Stage Two Opening - More Guidance
Answers to Member's Questions
Friday, June 5, 2020

Hello Maryland AMTA Members,

At 5pm this afternoon, Maryland moves into Stage Two Reopenings. As we announced previously, that includes the dreaded "massage parlors" and is interpreted to mean all locations that offer massage may open, and RMPs may return to work. If it is ok with your county as well.

Well - as simple as that statement is, we know it brought a dozen more questions and we have been collecting info to answer them. Once again we ask you to slow down and read all the details shared below before asking more questions (which are welcome.)

Answered below:
  • What rules do we follow? What is required of us, the MBMTE says one thing the Governor and County says another!

  • What about Home Visits - Onsite Work - Out Calls?

  • Is my County Open?

  • I work at a ......... may I go back to work?

And finally, if you missed our last newsletter, you can find it here - it is full of useful information.

We are sure there will be more questions - please feel to reply or visit us on Facebook for more of a discussion - our main page is https://www.facebook.com/amtamd

Take good care,

Amelia
Amelia Mitchell, LMT, LLCC, BCTMB
Board Member and Government Relations Committee Chair
for
David Madon, Mark Hamilton, and Chelsea Adams-Cook
Your AMTA-Maryland Chapter Board
What rules do we follow?
What is required of us, the MBMTE says one thing the Governor and County says another!
We massage therapists are, in general, a group of rule followers, and we want to get it right. Of course there are the ones among us who push-back against rules, however they generally want to know what the rules are so they can effectively disagree or not follow them.

Sadly, it isn't that simple in our world right now.

Here is the short answer - all the details and links are below:

  • Follow the Governor's and any County requirements - they are non-negotiable and a minimum level of protection. Build on from there.

  • The Secretary of Health's requirements still stand for LMTs and don't we all want to meet them?

  • Finally, we must each meet our ethical requirement to do no harm and to protect our clients. To do that properly will require including many more of the recommendations from the more extensive FSMTB Guidelines.

  • In the end, we each want to rest easy knowing we have made a real and effective effort to reduce the risks of transmission of COVID-19 for both clients and therapists.


Now - on to the long form answer:

Our Licensing Board - the Maryland Board of Massage Therapy Examiners MBMTE, has recommended the FSMTB guidelines. I apologize that I misspoke earlier, they are highly recommended by the Board, however they cannot require us to follow them. The MBMTE must either change Statute (by legislation) or Regulations (a lengthy process) to require something. That cannot happen this week. These recommended FSMTB guidelines are the most comprehensive in all that we have seen. There is so much to think about in terms of infection control and safety, and their committee lays it all out.

The Secretary of Health provided clear directives for Health Care Settings about the Ethical Responsibilities, Personal Protective Equipment, Screening of Staff and Clients.

The Governor provided general requirements in the Stage 2 Openings requiring Face Masks and no more than 50% capacity. That is 50% of the bodies generally allowed in a space - if fire code says 20 people, 10 are allowed at this time.

Your County may also add to what is required - pay attention there.

WHAT DO WE DO??
  1. Inform yourself - read the full FSMTB Massage and Bodywork Guidelines for Practice with COVID-19 Considerations and understand why these recommendations are being made. There are dozens of citations - go read some articles and studies.
  2. Follow the Governor's requirements, and County requirements.
  3. LMTs, we are health care providers - follow the Secretary of Health's directive.
  4. Add more cleaning, sanitation, screening, and PPE to the Governor's recommendations. Because we are Ethically Required (LMTs and RMPs) to do no harm and to protect our clients.
  5. If you are getting push-back from an employer who wants to provide the minimum of protections, you can reference CDC and OSHA for workplace safety as well as the above. As a licensed or registered professional, you are required to meet the standards and your employer by extension needs to as well. This is the OSHA Guidance for Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 massage therapy would be considered a job with a medium or high exposure risk.
  6. AMTA National has a good list of guidelines on the website - another good place to go.
  7. From all of this, you must figure out your own list of new requirements, policies, and procedures that fit with your working environment, exposure, and client base. We are sorry we can't just tell you the rules.
  8. We would love to write a list and say do this - we don't have that authority.
What about
Home Visits - Onsite Work - Out Calls?
Because the Governor's Order was about specific locations, we reached out to the MBMTE for further guidance. This is what we have been told:

"All LMTs and RMPs are able to return to work under the 06-03-2020 Executive Order regardless of work location, unless prohibited by a County Executive or local order."

This means that LMTs and RMPs may return to doing house calls other such visits. Many are stating that they think this is better, however there are a lot of considerations to this decision. We will quote from page 13 of the FSMTB Guidelines that again are suggested, not required:

"Massage practitioners are unable to control the cleanliness or disinfection practices at client homes, exposing the massage practitioner to increased risk of infection."

To that we would add, we also cannot control who else is in the home or recently left, their level of social distancing, or air flow. Beyond that, we must consider the level of cleaning and sanitation required to all equipment, carrying bags, and ourselves before going to another location. We have heard that MTs want to do a house call to protect a higher risk client. Please be aware of all of the risks that might arrive with you as the MT as well as the risks to your health.
Is my County Open?
Thanks to everyone on Facebook who helped out on this mission yesterday! Sorry, no alphabetization today. And remember when we say no further requirements beyond Governor's orders that doesn't mean you can skip everything discussed above, it simply means that your county hasn't added anything.




  • Cecil Is Open - no further requirements beyond Governor's Orders


  • Anne Arundel is Open - must wait for further guidance from the AACo Health Department however. Expected later today.







  • Queen Anne County - We are waiting on guidance - nowhere is massage mentioned with personal services, they also require a "back to business" pledge to be filled out. See the website.

Most, not all of the counties, Amelia has run out of steam and time.
I work at a ......... may I go back to work?
As per the MBMTE guidance:

"All LMTs and RMPs are able to return to work under the 06-03-2020 Executive Order regardless of work location, unless prohibited by a County Executive or local order."

This doesn't supersede the Governor's Orders though - if the business you work at remains closed, they can't open and you can't return to work.

So gyms and health clubs remain closed, unless the massage department is entirely separate, they can't open.
What do you want to know - bring on the questions!
Simply reply to this email or visit us on Facebook.