This outlines the most important changes made to massage therapy practices as mandated by NY state, moving forward (or until the pandemic passes). Please know I follow safety and prevention protocols to the letter to protect your health and that of all my clients. Thank you in advance for doing your part, too.
These are all of the official NY Phase 3 guidelines.
I went ahead and highlighted the parts most relevant to clients here:
- Both the therapist (that’s me!) AND the client (that’s you) are required to wear a face covering the entire time (this is why and so is this). But if you’re lying face-down, we can use the “pillowcase method” shown here for optimal comfort. It works well!
- I’m required to wear goggles or a face shield (this is why) and change into fresh scrubs before every session. My clients already know I don’t work in street clothes so, that part isn’t a surprise for us ;) I’ll carry additional garments and have a separate sealable bag in which I put used items in to launder later so they do not come in contact with any clean items.
- Regarding nitrile gloves: They are not a requirement during sessions because it’s well-established that hand-washing is the most effective measure, so I won’t automatically default to wearing them. I’m happy to use gloves if you prefer, and will ask about your preference beforehand. However, I do indeed use gloves when cleaning and disinfecting in-between sessions.
- Home visit clients will supply their own clean massage sheets. This is the most hygienic option (you have the reassurance of your own clean sheets) and will make travel easier since I have to tote lots of extras now.
- Anyone who’s travelled across NY state lines from a restricted state needs to quarantine for 14 days before scheduling. This is required by NY law (click the link for the details).
The 24-hour cancellation policy has been adjusted to allow for cancellations down to 2 hours notice for anyone who feels under-the-weather or thinks there’s a chance they might have been exposed to coronavirus. You won’t be charged for doing the right thing and postponing your session in that instance, but please note the parts of the cancellation policy that remain in full effect.
And if you haven’t done so already, you can go ahead and check out the What to Expect section for more attention to detail. Reach out if you have any questions!