Ten Thousand Waves to require guests be vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 | Local News

Starting Wednesday, Ten Thousand Waves may become the first hotel, restaurant, and spa in New Mexico to have vaccination requirements for accommodations, indoor dining, and spa guests.

All guests staying at accommodations and hot tubs, as well as guests dining at the spa’s Izanami restaurant, must provide evidence that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have had a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their visit, owner Duke Klauck said .

As of early July, guests have been required to show a vaccination to receive massages, facials, and spa treatments.

Outdoor guests dining at Izanami are the only Ten Thousand Waves visitors exempt from COVID-19 vaccination because the outdoor dining environment presents the lowest risk of coronavirus transmission, Klauck said.

Klauck and his leadership team began considering asking for vaccinations or COVID-19 test results about three weeks ago after influential New York restaurateur Danny Meyer announced that his dozen or so full-service restaurants would require vaccinations or test results would.

“That’s why I got up,” said Klauck.

Other prominent restaurants across the country have begun requiring proof of vaccination for diners, but so far, Izanami appears to be the only full-service restaurant in New Mexico to do so, said Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association.

“He takes it really seriously,” said Wight of Klauck. “The only other I know is Sister Bar in Albuquerque. They demand that everyone be vaccinated for concerts. “

No other hotel or motel in New Mexico has reported vaccination requirements for guests, said Kathy Komoll, CEO of the New Mexico Hospitality Association.

“As far as I know, these are the first,” she said. “I [haven’t] have not heard from guests that someone needs a vaccination. “

Jeff Mahan, executive director of the Santa Fe Lodgers Association, has not heard of any other Santa Fe property that requires guests to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I would tell you I couldn’t deny what [Klauck] to say, ”said Mahan.

The Ojo Spa Resorts in Ojo Caliente and Santa Fe did not meet the vaccination requirements.

“We are closely monitoring COVID with some concern,” said James Walker, the company’s director of marketing and communications. “We focus on indoor face masks for our team and our guests. We currently do not require any vaccinations from our guests. We’re missing a click. “

Ten Thousand Waves began mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for its 150 employees and contractors in early July.

Of that group, only five were unvaccinated, Klauck said, adding two left the company and two more agreed to work 80 percent of their shifts outdoors, get weekly COVID-19 tests, and not eat indoors or a break room to use. Another employee recently had an operation.

In August, Klauck and his management team clarified the reality of mandatory vaccinations for guests.

“We had some people who weren’t sure that it wouldn’t be disastrous for our business,” said Klauck. “We talked about it for a long time one day. We got everyone to reach consensus. For the past three weeks we’ve spent all of our time figuring out the logistics. We call all of our reservations. We send emails and newsletters. “

Klauck realized that Ten Thousand Waves could play a bigger role than just being a spa a few miles up Hyde Park Road.

“When things got a little more serious with the Delta variant, I saw that we need to influence more people,” he said. “We try to make this special place safe for guests and employees. The message is that a few months ago we all thought we were back to normal. The truth is that we are not.

“There is something we can do to avoid all these deaths and millions of cases, and we can vaccinate as many people as possible. We believe that there will be as many people who will applaud what we are doing and visit us as they will choose not to come here. “