Can I treat a client who has a cold, flu or COVID symptoms?

You can, and sometimes should, say no. There is no UK law that bans treating a client with a cold, but you owe a duty of care to your other clients and your team, and close-contact treatments put you within breathing distance for 30 to 90 minutes.

A sensible policy is to decline or postpone when the client has:

• A fever or high temperature, or feels hot, shivery or unwell. Heat-based treatments such as steam, wraps, hot stones and waxing raise body temperature further and add strain.
• Flu-like symptoms or a positive COVID test. NHS advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people while you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
• A heavy, productive cough or constant sneezing. Facials, lashes, brows and massage face-down or face-up mean your face is close to theirs.

A mild, dry-tickle cold with no fever is a judgement call. If you go ahead, keep it low risk:

• Wash hands before and after, and use fresh towels and couch roll.
• Offer a mask for you or them. Both are entirely reasonable.
• Avoid treatments that need your face close to theirs, such as lash extensions, and avoid heat treatments.
• Wipe down surfaces and tools afterwards.

Vulnerable clients raise the bar. If the next appointment is someone pregnant, immunosuppressed, undergoing chemotherapy or elderly, postpone the unwell client rather than risk it.

Put it in your booking terms: clients with a fever or flu-like symptoms should rebook, with no cancellation fee. Clients who are penalised for being honest will hide symptoms next time. As a therapist, if you are the one who's unwell, the same rule applies to you.

Record the postponement on the client's file so the reason is clear at rebooking.