COVID-19 Response
Is floating a safe practice during this time?
The short answer is yes.
Floating offers fivefold protection provided by the oxidizer (H2O2), high turnover 1 Micron filtration, UV sterilizer, AOP effect, and the added benefit of the supersaturated salt concentration all working together to provide a clean and safe environment.
What About Social Distancing?
Yes, we require social distancing. Our facility is more than 4,000 square feet with only 8-10 people in the facility at one time (including employees). The reception area alone is 2,000 square feet, enabling us to adequately social distance even while managing the details of your session.
How Do You Sanitize The Center and Float Rooms?
Our society’s recent obsessive focus on sanitization and cleaning has always been a daily focus for us. We’ve been obsessed with sanitization and cleaning since we opened in 2016. We will always be very open with our guests, especially when it comes to cleaning procedures. Your safety is our top priority.
A few things about our processes:
We operate our float tanks following the Standard set by the Floatation Tank Association (FTA), an organization working with health regulators and experts such as local health departments, the CDC, NSF, and The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC).
The FTA organization has been in operation since the 1980s with the mission to establish clear and effective float tank standards while communicating with regulators and the general public on behalf of the float industry.
Dr. Roy Vore, a microbiologist, and an expert on recreational water illness, is a volunteer on the board and serves as a resource for us as we navigate the best procedures for dealing with COVID-19. He states that “the virus is not spread in water, such as float water,” and “there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tube.”
Our float tanks contain 1,000 lbs of Epsom salts. In terms of salinity level, it follows the same “Specific Gravity” level as The Dead Sea, around 1.3 SG. The Dead Sea got its name for good reason: very, very few things can survive in it. As it is with float tanks. They are highly inhospitable environments for pathogens purely from having that much salt in them.
Besides the required pre-float shower, each tank has a 3 step filtering process that consists of a micron filter to filter out particulate matter, an ultra-violet (UV) sanitation and ozone purification system, and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide (an oxidizer)– a safe alternative to chlorine and bromine.
All of our float tanks are equipped with a 1-micron filter which captures material the size of the COVID-19 virus and is NSF (National Sanitation Federation) approved.
Skimmers are used to keep the surface clear.
The saltwater in our float tanks is filtered 5 times between every guest.
We go in after every guest to visually inspect our suites, and sanitize all commonly touched surfaces such as showers, benches, float tank walls.
In addition to salt and filtration, the interior surfaces of our float tanks are cleaned every single day with a sanitizing solution to ensure anything pathogenic cannot survive inside the float tanks.
We have doubled-down on sanitizing all high contact surfaces (handles, light switches, faucets/knobs) with EPA-registered hydrogen peroxide wipes by Clorox and diluted hydrogen peroxide.
What About Air Quality?
While you’re floating or sitting in our sauna you can rest assured that, on top of the sanitized sanctuary we’ve created for you, your air is held to equal standards.
We utilize industry-leading HVAC systems to purify the air. Germicidal UVC light disinfects the air and kills airborne bacteria and viruses as they pass through our HVAC.
The UVPhotoMAXTM air purifier uses UV light to kill millions of airborne bacteria and viruses (including the flu). UV is a well-known disinfectant, used since the 1930s in hospitals, doctors’ offices, pharmacy and food industries as well as water treatment. It simply inactivates microscopic organisms, rendering them harmless. It leaves no by-products and uses no chemicals. UV is a component of sunlight, nature’s way of controlling airborne microorganisms.
If I am concerned about safety when floating right now am I able to pause my membership?
We understand right now that many people are afraid to be out and about in public and we are happy to cancel your appointment without our usual requirement of 24 hours notice policy.
We just ask that you are genuine with us about the reason for your cancellation. Honesty and clear communication are top priorities for us.
If you feel symptoms and have a float booked?
Please call or email us and we will happily rearrange for you.
What if the team at Sonder Mind And Body Need to Cancel My Appointment?
It is paramount to us that you feel safe about coming to our space to rest, relax, and heal. If our team cannot assure a positive experience for you we will cancel your appointment and provide as much notice and information as possible.
I am Experiencing Financial Hardship Because of COVID-19, Can I Pause My Membership?
Absolutely. We’re in this together, and we understand that some people are experiencing financial difficulty as a result of workplace disruptions.
Our membership plans are designed with flexibility at their heart. We never want anybody to feel financially trapped; that’s the opposite of stress management, right?
If you’re having financial troubles, just let us know and we can easily pause your membership for however many months you might need. Accumulated member sessions can still be used, so you can continue your self-care. You don’t lose them just because you pause your membership.
We do not want there to be any concerns when you come to float with us, so please reach out if you have any other questions.
We are always in a state of obsessive awareness of sanitation and cleanliness and have even intensified our cleaning procedures in response to COVID-19.
Thank you so much for your patience during this challenging time, and to our members who had the means to keep their memberships active during this time. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!