We catch up with Anne-Marie to see how she is getting on with the new COVID rules and regulations

Monday 19th October

I have a day off today to relax and focus on self care – sometimes this is really hard to do, especially with so many other things that take up time and energy. It’s time to reflect on the past few months and see how things are going. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine does lift the spirits and I know that I always mention to my clients the importance of being outside in nature and taking time for oneself.

Thursday 22nd October

It’s suddenly a very busy week – I’ve not even had much time to do my diary entries! The week feels like it has flown by and I have had more bookings and client enquiries from people who are finding me on Google. I have two clients booked in today, so I am looking forward to doing the sessions.

Friday 23rd October

This week has been a really difficult week regarding news. The Prime Minister gave a statement and said that there would be a regional and local approach to controlling the virus. Each area has a Local COVID Alert Level. There are 3 Local COVID Alert Levels. These are called ‘tiers’ or known as a ‘local lockdown’. 

I check my postcode area and it confirms that the local COVID alert level is medium and lists what restrictions are in place.

Tuesday 27th October

The situation is changing daily, although this hasn’t stopped clients contacting me to book treatments. I think everyone is dealing with this situation in their own way; there are clients that feel that they need to come for a treatment to get some normality in their lives and really focus on their self care, and there are clients that feel too anxious to have treatments at this present time. All I can do is reassure my clients what I am doing to keep themselves and myself as safe as possible and ensure that they feel comfortable visiting me for a treatment. I keep up with the necessary government updates and news headlines but this week I limit my time spent on social media.

Friday 30th October

This week has seen further changes as different areas of the country experience varying levels of COVID Alert Levels. I have been monitoring the situation closely today and the area where I live is still on Medium Alert (Tier 1), however there are indications that the situation may change very quickly. This feels unsettling and it’s hard acknowledging that the situation may be like this for many months to come. 

Adjusting to not only the new way of working but the daily changes does take some doing and I imagine that we are all handling this in different ways. I like to plan ahead and know what I will be doing in the future and that is the one thing right now that can’t be certain.  

The post arrives and it is a letter from the local council saying that coronavirus cases in the area are rising locally and there is a clear danger of local lockdown unless we act and that the area is on a medium alert level. It advises that we follow all the rules (hand-washing, wearing face coverings, maintaining social distancing) and if we have symptoms to self-isolate. 

I also receive a government update which said that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Grant is being extended from 1 November 2020. The online service for the next grant will be available from 14 December 2020. HMRC will provide full details about claiming and applications in guidance on GOV.UK in due course.

The end of a busy week with lots of changes!

As we follow Anne-Marie’s journey, we would love to hear your stories, too. Can you relate to Anne-Marie’s experience? Have you felt overwhelmed by the information available? What have you struggled with/? Please share in the comments and please sign up to become a member of PPH to receive industry news and updates.

We would like to stress that all information given in our COVID series is not exhaustive and while we have tried to ensure that the information provided in this document is accurate, PPH cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. The COVID situation is constantly evolving and the information is changing on a daily basis. We urge you to closely follow your government, professional association and insurance company’s latest guidelines and updates, taking precedence over any recommendations communicated by PPH.