Why I'm not opening my in-person practice anytime soon

[sonia]

Over the last week or two, I've gotten clear that because that breathing the same air for a long period of time is the main risk factor for contracting COVID-19, I will not be giving massages in my cozy, low-ceilinged basement massage space anytime soon.

While it's scary to confront the fact that my main source of income is not available for quite a while to come, it's also a relief not to have to figure out how to disinfect all the surfaces (carpet? couch?) and keep clients from touching things unnecessarily (prop open the garden gate? open the door for them?) and the pure waste involved (paper towels rather than cloth in the bathroom, etc.). Knowing that disinfecting things all the time (with chemicals that make me ill?) and wearing masks and changing clothes after each client (stipulated in the new Oregon rules) is simply not enough to ensure the virus won't be transmitted.

As much as I believe in my work, I do not believe bodywork is worth risking one's life for. If I could confirm that I already had COVID-19 (and that therefore I can no longer catch or transmit it, which is still unproven), then at least that reduces the risk for transmission from a client to me or me to a client.

Even then, the risk still remains that an asymptomatic client could spread viruses everywhere in my massage office, which is part of my house. No way. Not until there's effective treatment and/or a vaccine.

I feel fortunate to have savings, to have some income from a small, growing online practice, and to (in theory, someday) be getting unemployment to supplement that.

The massage therapist I've gone to for years, Amy Bennett, sent out several great links along the same lines.

Oregon's new requirements. Note that only rural counties with few cases will be allowed to reopen soon (~ May 15). Portland counties still have too many cases.

Worst. Game. Ever. by Cal Cates. Not only are the above requirements overwhelming, time-consuming, and expensive, they're simply not effective. Disinfection theater, like the US TSA's security theater in airports. I've traveled to Israel. I've seen real security. The US version is time-wasting window dressing. With my fragrance and gluten sensitivities, I've already thought about what does and doesn't work to keep air and surfaces truly uncontaminated.

As a side note, blood clots are a huge contra-indication for massage, and we're seeing that COVID-19 causes severe blood clots. Turns out, Covid-19's Scary Blood Clots Aren't That Surprising by Roxanne Khamsi. So many facts we were ignoring, so much research we were defunding. *sigh*

Another massage therapist's great summary, Why I'm choosing not to reopen my massage therapy practice in phase one. by Hannah Hulett, who works in Hood River, Oregon.

A few more links:
Is It Safer to Visit a Coffee Shop or a Gym? by Katherine Baicker, Oeindrila Dube, Sendhil Mullainathan, Devin Pope and Gus Wezerek. Nail salons are way on the far reaches of high level of contact and time indoors. Massage isn't even on the chart, and it would be even further out. Except then the authors completely miss the point. "These numbers help us flag risky industries, like beauty and nail salons, that our other metrics didn’t. These businesses should be particularly attentive to maintaining social-distancing measures." No, they're risky because you CAN'T maintain social distancing while providing these services!

This Is the Future of the Pandemic by Siobhan Roberts. "Covid-19 isn’t going away soon. Two recent studies mapped out the possible shapes of its trajectory."

4 reasons state plans to open up may backfire — and soon by Brian Resnick. Note header photo of Missouri bartender wearing a mask over his mouth, but not his nose.


I can understand why people want to believe they can simply "go back to normal" rather than accepting what the next year or two are going to be like.

I realize I've already had practice at "social distancing" for years. Can't enter hair salons because of fragrances. Have to walk out of dance events I love after half an hour because I've already breathed enough fragrance to have a headache for two days, and I can't think straight anymore. I'm used to having my life limited by the requirements of my physical health.