Ghost in the Machine Shop Protocol
Hello to our clients old and new, and thanks so much for choosing to get tattooed at Ghost in the Machine. The COVID-19 health crisis has substantially affected the way we need to work as tattooers, both voluntarily and by state regulation, so we’d like to give you a rundown of the protocol and environment you can expect in the shop upon your visit. Please understand that our new rules and practices are for the safety of everyone, and follow the advice and guidance of health officials and caregivers. We’re going to do everything in our power to help you adjust to the new shop environment and make your appointment as stress free as possible given the situation. Here is a rundown of what to expect and prepare for:
- Everyone in the shop will be wearing a mask at all times and we require you to do so as well. We understand the discomfort associated with wearing one but this is non-negotiable. If you feel you can’t wear one we’ll be happy to have you on a list to re-schedule when we feel safe no longer needing them. We can provide you with a new 3-ply surgical mask if you don’t have one.
- In addition to this you can expect us to also be wearing safety glasses or a face shield while tattooing you. Your artist may choose not to tattoo certain areas of your body that he thinks might bring your faces in unnecessarily close proximity, such as the neck or chest. You can discuss this with them.
- To keep the amount of people in the shop to a minimum, we are unfortunately requiring you to come to your appointment alone. For the same reason we ask that you not arrive too early as we cannot allow you to wait in the lobby. Five minutes prior to your appointment will be enough time to fill out some paperwork.
- In addition to our standard medical release form, we now have a questionnaire specifically relating to COVID-19 and your possible exposure to it. This is the other attachment in this email; we are providing it to you now to save everyone time and confusion. If you have answered “yes” to the first three questions we will need you to re-schedule your appointment. You can print and fill it out before you arrive or we can provide you with a hard copy here.
- As we are working by appointment only now, the shop door will be locked at all times. Just give a wave or a phone call when you’re at the door, please don’t knock as it will become a commonly touched area if everyone does and thus a health hazard. When you enter Sam will take your temperature with a no-touch thermometer, if you are above 99.5 we’ll need you to re-schedule. We apologize for the intrusion but find it necessary for the safety of everyone. After this we ask that you use some hand sanitizer provided before you fill out paperwork. Don’t forget your ID!
- If you have been to the shop before you know that there are some tight areas to navigate. Please do your best to maintain social distancing, keeping at least 6’ from everyone when you’re not being tattooed.
- Each station will have a clean bin for you to put your belongings into before you get tattooed. Our goal is to minimize the handling and exchange of objects in the shop.
- We will accept payment through PayPal, Venmo, and credit card, but we prefer cash if possible. Unfortunately we need to charge 3% if you use credit card or PayPal, there is no additional charge for Venmo.
- We would like to assure you that as always, the entire work area of each station will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between clients. Any quality tattoo shop has always been one of the cleanest businesses you’ve been in, including prior to this pandemic!
We at Ghost in the Machine understand that none of this makes getting tattooed any easier and we wish it didn’t have to be this way. We’ll see what the “new normal” means for the tattoo shop environment in the future, only time will tell. In the meantime we truly appreciate your continued patronage and support. The lockdown this year has made us appreciate our work and our clients that much more, expect us to work harder than ever to provide you with the best tattooing experience possible. Thanks so much, let’s make some great tattoos!