Two years on and we are now “living with” covid. At Shalom this looks a little different than in many businesses. We are back to almost no restrictions being enforced on us, but the standards of cleanliness are impeccable as ever! Washing hands, fresh linens for each client and all equipment thoroughly sanitised between appointments has always been the case and will always continue.
The main changes still lingering are in timings. Allowing extra time between clients to air the room means less appointments each day. I book five appointments maximum at 10, 12, 2, 4 & 6pm. I will also ask at time of booking if you have been diagnosed with covid in the past three months. I have been doing this since we reopened after the first lockdown.
The evidence I had gathered showed an increased risk of clotting for a few months following infection. This leads to an increased risk of DVT, PE or stroke following a massage as we increase blood flow in the body during a treatment. In most people this is a good thing and increases well-being; however in someone recovering from Covid it could be very serious or even life threatening. Dislodging even a small clot that you didn’t know you had could lead to serious complications.
At Shalom, I always err on the side of caution and would never want to put a client at risk, even unknowingly. This month an article about the clotting has been published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that confirms my concern in a medical study researched in Sweden over the past year. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/04/covid-patients-may-be-higher-risk-blood-clots-6-months?fbclid=IwAR1-JvZdI5ykG_9EPVyvWGE1sYh-idrL2UVqIiLHPdEyOLMej0wBca1EVrE
The policy of waiting for three weeks after a covid jab is that most people with side effects tend to have them within the three weeks. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer side effects it is important that they are reported as such. Early on last year some doctors were blaming side effects of the jab on various complementary therapies received around that time. This messes up the vital data collection and sadly leaves therapists open to litigation if a doctor has blamed a complication on them.
So for both our safety, I will offer no massages for three months post a covid infection. Reflexology and facials are available instead. No treatments at all for three weeks post a covid specific jab. I’m sorry if this is inconvenient but I value my clients safety above all else!