Following a lot of thought and consideration, I've decided to pierce only at Iconic Tattoo & Piercing in Detroit, Michigan. I plan to work there twice per year, most likely. For the foreseeable future, I do not plan to continue touring around the country as I had been.
Well, I pierced in Detroit for seven days in late July and early August 2022. On the one hand, it was wonderful to see clients, pierce again, and circulate out in the world a bit. And, on the other hand, working in an N95 respirator definitely makes the job more challenging. (I do not share indoor air with those outside of my household.)
I've got a lot of respect and admiration for those who regularly wear them under any circumstances (medical and otherwise). There's the physical aspect, but also, it is really hard to perform an intimate act like piercing genitals and nipples when I cannot see the faces of my clients, or share mine. The barrier and distance it creates is most unwelcome.
I'll admit that travel is also much less pleasant than it used to be, and it wasn't exactly a picnic before. Between delayed and canceled flights, significantly elevated fares, and nearby passengers coughing incessantly throughout a trip, I'm not loving it.
As of this writing, I've managed to avoid contracting Covid, and I'd like to keep it that way. For the time being, I am not adding any dates to my schedule. I have no idea what the future will bring, but I have hopes that it will get easier and better going forward!
Well, covid cases came down following a massive omicron wave, and I have booked a few days to pierce in Las Vegas on June 11-12, 2022 at Club Tattoo in the Miracle Mile Shops. I have cautioned clients NOT to make any non-refundable travel arrangements, since I will postpone if there is another surge.
I'm up to date with my vaccinations (according to the CDC guidelines), and I require proof of the same of my clients. If cases remain low, then I'm going for it! Masks are required in the studio, and I request that they be well fitting and worn properly over both the nose and mouth ad tall times.
I am SO excited to pierce again! Looking forward to it and hoping there's not another surge in cases at that time.
December 1, 2021
Well, covid cases came down following a massive omicron wave, and I have booked a few days to pierce in Las Vegas on June 11-12, 2022 at Club Tattoo in the Miracle Mile Shops. I have cautioned clients NOT to make any non-refundable travel arrangements, since I will postpone if there is another surge.
Cases have continued to rise in some regions of the US and to fall in others. Very recently, the omicron variant was discovered, and much more needs to be learned before we have an understanding of the potential impacts. So, I have no idea yet as to how that may factor into my travel decisions going forward.
I had been thinking that I'd be willing to travel to a place where community transmission levels are below 10 cases per 100,000 population as mentioned in my prior update from November. (That's the level the CDC describes as "low" transmission/risk.) Then I realized that many of my clients fly or drive in from other areas. Sometimes, most of my clients are from other regions. I remember one Atlanta trip where I pierced people from 21 other states and 3 other countries (as far away as Israel)--and only a handful of locals. So, really, it makes sense to wait until there are sustained levels of transmission throughout the US are at that low level.
Confirmed cases reported in the US have risen back up again to a rate of over 100,000 new cases daily. There have been 1,244,195 new confirmed cases in the last 2 weeks of November. People, this is not good! It may seem like life is back to normal wherever you are, but there is still a RAGING global pandemic taking place. Cases in Europe are rising again, and more stringent measures are being put back into place in some areas to deal with the heavy surges. Historically, the US has followed the same disease patterns as Europe, though several weeks to months later. Again--not good.
I have not resigned myself to becoming infected, and I am continuing to avoid risks as much as possible.
I saw that two planes containing a total of 600 people were tested upon arrival at their destination, and 61 passengers were covid positive! That's more than 10% of the other people sitting with you on the plane who are infected--and infectious! This does not inspire me to want to travel....
I'm still holding out some hope for the world returning to a semblance of normal, and that infection levels will eventually fall to a level with which I feel comfortable. In the same way that I don't take chances with the health of my clients, I don't take chances with my own. I appreciate your understanding. Stay safe!
I'm up to date with my vaccinations (according to the CDC's guidelines), and if cases remain low, then I'm going for it! Masks are required in the studio, and to secure an appointment with me, it is necessary that you are also up to date with your vaccinations (and provide proof).
I am SO excited to pierce again! Looking forward to it and hoping there's not another surge in cases at that time.
Update November 4, 2021
I'm in a holding pattern. Things seem to be looking up in some places, yet not so much in others. I'm continuing to monitor the situation carefully. I REALLY DO want to get back to piercing. But international travel (I live in Mexico and work in the US), and being in a small, enclosed space with a steady stream of clients for eight hours a day is still riskier than feels comfortable to me.
When the 14-day incidence falls and remains below 10 cases per 100,000 population of an area (the rate considered by the CDC to be "low risk for community transmission") I will happily travel again! If you see your region in that zone, feel free to let me know and I'll keep an eye on it for potential travel. Meanwhile, there's still a global pandemic with high rates of transmission in many areas, so please stay safe!
August 28, 2021
I've wrestled madly with the decision to set dates to work in Detroit and Atlanta in October. My piercing tour in Los Angeles was fantastic, and I had such a wonderful time; I can't wait to do more piercing. I had really hoped that I could continue touring. Unfortunately, based on the explosive rise of COVID cases due to the highly transmissible Delta variant, I just can't see it.
I've done all that I can to stay safe and healthy up to this point, and it just doesn't make sense to travel internationally (I live in Mexico), and risk a breakthrough infection.
I'm pretty confident that my two Pfizer doses should protect me against severe disease and death, but vaccine effectiveness is lower against the Delta variant, plus immunity has been shown to wane over time. Additionally, I'm in the over-60 age group, which statistically has had more severe outcomes. Further, some research shows that long COVID is still possible in vaccinated individuals.
Due to all of that, and an intense dislike of being ill, I have made the painful decision to suspend touring again. Stay tuned for better news (I hope) in the future.
NOTE: If we are going to get out of this mess, more people need to get vaccinated! If you haven't already, do it now! Encourage others to do so. If you're concerned about vaccine safety, seek information from RELIABLE SOURCES, not social media or your friends. Note that 96% of US doctors are vaccinated. Do you think they might know something about healthcare? The unvaccinated are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID, and nearly all current COVID-related deaths are among the unvaccinated population.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/well/live/vaccine-long-covid-breakth…
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/vaccines-not-as-effective-ag…
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/08/studies-covid-vacci…
https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-021-02261-3
https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-survey-shows-o…
Now that I'm fully vaccinated, I'm returning to piercing! I'm SO excited!
For my first trip, I'm returning to work at Oak & Poppy in Woodland Hills, CA (in the Los Angeles area) July 17-18, 2021.
I am piercing only vaccinated individuals, and proof of vaccination is required for an appointment.
I am delighted to report that I've received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine! I plan to visit my family in Southern California, and see how international travel is after spending over a year sequestered at home in Mexico. If the trip goes well, and the variants stay under control (do not breakthrough to vaccinated individuals), I will be setting some tour dates, finally!
My first cities would be Detroit, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. I'm not sure in what sequence or what dates, but that is my vague plan at the moment. For those who have been waiting for me, thank you for your patience and loyalty!
I hope all are safe and getting vaccinated ASAP so we can finally get out of this mess!
As of now, more than 3 million people have died worldwide, including more than 567,000 souls from the U.S. What a tragedy! Everyone take care and stay well so I can pierce you when I get back out on tour!
Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to rage on in the US, just this week surpassing 200,000 deaths, and well over 6 million confirmed cases. Predictions for the fall and winter show spikes and increases in cases, not an improvement. I would very much like to avoid joining the statistics, so I will continue to remain at home in Mexico. I do not know when it will be safe to travel and pierce again. Most likely it will not be until after a safe and effective vaccine is available.
Today, I will be submitting the manuscript for the second edition of The Piercing Bible to my editor, and soon I will begin to establish an option for one-on-one online piercer coaching/training sessions!
I hope you well, and that you're being safe and taking appropriate precautions to protect yourself and others, and prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
Unfortunately, I have decided that it is just too risky to pursue traveling and piercing until the pandemic situation is under control. Below is an excerpt from the message I sent to the clients who were in my schedule to be pierced during my remaining 2020 trips that were scheduled for Atlanta and Detroit:
I’ve come to a painful and difficult decision: I do not plan to travel until an effective vaccine against COVID-19 has been widely distributed (or possibly, if there’s much-improved treatment). I’ll be 60 years old in August, and though in good health, I’m more risk-averse than I might appear (being covered in tattoos and piercings).
Once I feel safe, I definitely plan to return to piercing! I miss it terribly and have no intention of stopping. If you wish to be notified when I make new travel plans, sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of any page on my site.
Atlanta: If you don’t want to wait for me, I’d advise you to see Bethrah Szumski in GA. She primarily works at The Queen Bee Tattoo Parlour in Marietta on Saturday and Sunday. Please contact her directly via email for an appointment: [email protected].
Detroit: If you don’t want to wait for me, I’d advise you to see Rich Hartwick at Iconic in Detroit. Please call the studio for an appointment after they open on July 6, at 313.818.0078.
If you can’t make it to either of them, all of my other piercer referrals are available through this page of my website: https://www.piercingbible.com/piercer-referrals/.
I would highly suggest you visit one of them. I perform online piercing-problem consults, so I see how much substandard work is taking place. Even piercers who have been on the job for years aren’t always competent—especially with nipple and genital piercings. A professional with a solid reputation for ear or nostril work will not necessarily do an equally good job with lower placements. I see SO many poorly placed piercings and people suffering unnecessary pain and complications from unqualified practitioners. Please be cautious! And if you’re aware of someone in need of professional assistance with a piercing issue, I would appreciate your referral to me and my website.
I do an extensive amount of research on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, and based on the medical and scientific findings, there was no other conclusion to be reached. Just this week, the U.S. continues to set records for new coronavirus case numbers, and hospitalizations are up (so it isn’t just from expanded testing). A new study shows that approximately 1 in 10 cases suffers from an ongoing illness.[i] Even mild cases can have distressing and long-lasting effects.[ii] I would really like to avoid any of that.
This highly contagious virus makes travel, and my job itself, particularly risky. I spend thirty minutes or a full hour with each client in a small, enclosed room, one after the next, for eight or more hours per shift. I do that day after day. Unfortunately, that is not going to be safe until something significant changes.
I appreciate your understanding and trust that you’re also taking the situation with the seriousness it deserves. I hope you and yours are safe and well and remain so!
Las Vegas Trip Canceled
Unfortunately the conference of the Association of Professional Piercers, which was scheduled for July 2020, has been canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This was the event that was bringing me to Las Vegas to pierce. The conference was canceled due to safety concerns, and therefore, it makes sense to cancel my entire trip for the same reason.
I still have plans to pierce in Atlanta and Detroit in October. Details are here.
As always, I am still available for online (photo) consultations for anatomical suitability or to evaluate existing piercings, and also for piercing problems.
I sincerely hope that you and yours are safe and well!
Woodland Hills Trip Canceled
I was holding out hope that the situation would resolve more quickly. But, as time goes on, it is evident that the virus is continuing to spread widely, and that it will be some time before “business as usual” returns.
As an advocate of health and wellness, along with safe piercing, I must postpone my trip to pierce in Woodland Hills next month (May 15-17). Based on my research, even if flights will be permitted, I do not believe that international travel would be safe or advisable by that time. Nor would working closely in an enclosed space with many different clients be wise. In any case, California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an extention of the stay-at-home order until May 15.
I hope to set new dates to work in the L.A. area, perhaps toward the end of the year.
If you haven't already and would like to be notified when I set new tour cities and dates in the future, please sign up for my newsletter by typing your email address into the box at the bottom of the page!
If you are a piercer and you are intereted in my thoughts on returning to work amidst the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, you can read my article here. I wrote it for Pain Magazine, right before receiving notification from my editor that the publication is closed until further notice. (I've been writing a monthly article for them since 2005!)
You can see some of my previous articles here.
I hope everyone is being safe and smart, and taking appropriate precautions. Remember, once the curve has been flattened, the virus is still out there! (And if you don't know what that refers to, please read or listen to some news from a reliable source. Several are linked in the article.
Detroit Trip Canceled
Unfortunately, it has become clear that it will not be possible to fly from my home in Mexico to Detroit for my tour dates as planned in April. (I have set new dates for October 24-27, 2020.)
As a professional piercer, health and safety are always paramount, and I always subcribe to the "better safe than sorry" philosophy. Further, just today, the US federal government has extended distancing guidelines until April 30.
Obviously, we don't know how long this crisis will last, but I am not suspending any other trips at this time.
Stay posted to this page for further announcements.
Be safe and stay well!
Elayne
I hope you are well, acting with an abundance of caution, and following the guidelines of the experts, and your local and federal authorities.
As of this date, I am hopeful that I will still be able to make all of my planned travel and that it will be safe for clients to come and get pierced. I realize this is an optimistic stance, but I'm an optimistic person. If there are any changes, I'll post here immediately.
If you want to book an appointment but you are concerned you (or I) will have to cancel, I can work with that!
I'm happy to continue taking appointments with the understanding that this might happen. I will allow you to remain penciled in (without making a deposit) until the path forward becomes much clearer.
If you already have an appointment with me, my existing cancellation and refund policy remains in effect.
I'm still doing online anatomy consultations. They're required for appointments and if you're home with extra time on your hands, it is a perfect time to sign up!
Questions? Please contact me!
Be safe,
Elayne