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The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death. It is caused by a new strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans and is easily spread from person to person. There is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for this disease.
In order to safely and responsibly reopen Kaizen Healing Arts to the public, the following safeguards and practices have been implemented and are in compliance with The State of Michigan Executive Order No. 2020–114, OSHA’s Guidance for Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, and the Federation of State Massage Therapy Board document: “Massage and Bodywork Guidelines for Practice with COVID-19 Considerations.”
You may view the full version of Executive Order No. 2020-114 here.
You may view the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”) guidelines here.
You may view the full version of the FSMTB document here.
To comply with Executive Order No 2020-114, Kaizen Healing Arts will:
Wash hands and forearms thoroughly, even more so than pre-COVID-19 times.
Maintain appointment records, as usual.
Post signage informing clients not to enter if they are or have recently been sick.
Restrict entry to clients, their caregivers, or their minor dependents to minimize occupancy.
Attempt to limit shared lobby area occupancy to two individuals who may be present while staying six feet apart from one another and ask clients, if possible, to wait outside until no sooner than five minutes prior to their appointment time.
Discontinue all self-service refreshments. Please bring your own water bottle.
Discard magazines in shared lobby area and remove other nonessential items that cannot be disinfected.
Use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), in accordance with guidance from the CDC and OSHA.
Require both therapist and clients to wear a face covering at all times while in the office. Clients are encouraged to bring their own face covering for their nose and mouth. If a client does not have their own, one will be provided.
On rare instances, allow clients to temporarily remove their face covering when receiving a service that requires its removal. In this case, protective goggles will be worn by the practitioner, in addition to the face covering.
Cooperate with the local public health department if a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified.
In addition to what is outlined above, in order to comply with the FSMTB’s “Massage and Bodywork Guidelines for Practice with COVID-19 Considerations,” Kaizen Healing Arts will:
Primarily use Force of Nature for routine cleaning and disinfecting practices. Force of Nature is on EPA’s List of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. Other products that may be used for cleaning and disinfecting include sodium hypochlorite (bleach), isopropyl alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide.
Disinfect all high-touch surfaces between sessions with clients and at the end of the work day. High-touch surfaces include door handles, desktop, chair arms, pens and clipboards, workstation surfaces, light switches, linen storage container, massage cream or oil containers, specialized equipment that may have been used during sessions and any surface that clients or practitioners may touch before, during or after sessions.
Ventilate treatment room between sessions.
Circulate air in treatment room using a HEPA air filtration system.
Make hand sanitizer (60-95% alcohol), tissues and no-touch trash cans easily accessible.
Post signage to educate clients about respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, hand hygiene, symptoms of COVID-19, and physical distancing.
Handle linens according to the FSMTB Linen Management protocols, ensuring optimal handling of clean and used linens. All used linens will be stored in a closed container until the end of the work day and then removed from the space. Used linens will be washed with detergent in hot water and dried completely using heat. All clean linens will be stored in a closed container. Will thoroughly wash hands and forearms (and possibly use hand sanitizer as well) directly before and after handling linens.
These updates and changes to standard policies and procedures aim to decrease health risks while COVID-19 is present in communities. To comply with the FSMTB’s “Massage and Bodywork Guidelines for Practice with COVID-19 Considerations,” Kaizen Healing Arts will:
Inform all clients that risk of infection of COVID-19 increases through close contact with other people, such as in the case of receiving massage therapy and bodywork, including Shiatsu and Thai massage. All clients are required to provide their signature to indicate their understanding of risk and wish to receive massage therapy/bodywork.
Inform all clients that their name and contact information only will be shared with the state health department in the event that a client or practitioner tests positive for COVID-19, and shared only in the event that the information is relevant based on suspected exposure date, and only for appropriate follow-up by the health department.
Inform clients of massage and bodywork contraindications when symptoms of COVID-19 are present, when waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test, and when COVID-19 has been diagnosed by a doctor and/or a positive test.
Postpone sessions with clients if there is reason to suspect that a client or therapist isn’t completely healthy.
Screenings will take place prior to sessions with the following questions:
Do you currently have or have you had any of the following symptoms in the past 14 days?
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fever of 100.3 degrees or more
Chills
Unexplained body aches or pain
Unexplained headache
Sore throat
New loss of sense of smell or taste
Unexplained rash or sores
Unusual fatigue
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Non-allergy related runny nose or nasal congestion
Are you currently or have you been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
Have you been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by a doctor or a local public health official in the last 14 days?
Offer additional screening of clients by using a no-touch thermometer to confirm that each client’s temperature is no higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Encourage clients at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 to consider postponing appointments until local COVID-19 risk has significantly decreased. The CDC indicates that these underlying conditions place people at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19:
People 65 years or older
Chronic lung disease
Moderate to severe asthma
Heart conditions
Compromised or suppressed immunity
Hemoglobin disorders
Severe obesity (BMI 40 or above)
Diabetes
Chronic kidney disease
Liver disease
Ask that friends or family of clients do not wait in the lobby area while clients are in session (with the exception of the client’s legal guardian).
Make efforts to limit conversation during sessions to minimize risk of dispersing respiratory droplets.
Ask clients to remove shoes in the hallway and leave shoes outside treatment room.
Ask clients to inform us in the event they have developed any cold or flu-like symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19 within two weeks of their session.
Change clothing between clients.
Maintain proper practitioner hygiene (securing long hair, practicing appropriate oral hygiene, keeping fingernails short, keeping fingers, hands, wrists and forearms free of jewelry).
Use hand sanitizer:
Directly before beginning and after finishing each session.
Directly after absentmindedly or inadvertently touching my own face, mouth, nose, or hair during a session and before resuming the session.
Directly after sneezing or coughing into an elbow.
Directly after handling anything that is potentially contaminated.
Regularly self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
Take temperature before beginning work, and again in the afternoon (when viruses tend to spike in temperature).
Cancel appointments accordingly if I develop a temperature or symptoms of illness.
Self-isolate, schedule testing and self-monitor, if exposure to COVID-19 is suspected, such as the case that a client calls to report that they have tested positive for COVID-19 within 2 weeks of their session.