Blog
What is a COVID-Conscious Massage Practice?
Getting a massage and providing massage, during a pandemic seems so….weird.
And yes, we are still in a pandemic. Covid-19 is killing thousands of people in the US every month and millions have been disabled by Long Covid resulting from infection. The pandemic continues. I know we’re all tired.
Here’s how I keep you as safe as possible in my office
I’ve got 2 air cleaners in the massage room that turn over the air 6-10 times an hour with filters known to capture SARS microns and presumed to capture this Coronavirus’s particles as well. And I’ve got a window and fan to fully ventilate the massage room between clients. I also installed MERV-13 filters in all the HVAC intakes in the office. I use a CO2 monitor to ensure the ventilation is consistent.
My office has a private entrance and bathroom and I’m scheduling a minimum of 30 minutes between clients to ventilate and clean. I've always cleaned surfaces, door handles, etc. in the massage room between each client and I still do, with an EPA-approved hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner.
I wear an N95 mask in the office. I take my mask off to eat lunch at my desk and sometimes I will unmask if I’ve got plenty of time before a client is coming in. I typically open a window when I am unmasked and crank up the air cleaners.
At this time, clients may choose whether or not to wear a mask in the office. If I know I have a Covid-conscious client coming in, my officemate and I have an agreement that anyone using our shared hallway will mask while in the hallway.
I wear an N95 mask in my personal life. When I am in a public space or indoors with people I don’t live with, I wear a mask. It’s rare for me to dine indoors at a restaurant (I can count on one hand the number of times since early 2020) and only under very controlled conditions. I run air cleaners in the shared spaces in my house.
What you can do to keep us safe
Many of my clients are immune-compromised, have a history of cancer, and/or are over age 60. It's my job to protect them, and it's your job to protect me.
Please cancel your appointment if you or anyone in your house has been ill or if you know or suspect you have been exposed.
We're all in this together. I'll do my best to make decisions that keep massage therapy as safe as it can be for all of us.