Massages are great anxiety killers, but what is your risk level of contracting COVID-19 during a session?
Many relaxing activities have been put on indefinite hold due to the pandemic. While nail and hair salons have been slowly crawling out of the woods, enforcing protective screens and measuring the temperature of clients, massage parlors haven’t been labeled as that high of a priority.
As is the case with most things COVID, it’s all up to your situation and personal circumstances. While a massage is not something you need, it is nice when you’re feeling stressed out. And, have you ever been more stressed out? It’s doubtful.
Here’s what you should know about getting a massage while there’s the coronavirus to consider:
You should evaluate your personal situation
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When going out and exposing yourself, it’s important to evaluate your situation and level of risk. Keep in mind your age and whether you’re coping with pre-existing conditions. The person who is at lowest risk of the virus are those who are young and healthy. You should be aware of these risks before you choose to visit one of these establishments.
Be sure to look into different massage places and how they’re responding to COVID; how often they’re sanitizing, changing their sheets, whether they’re staggering costumers and if their employees are wearing masks. Give them a call ahead of time so you can plan it out and make an educated decision.
Masks should be worn at all times
Once you’ve made your choice, it’s important to wear your mask throughout the massage and to ensure that whomever is doing your massage is wearing a mask also. Even if you’re facing down, your mask relatively controls your respiratory droplets, keeping the area and the person you’re with safe.
Minimize your exposure
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Not all spas are equal, which is why you should be careful and do your research ahead of time. Although bigger spas might be more fancy, they’re more likely to have more clients. The less people there are around, the better, with the establishment’s ventilation also playing an important part in keeping the air fresh and virus free.
You can also ask to see if you can schedule a masseuse to make a house call. While you’re still exposing yourself to a stranger, the variables will be under your control; make sure to get your massage somewhere near an open window, with good airflow, or, if you can, somewhere outdoors.
