EDMONTON — Alberta health officials have ordered an unsanitary home-based tattoo operation in Edmonton to shut down.
Alberta Health Services is advising anyone who received services at Noeyez Tattooz or from operator David Testawich to be tested for the hepatitis B and C and HIV viruses.
The medical health officer for the Edmonton zone says the tattoo operation did not properly clean equipment.
Dr. Christopher Sikora says tools must be disinfected and sterilized to prevent the possible spread of infections from one person to another.
The closure order remains in place until the operator has addressed all violations and abides by provincial regulations.
For one thing, Sikora says, client records weren't being adequately kept.
"(That's) a standard for all of our tattoo operators and our tattoo studios," he said. "We suspect that this operation's been in place for most of 2016 and possibly longer."
Alberta Health Services has an online site with a checklist of what people should look for at tattoo sites.
"Things like appear to be clean and in good repair, smooth washable equipment and services, free from pets. You shouldn't have pets wandering around while you're getting a tattoo," Sikora said.
