The July update is still coming along, it’s going to get its own page. In the meantime, the new things are: no hotels, no tourists, no out of town visitors, no apartments at all (so please don’t believe the exemption below, it no longer exists). Everything else remains the same because this disease is still a hard pass for me.
The mid-June update:
I’m not pleased with how any government is dealing with this pandemic so let me just say that the following is here to stay until the pandemic is over.
- Masks for me and you.
- I’m staying close to the exit.
- You are welcome to provide your own sheets (table is about Twin size but anything larger is also fine). I am trying to develop the habit of bagging the sheets post -massage so feel free to mention it if you don’t see me doing it.
And of course everything below as well.
More than the death or ventilator possibilities, what really concerns me are the stories from survivors about how long it’s taken to feel normal afterwards. There’s many people who for weeks afterward would walk upstairs in their home and need a nap. Walking up a flight of stairs is like me getting all 80 pounds of gear out of my car and carrying it up to your front door. If that alone exhausts me, how long would it take for me to actually get back to work? Nope, no thanks, not it.
Here’s the end of April update:
The more I learn about this disease and how contagious it is … the more concerned I get. So here’s what I’m thinking:
- I’m not working in hotels or apartments (unless its a ground floor unit I can access it directly from outside, like if there’s a patio (I don’t want to use any common doors or breathe in any common areas). There’s just too many unknown factors that are not under anyone’s control.
- I’m only working in living rooms, unless there’s a room closer to the front door I can use. I mention this below but for real, for real, this is now a firm thing.
- I will be wearing a mask during the massage. I’m still adjusting to wearing a mask, so far, not a fan but I’m happy to do what I can to keep us healthy.
- I am developing a second intake form specifically for COVID-19, it’s mostly to ensure we are both healthy and not going to sue each other over accidental infection.
So far I’m still healthy (absolutely knocking on wood as I type that). And as this pandemic is developing, so is this page. I am very concerned about Virginia opening too soon, and a second wave coming through as that’s what happened with the Spanish Flu. So we’ll see what happens.
The obvious points:
- Don’t book if you’re sick or if you’ve been exposed to this virus until you are cleared from quarantine.
- Cancel your appointment if you’ve been exposed or you are sick. There’s no penalty for last minute cancellations due to this virus but kindly cancel ASAP.
Thanks in advance for helping to keep me healthy and free from having to quarantine myself.
I am not shutting down for the virus unless/until I’ve been exposed or get sick. I’ve been debating this and here’s what I think: so long as our households are both healthy, getting a massage should be fine, especially with the precautions I’ve listed below. If you disagree, that’s fine, don’t book right now.
When my schedule is free (to be honest, my schedule is very, very free these days), I’m keeping socially isolated at home with my cats these days. I have lots of books to read and yarn to knit up – my inner introvert has been preparing for this for years!
As you know, I wash my hands before and after every massage. I am wiping down all of my equipment and bottles with Clorox wipes after every client (to be time efficient, I do this in my car rather than in your home). I sanitize my hands before getting out of my car. My sheets are professionally laundered & live in a plastic bag in my back seat until I grab them to use in a session.
These are some ideas I have had to make us both feel more comfortable.
Before I arrive:
- Plan a space closer to the front door so I’m not walking so far into your home.
- Let me know in advance if you want me to take off my shoes or wear shoe covers.
- Let me know if you want to use your own sheets.
- Spray some Lysol around where we’re going to be.
While I’m there:
- Opt to skip working on the scalp and neck (the only time are our heads would be in close proximity).
- Wear a robe to change in and out of.
- Wash your hands after the massage when you’ve gotten up and dressed.
- Pay via the prepay link on my website (melissa.to/prepay), Venmo (@MelissaRocks) or Cash app ($MelissaMorse) to eliminate a point of contact.
After I leave:
- Spray the area again with Lysol.
- Take a shower.
- Wash the robe (and sheets if you used your own).
If you have other ideas, I’m definitely open to hearing them. If you have any questions, please ask me. If you’re still uncomfortable, then please don’t book until you are. You know I’ll be here still when this is all over.
If I do get exposed or sick, I’ll be canceling all appointments and taking my schedule offline until I’m out of quarantine or feeling healthy again. In the meantime, I’m taking my vitamins and using essential oils to boost my immune system and maybe finishing some knitting projects.