Okay. So.
I’ve been trying for like a month to put together a full newsletter for you, but then stuff keeps changing and mask mandates are confusing, the State’s rules are confusing, and life is generally confusing. So, I spent the last couple of days doing some research and here is where we’re at:
Town of Orono:
The Town of Orono’s emergency mask mandate is still *technically* in effect. They are meeting on June 3 to discuss repealing it
State of Maine:
The State of Maine has “retired” the page with the reopening checklist for massage facilities. It now refers you to a page on general guidance and say they will be following CDC recommendations.
US CDC:
The CDC has absolutely no massage industry-specific guidelines that I can find, though many pages hadn’t been updated in months. In an American Hospital Associate article, I read that the CDC still requires masks in healthcare settings.
A recently updated page, Key Things To Know, states that they are still working to understand how well the vaccine prevents you from spreading the virus, though early data show that vaccines help keep people with no symptoms from spreading COVID-19. They are still learning, including how effective the vaccines are against variants.
Massage Industry Experts:
I got probably the most useful, but still sort of nebulous information from Ruth Werner, a massage pathology expert in a blog post she wrote, What the CDC’s New Mask Recommendations Mean for Massage Therapists. It aligns with what I have been thinking the last couple of weeks.
What Does It All Mean?
For right now, I’m going to go with please keep wearing masks for your massage appointment. At the moment, you technically still need to wear masks in the building, based on Orono’s rules. Once that is repealed, it is okay for vaccinated clients to come into the office without a mask. You will still need to wear one at least when laying face up on the table.
Plan to wear a mask for at least part of your massage appointment through June, even if you are vaccinated. I will reassess at the end of the month. This could change if we have a surge or a dramatic drop in COVID cases.
Watch for updates of the various COVID-related policies on the website, bear with me as I sort all that out.
Stay tuned for a more exciting newsletter with information about new add-ons and other information!
Stay Well,
Tricia