Institute for Therapeutic Massage Covid-19 Policies and Procedures

Institute for Therapeutic Massage Covid-19 Policies and Procedures

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Below are the following procedures that the Institute for Therapeutic Massage will implement for our reception area:

• Prior to entering the reception room all individuals will have their temperature taken.  Anyone with over 100.3 temperature will NOT be allowed inside.
• Facemasks must be worn when entering facility
• Individuals will be given a short questionnaire that must be completed in full and initialed. (see attachment C1)
• Alcohol based hand sanitizer (60-95% alcohol) will be easily accessible to clients to sanitize their hands upon arrival.
• Signs presented at eye level to educate clients about Covid 19 symptoms and explain social distancing.
• Throughout the day staff will disinfect high touch surfaces between clients with an EPA-registered disinfectant.
• Tissues and no-touch trash cans available for the practice of respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
• Floors will be cleaned at the end of the day.  Carpets will be vacuumed with a HEPA air filter.
• Rooms will have Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier 3 Stage with HEPA filter

At the Institute for Therapeutic Massage our students perform clinic service to gain experience working on customers.  The following are policies that will be followed by the staff and the clinic customer.

• Providing services by appointment only.  Walk-in patrons will NOT be allowed.
• Upon arrival customers will call the schools main number and inform clinic supervisor they are in the parking lot.  They will need to provide a cell phone number to be contacted once their appointment is ready.
• After clinic area is cleaned and disinfected with EPA-registered products. The clinic supervisor will call the customer to enter the facility.

• Clinic team will instruct client to wear a facemask
• Clinic team will take clients temperature (over 100.3 will be asked to leave)
• Clinic team will go over questionnaire form and have client initial. (Attachment C1)
• Client will be asked to sanitize their hands prior to any treatment.

• Signs will be posted at eye level in the reception area and through facility.
• Staggering use of every-other workstation or spacing workstations more than 10 feet apart, whichever option is practicable given the facility’s configuration.
• Sanitizing all equipment, chairs, and tables used by students between each client visit.
• Requiring all students/staff to wear facemasks throughout the clinic session. 
• Clients must also wear facemask except while face down during massage.
• Face mask are not required for clients with health restrictions. 
• Additional training to all students and staff members both verbally and in writing. 
• Rooms will have Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier 3 Stage with Hepa filter

The Institute for Therapeutic Massage will require each student to wait outside the facility (6) feet apart with facemasks while a staff member takes the temperature of each student one by one. If a student’s temperature is over 100.3 degree’s, they will be asked to leave.  When a student’s temperature is under 100.3 degree’s they will be given the daily questionnaire which they will initial and completed daily. Once this procedure is completed by each student they will now be admitted to class.  Here are more policies that will be implemented:

• Students are required to wear a facemask in class unless for health reasons.
• Encourage and reinforce proper hand hygiene, proper cough etiquette, ongoing physical distancing, and attention to disinfection of high-touch surfaces.
• Alcohol based hand sanitizer (60-95% alcohol) will be easily accessible to students to sanitize their hands upon arrival and throughout the day.
• Desks will be positioned 6 feet apart in a lecture setting. 
• Discourage sharing of items that are difficult to clean or disinfect.
• Signs posted at eye level to educate students about respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, hand hygiene, symptoms of Covid19, and physical distancing.
• Tissues and no-touch trash can available for students and staff
• Clean floors at the end of the day.  Carpets will be vacuumed with a HEPA filter. 
• Rooms will have Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier 3 Stage with Hepa filter

The Institute for Therapeutic Massage will educate and reinforce the faculty and staff on the following:

Wash your hands often– wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.  If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.  Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact-Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home.  If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.  Put distance between yourself and other people outside of your home.

• Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus.
• Do not gather in groups.
• Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings.
• Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting sick.

Cover your mouth and nose with a facemask or cloth face cover when around others.

• You could spread Covid19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
• Everyone should wear a facemask or cloth face cover when they must go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to school.
• The face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
• Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others.  The face cover is not a substitute for social distancing. 

Cover coughs and sneezes.

• If you are in a private setting an do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Cleaning and disinfection.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (e.g., door handles, light switches, sink handles, hand railings, tables, etc..) within IHE facilities at least daily or between use as much as possible.
• Develop and implement a schedule for increased, routine cleaning and disinfection.
• Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaners and disinfectants including storing products securely.  Use products that meet EPA disinfection criteria.  
• Encourage students, faculty, and staff to keep their personal items (e.g., cell phones, other electronics) and personal work and living spaces clean.  Encourage students, faculty, and staff to use disinfectant wipes to wipe down desks, equipment, and any other object and surfaces before use.

Watch for symptoms

People with Covid19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported-ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.  People with these symptoms may have Covid19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

If an individual has the symptoms listed above, they should get tested as soon as possible.  If an individual has been exposed to someone with the virus they should “Self-Quarantine”: You should monitor your health for fever, cough and shortness of breath during the 14 days after that last day you were in close contact with the person who had Covid19. In addition to self-quarantine the individual should get tested for the virus.

 If the currently infected person is a massage therapy student or student working in a public clinic:

• The school complies with contact tracing efforts, working with the Department of Health and other entities as needed.
• All of the massage practitioner’s (clinic) clients from the 2 weeks leading up to the positive text must be informed that they have been exposed. (Public health statements recommend that they then go into self-quarantine for 14 days after the exposure.)
• The room and all the tools that the massage practitioner used must be thoroughly disinfected and left unused for a minimum of 3 days.
• The massage practitioner must go into self-quarantine for 14 days after their exposure.  This might be shortened if the accurate testing determines that they are not infected
• The student must go into self-quarantine until they test negative and all symptoms have resolved.
• All students and staff with whom the infected person had close contact within the previous two weeks must be informed that they have been exposed.  They must go into self-quarantine for two weeks after their last exposure.  This might be shortened if accurate testing determines that they are not infected.

If the currently infected person is a staff member (front desk, teacher, school administrator, etc.)

• The facility complies with contact tracing efforts, working with the Department of Health and other entities as needed.
• The infected person must go into self-quarantine until they test negative and all symptoms have resolved.
• All people who work at the facility who had close contact with the infected person within the previous two weeks must be notified that they have been exposed, and they must self-quarantine for 14 days after their last exposure.  This might be shortened if accurate testing determines that they are not infected.

Leave (Time Off) and Excused Absence Policies

The Institute for Therapeutic Massage has enacted flexible sick leave policies and practices that enable faculty, staff, and students to stay home or self-isolate when they are sick, have been exposed, or caring for someone who is sick from Covid19.

• If/when a student, staff and faculty member becomes infected with the virus ITM will provide an excused absences and virtual learning for students.  For faculty and staff, we will also provide excused absences along with telework if applicable.
• If/when a student, becomes infected with the virus students will be required to participate in Zoom classrooms while at home during the regular scheduled time for class. The class will also be recorded for students who are unable to participate to view later. 
• Leave and excused absence policies should also account for employees and students who need to stay home with their children if there are school or childcare closures, or to care for sick family members

Once a student, faculty member, and staff member are no longer infected with Covid 19

• 1. OPTION 1 (Symptom-based criteria): If you have Confirmed COVID-19 or Suspected COVID-19 and you did not get tested for COVID-19, you can leave isolation and go back to work when all the following are true:

1. You have had at least 3 days in a row with no fever at all; AND
2. During those 3 days you have not taken any fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol, Acetaminophen, Advil, Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Naproxen; AND
3. You have had at least 3 days of improved cough or shortness of breath if you had these symptoms; AND 
4. It has been at least 10 days since your symptoms first started. 

Note that because people may continue to test positive on a viral test long after they are recovered from COVID-19, you can end isolation/return to work if all of a, b, c, and d are true even if you have one or more positive viral tests beyond 10 days after your symptoms first started. If you meet all the criteria for Option 1 you are considered not contagious, even if you have a positive test. 

OR 

2. OPTION 2 (Time-based criteria): If you have Confirmed COVID-19 but never had symptoms, you can return to work 10 days after the date of your positive test. 

Last updated July 8, 2020