As spas reopen, owners and employees are taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their clients. Following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), massage therapists are implementing several safety measures while continuing to offer the same relaxed environment.

Spas are implementing stringent safety protocols as they brave a new world of COVID19 massages. From temperature checks to thorough sanitation, here are the ways massage parlors and spas are keeping guests safe during COVID-19:

Protective Measures During COVID-19

Health Checks

Employees and clients are required to have their temperatures checked upon arriving. Those with temperatures of 100.4°F (38°C) and above, experiencing mild symptoms such as coughing and dizziness, and those who have been exposed to others who’ve been showing symptoms, are advised to stay home. Most spas have waived last-minute cancellation fees.

Protective Gear

Before massage therapists can offer COVID19 massages, they must wear protective facial coverings such as face masks, goggles, and face shields. Some massage therapists even wear full-body PPE (personal protective equipment) for extra safety. Clients are also required to wear masks the entire time they are in the spa.

Strict Schedules

Unlike before, when clients could wait for their turn at the lounge, clients must arrive five minutes before their appointment. A massage therapist will greet them at the door to take their temperature, before guiding them to the lounge. Walk-in COVID19 massages are discouraged during this time, and no one must accompany the client unless he/she is a minor.

Social Distancing

Strict social distancing is observed at all times inside and around the spa. Clients must maintain at least 1.5 meters between each other while in the waiting area. As mentioned before, only clients with appointments are permitted inside the waiting lounge. Couches and chairs have been marked to show which seats cannot be taken.

Cleanliness

To provide a clean and safe environment, spas are taking extra steps to ensure sanitation such as thoroughly wiping down all massage beds with hospital-grade disinfectants, cleaning washrooms multiple times an hour, using linens only once, disinfecting door handles, replacing glassware with disposable cups, mopping floors daily, and much more.

Safety First

Massages aren’t what they used to be and it’s going to take a while for people to get used to this “new normal.” If you’re wondering if it’s safe to get a massage, the answer is yes and no. Spas make it safe, but it’s up to clients to follow the health measures to ensure that it stays safe.