02/05/2020
I am writing to update you on the status of my practice in light of the recent easing of restrictions in relation to COVID19.
The queensland government is now allowing Remedial Therapist to practise with some caveats in place. This is not just a return to “business as usual” for massage therapists even though it may seem like it.
Some of the caveats around remedial massage relate to rigorous screening to determine the medical necessity for treatment, the clinical context in which treatment takes place and the need to follow specific practice guidelines. There may also be specific qualification guidelines in place in your jurisdiction so you will need to look that up if you want to mention it.
Australia’s public health response to COVID19 has been incredibly successful. With new infections daily now in the single digits, it is completely understandable that people might start to think that going back to regular remedial massage is an appealing proposition. I would love to have a treatment myself!
Safety remains my number one concern for all of my clients, some of whom are from vulnerable and at-risk populations. Since my profession involves being in close proximity and sharing the air for an extended time in a small room, a virus like COVID19 can be spread very quickly despite the best infection control and hygiene precautions. And since social distancing is one of the key strategies that has helped Australia to smash the curve, the decision to reopen remains pretty complicated for me. As long as social distancing measures are required to support the Government’s suppression strategy, I have to think really hard about my reason for violating that and whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
The other complication is that the government has stated that I can reopen with strict guidelines in place but there are currently no specific guidelines for the massage therapy industry. My association, AMT, has just convened a biosecurity planning committee to create a return-to-practice roadmap for massage therapists. They are advising me to hold off practising until they have released a biosecurity plan.
AMT is also closely monitoring the government’s progress on testing and contact tracing. They believe that it is important to establish the extent of undetected community transmission through sentinel testing to help massage therapists mitigate the risks of asymptomatic transmission of COVID19 in the massage therapy clinical context. I have also attached AMT’s latest media release which explains their position in more detail.
For the reasons stated above, I have decided to delay reopening my practice a little longer. I will keep you updated on developments as they arise.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
