Keeping our flute customers’ health and well-being first and foremost during the COVID-19 outbreak

UPDATED 31 March 2020 – New Zealand has been ‘lock down’ since 25 March. Read here to see how this affects us.

UPDATED 23 March 2020  – New Zealand has raised the alert to “Level 3 – Contain”. This means self isolation is in place.

This does not change the capacity for us to deliver making quality flutes as we are a home business and the workshop is on our property. Postal services are still operating, though there are a few delays in high-effected areas of the world.

We sent this email out yesterday (22 March 2020) to our flute customers who are still waiting on their flute to be made. In short: we are open and running!

Dear friends of Southern Cross Flutes

Firstly; our thoughts and hearts go out to the communities and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

This is a brief message to let you know that Southern Cross Flutes is operational and able to continue working during this time. Your flute will be finished in the time we quoted when you purchased it.

For your peace of mind I will briefly outline the current situation here in New Zealand as it relates to the COVID-19 outbreak.

New Zealand is on an alert “Level 2 – Reduce” of spread with 66 reported cases in the country. Our little seaside community (Raumati South) has no reported cases. Precautionary measures are in place to reduce spread, with NZ borders closed to non residents/citizens and limited domestic travel and all gatherings cancelled.

The fact that we are making a wooden product means our handling of the flute is not high-risk; wood contains antimicrobial compounds (given that many other plants can be used as natural antibiotics, this is not entirely surprising) and we have at least 3 weeks of no breath contact once the flute is finished while flute oils dry, the flute is packaged and then posted.

We give the flute a complete oil bath and finish with a Carnauba wax – which is a common ingredient obtained from the leaves of the Brazilian Carnauba Palm. This wax is extremely hard and nearly insoluble in both water and ethanol, added to this it is non-toxic and hypoallergenic.

After playing your flute, you can safely wash down your flute with soapy water.

The nature of our work is solitary, and we personally have increased the frequency of hygiene practices and are voluntarily socially distancing ourselves.

We take the health and well-being of our customers seriously.

I hope this answers any questions you may have around the safety of your flute purchase.

May your flute bring you many hours of comfort and enjoyment in whatever situation you find yourself in.

Please do sing out if you have any further questions or concerns.

warmly,

Ahly and the team at Southern Cross Flutes.