Health risk from fish pedicure

Questions have been raised in recent months over the beauty craze which sees customers place their feet in tanks of water containing dozens of tiny Garra Rufa fish which nibble on dead skin.
While the pampering carries a "very low" risk for healthy clients, those with conditions including diabetes and psoriasis have now been advised against the indulgence.
The pedicures - which are popular in Asia - have been banned in some US states, including Florida, Texas, New Hampshire and Washington amid fears that infections could spread through open wounds.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) today issued new guidance after a panel found fish tank water contained a number of micro-organisms and that infections could be transmitted either from fish to person (during the nibbling process), water to person (from the bacteria which can multiply in water), or person to person (via water, surrounding surfaces and the fish).
Dr Hilary Kirkbride, consultant epidemiologist at the HPA, said: "Provided that good standards of hygiene are followed by salons, members of the public are unlikely to get an infection from a fish spa pedicure, however the risk will be higher for certain people."This is why we feel it's important for salons to ensure the client has no underlying health conditions that could put them at risk, and that a thorough foot examination is performed to make sure there are no cuts, grazes or existing skin conditions that could spread infection."
Garra Rufa fish - a type of toothless carp - have become increasingly popular in salons across Britain, in part because of their novelty value.
Dr Paul Cosford, director of health protection services at the HPA, said the risk posed by the fish tanks could be kept to a minimum if spas followed "strict standards of cleanliness". "If a member of the public is concerned about the level of cleanliness of a salon they visit, they should report this to their local environmental health department," he said. Clients are also urged to wait at least 24 hours after having a leg wax or shaving to minimise the chances of contracting an infection.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) If you suffer from diabetes, you shouldn’t use this kind of pedicure.
b) There are no fish spa pedicures in Washington.
c) You can get infected in three different ways.
d) There is no control of clients’ skin conditions.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) How does the Garra Rufa pedicure work?
b) What does the HPA advise people to do before using this treatment?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a) illness, disease (par.2) b) complete, exhaustive (par.5) c) worried (par.7)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) The pedicures have been banned by the Health Protection Agency.
The Health Protection Agency ....................
b) Wait at least 24 hours after depilation or you can contract an infection.
If you don´t ...................
c) Dr. Cosford said that the risk could be kept to minimum if spas followed strict standards of cleanliness.
Dr. Cosford said “ ....................................”

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
Spas are becoming increasingly popular. Give reasons.