As worldwide anxiety about coronavirus continues to heighten, people are understandably worried about the possibility of being exposed to the disease anywhere they go, and that includes tanning salons. But, considering the ways coronavirus is transmitted, the cleaning protocol that Smart Tan certified salons adhere to, and previous evidence suggesting that acquiring any virus from tanning equipment is unlikely, clients should be assured that your salon is at least as safe as any public place they visit. 

According to the CDC, the virus is mainly spread from person-to-person “between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)” or “through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.”

“It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads,” the CDC says.

While the possibility exists that an infected person could touch doorknobs, counters or another surface in your salon, the same would be true of grocery stores, banks, or any other place someone visits. Furthermore, the cleaning protocol outlined in Smart Tan training includes frequent sanitization of all commonly touched surfaces around the salon and is likely more diligent than the procedures followed by the vast majority of other establishments.

The standards for cleaning tanning equipment are, of course, even more stringent. Equipment surfaces are sanitized after every use, following strict protocol and state regulations. Additionally, a tanning bed or booth is not regarded as a likely place to come in contact with any virus, in the first place. In 1993, Bob Howard, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, told Smart Tan that a tanning bed “wouldn’t be a good environment for viruses.” Howard called the chance of contracting any virus from a tanning bed “extremely remote.”

This information should be reassuring for concerned customers, especially considering how tanning beds are sanitized more often and more thoroughly than virtually anything else people touch. Regardless, please do remain diligent with your cleaning protocol, and do your part to protect your community by encouraging employees and clients to follow CDC guidance for preventing the spread of coronavirus, including washing their hands frequently and avoiding touching their faces.