COVID & Our Escape Rooms

24 June 2020 
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On this page...
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Before & After - What has Changed
Thank You
Timeline of News & Updates
COVID Escape Room FAQ
Got a Question? We want to hear from you.

Before & After: What has Changed

Updated: 24 June 2020

Download COVID Changes Document (pdf 143kb)

Thank You for your Support

We wish to say thank you to the following people:

The customers who refused refunds and committed to return in better times.
Those customers who took refunds but indicated they would return in better times. 
Our Landlord for the generous offer to lower the rent to assist us in difficult times.
The Australian Taxpayers funding the Federal Government Grant - without which we would not have spent thousands of dollars to upgrade the facilities.
The Federal Government and ATO for JobKeeper that has allowed us to keep up the workforce needed to make the changes required.
MS Frances Diver (CEO of Barwon Health) for the regular COVID updates via social media. 
All those within Barwon Health who have endured the fear, stress and logistics gymnastics of the past few months.
To the other escape rooms and all businesses who closed their doors to help protect the elderly and our health care workers. 
The Geelong Council for being pro-active in providing assistance. 
All branches of Government for taking a hard-line approach to the situation to help us avoid unnecessary loss of life.
To Victoria Police for enforcing the regulations. 

Timeline of News & Updates

17 March Prison Entertainment Closes and Refunds Bookings.
23 March ​Vic Government closes all non-essential business.
26 April Grant Received - COVID Safe Works Commence.
​20 May Plans to ease restrictions on 1 June announced.
​30 May Easings of restrictions deferred.
14 June Easing of restrictions announced for 22 June for Bars and Outdoor Arcades but Indoor Arcades to remain closed. 
23 June Our COVID-Safe Works completed and published.

​For Reference and Why Some Escape Rooms Took Bookings
Escape Rooms are classed as indoor amusements (or indoor arcades).

Amusements Parks were originally cited as being able to open on 22 June but without any clarification as to indoor Vs outdoor.
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Later, on 14 June, this reference was clarified as meaning outdoor amusements and it was specified that indoor amusements were to remain closed.

​All this may have led to some escape room operators announcing that they were opening on 22 June only to have to back-pedal. 

Given the constantly changing landscape our policy (apologies to those who enquired) has been - and still is - to remain silent on our opening date until two days prior to avoid situations like the above. 

COVID & Our Escape Rooms - FAQ

Are we taking Bookings?
No.

Are we selling Vouchers?
No.

Are we taking booking or voucher enquiries?
We are taking COVID-related enquiries - but we will not be attending any booking or voucher enquiries until two days before we are allowed to open (currently unknown - see DHHS Website for up-to-date announcements).

How do the cell dividers work?
We operate in a two-story high factory and the cell dividers are 2+ meters high. 
The cell dividers allow the first person to occupy the far end of a cell and close a plastic curtain behind them to form a barrier. 
The barrier is air tight across the span.
The barrier keeps any airborne droplets within each person's half of the cell as though each were in their own room.
The perspex screen allows both sides to see what the other is doing. 

Can we pass things through from one side to the other?
No, however you may need to verbally pass information. 

How do you keep everything clean?
We have removed all cloth, wood and paper items and replaced everything with laminate, metal, plastic or gloss surfaces ensuring everything can be wiped after each booking. 

How long did all the changes take?
We received a grant and commenced on 26 April. 
We completed the three-phase project on 23 June. 
We are now ready but will remain closed until given the go-ahead to re-open. 

Airborne particles remain airbone for 30 minutes, how do you prevent transmission?
Neither the staff nor the next customers are permitted to enter a cell until the previous group has left and 30 minutes has elapsed. 
We have a number of cells which can be rotated so others can be used whilst others are being cleaned. 
We have a whiteboard with the cell vacate times and cell disinfected times listed. 

What about other groups?
Your group has the venue to itself. 

What if someone in my group has symptoms?
We prevent any bookings in advance. You can only book within 48 hours of your desired time. This allows groups to assess their health within close proximity to their booking time. We are strict on symptoms and will refuse entry to persons who attend with:
Constant sniffing, persistant coughing, regular sneezing.

Do you take temperatures?
No, this violates the 1.5m separation rule. 

Do you wear masks?
No, we have a number of staff who can rotate in to fill shifts. Staff are not permitted to work if they have symptoms. 

Will we have to touch things others have touched?
No, everyone has their own waiver form and each person has their designated half of a cell which will have been disinfected prior to use. You will not need to pass items between cells. 

What cleaning products do you use?
COVID regulations allow for disinfectant that is either 60%+ Ethanol, 70%+ Alcohol or a Quaternary Compound. 
COVID regulations also require both disinfecting and cleaning with detergent. 
The active ingrediant in the Glitz Pine Disinfectant (Bunnings) we use is Benzalkonium Chloride which is a Quarternary Compound. The advantage of this product is that it acts as both a detergent (removing grit and build-up) as well as a disinfectant (kills bacteria & viruses).

Why go to all the trouble, won't this be over in a year or so?
No. We've spoken with a number of persons of scientific background who all share the same opinion: That a vaccine is unlikely and at best a treatment to reduce the mortality rate is more probable. We are therefore planning to incorporate COVID transmission reduction methods into all our experiences - now and into the future.

​We feel it would be disingenuous to receive grant money without using it to make the venue as COVID safe as possible.

Do the changes make the experience better or worse?
Actually the winner (if there can be one) is the customer.
We do not like physically separated challenges where Person A is struggling and Person B depends on them - Person B gets frustrated with Person A because they're stuck too.
In this case, the addition of perspex screens means Person B can see and clearly communicate with Person A so the two persons can still work together without physically interacting.
The experience is made more novel by the inter-dependence and we look forward to sharing these fun moments with our guests in the future. 

We are ready.
Are you?