Dear Clients,

I hope this message finds you all safe and comfortable during this time of social distancing to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This pandemic affects everyone. As you know, all of the Team Members at The Pet Sitter of Boise care about you and your fur babies. I appreciate how many of you are being forced to cancel travel and change your working situations as a result of the latest restrictions. I hope the virus is under control soon and that those affected recover. For those of you who still require pet sitters, and to address concerns about pet sitting in the future, I am writing to assure you that Team Members of the Pet Sitter of Boise have been and will continue using good hygiene practices. I am sending all of the Team Members reminders of good handwashing techniques and other methods to reduce the spread of disease. Included in those reminders is the following information, which you might find helpful, as well.

Preventing the Spread of the Virus: Hand Washing

A big way to prevent the spread of the virus is to wash your hands the right way:

  • Often
  • For at least 20 seconds
  • With soap and water
  • All surfaces of your hands, not just the palms

This video from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows proper handwashing technique and answers some questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d914EnpU4Fo&feature=youtu.be

If you can’t use soap and clean water, disinfect your hands using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% pure alcohol by volume (abv). I know many people are sharing recipes to make your own hand sanitizer. Please note that many alcoholic beverages contain far less than 60% alcohol. This article from Popular Mechanics explains what you need to know about DIY hand sanitizer: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a31265105/coronavirus-diy-hand-sanitizer/.

Preventing the Spread of the Virus: Don’t Touch Your Face

Diligently washing your hands is vital, but humans are tactile and our hands are supposed to be functional. We can’t live our lives with our hands in a sink full of soapy water. To add an extra layer of protection, avoid touching your face. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Don’t lick your fingers or chew on your cuticles or nails. Keep your hands away from your face (and other people’s faces) as much as you can. Keeping your hands away from your face will be difficult; people unconsciously touch their faces multiple times an hour. Just writing that sentence made my cheek itch! But do try not to touch your face.

Preventing the Spread of Any Disease of Human or Animal

To perform their jobs as pet sitters, Team Members need to go in and out of people’s homes. This means that they may touch many pets and surfaces. Good practice has always been to wash their hands between visits to avoid spreading both human and animal illnesses. I have reminded Team Members to always wash their hands:

  • On arrival and departure of each visit
  • Before and after touching any pets
  • Before and after touching any surface in the home

I’ve also asked the Team Members to consider using a piece of clothing, cloth such as a handkerchief, paper towel, or even a pet-waste collection bag when using doorknobs and handles, and to clean keypads, lockboxes, and the keys themselves before using them.

Preventing the Spread of the Virus: Interacting with Pets

Some information has emerged about one dog testing positive for a trace of coronavirus. However, this article explains why you shouldn’t panic. You should, however, always practice good hygiene around pets. The CDC has additional information about people with COVID-19 interacting with pets.

Preventing the Spread of the Virus: More Tips and Information

Social media, the news, your friends, and even strangers have a lot to say about COVID-19. Please use discretion about what you hear or read about the virus and any actions taken to combat the virus. If you doubt the information, check multiple legitimate sources that cite their sources in turn. Here are a few places to start:

Getting through This Together

I will do my best to keep you informed about any changes to these hygienic practices to keep us all safe. If you have any questions or concerns about how The Pet Sitter of Boise Team Members are doing their best to keep you, your pets, and themselves safe, please contact me.

Sincerely,
Julie Fredrick
Owner
The Pet Sitter of Boise

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