public. As we move forward, know that this pandemic will have a permanent mark on the landscape of tattooing. From industry leaders down to the individual artists around the world, we're all determining at this moment what the future could demand of us. Covid-19 has and will continue to change our lives. Lastly, I want to encourage all of us, tattoo collectors and artists to move forward with open minds and hearts. Put aside Facebook, politics and anything else that might cause you to add a glaze of pre-conceived notions to this situation. What we want to do is to treat this like the threat that it potentially is. This is all so new and, as the phrase goes, "you don't know what you don't know." What will this situation look like in 5 years? I want to be able to look back and say that I was too careful rather than I didn't care enough. This won't be as easy as it sounds for a lot of people. Tattoo artists, piercers, hair stylists and the like haven't made money in weeks. Some won't know what the right path is and some will have to make some difficult sacrifices to get there. Like the spread of the virus from one city in China, we'll see decisions that set off chain reactions with long lasting effects. My advice to you (and to myself) is a concept from the Tao Te Ching, "The highest good is like water." In the face of a changing global landscape, may we all proceed like water in it's ability to flow effortlessly through, around, over and under whatever obstacle it faces. It erodes away the sharp edges and nourishes along the way. Water isn't watching the clock or wishing things weren't changing so fast. Water doesn't know what the future holds but it adapts, and so will we. Sources: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext https://hms.harvard.edu/news/coronavirus-heart https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/health/2020/04/28/coronavirus-rules-apply-barbershops-salons-reopen-nashville-tennessee/3032887001/
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AuthorSummer Hamrick at Now or Never Gallery |