How Soon Can I Get a Massage After Having Covid, a Cold or Flu?

Updated Sickness and Recovery Policies. "Sickness Sharing Season" for covid, flus and colds has come early this year! And this small summer covid surge seems likely to roll into the normal back-to-school cold and flu season. So, I’ve updated my sickness policy for clarity - namely, to answer your questions about how soon you can get a massage after having covid, flus or colds.

Main takeaways: wait 10 days after recovery, and cancel or reschedule BEFORE your appointment to avoid costly mistakes.


Reschedule Without Penalty, If You Meet Any of  The Following Conditions: 

  • You have been sick in the past 10 days 

    • Colds & flu: no symptoms for 10 days 

    • Covid: no symptoms, and no positive tests for 10 days 

  • You have been sick, and it’s less than 14 days from symptom onset. 

  • You have been in contact with anyone diagnosed with covid in the past 14 days. (Yes, this means people living in your house.)

  • You have a fever or cold symptoms.

Full Payment Is Due. If you wait until you are on the massage table to say that you’ve recently had covid and don’t meet these requirements, your massage will be stopped & full payment is due.

 

Why is this policy stricter than some others? 

  • Massage is not casual contact. 

  • It’s common to rebound after a negative covid test. 

  • It’s common to get false negatives on covid tests, so flus and colds are lumped into the covid policy. 

  • My own immune system is sluggish, and I need to be at 100% physical capacity to do my job. It takes weeks for me to recover from others’ small colds.

This policy will be shown to you multiple times during the booking process: it’s on the website under policies, it’s shown to you at the time of booking, it’s in your confirmation email, and also in your appointment reminder email. There will also be a posted sign in the massage studio, at least through the winter cold and flu season.

I sympathize with wanting to get back to normal and to feel good in your body as soon as possible, but not at the risk of anyone else’s health. Thanks for understanding, and for helping me to provide a safe and healthy environment for everyone in the massage studio!

Andrea's Back In the Massage Studio!

Update July 10, 2023: Accepting New Clients. The temporary hold on new client bookings is lifted! All clients, including new clients, are once again able to book online!

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Hello dear clients,

I’m happy to say that I’m feeling sufficiently recovered from surgery to start seeing clients again. Massage sessions are available starting Tuesday, June 27.

Sustainable Ramp Up. Very limited appointments will be available at first, just one session a day. I’ll open up more appointments over time, as I prove capable of handling them. The goal is to eventually return to a full client schedule, with the same client hours as before.

Check Back Later. As we start out, appointments are likely to go fast. If you don’t see availability, especially in the first couple of weeks, check back periodically for additional appointment times, which I'll be adding as I'm able. 

Online Booking Temporarily Restricted to Existing Clients. Only existing clients will be able to book online for a while. If you already have a prepaid product, like a gift certificate, and need to get in sooner rather than later, please contact me. This restriction will likely be removed by end of July, possibly sooner, as demand dictates.

I’m excited to see all of you, and to get back in the swing of things! 

Thanks for your patience, and your continued support,

Andrea

Sabbatical April 19 - June 15

I will be out of the massage studio April 19 - June 15. It’s an extended time away, but as of the time of writing, there’s almost a month of open space on the calendar before my departure. Grab your spot before I go! Schedule your massage here.

During the sabbatical, no massage appointments will be available in the studio.

I’ll be happy to see you when I return, on June 16.

Note that the online booking system allows you to book only up to a month in advance.

I appreciate your business, and your continued support.

Sincerely,

Andrea 

Face Masks: Your Choice

Face masks are no longer required in the massage studio. 

If you’d like to wear one, you are welcome to. 

If you don’t want to wear one, that’s also ok.

FYI, your massage therapist will be wearing a well-fitted N95 for client work, for the foreseeable future. I am fully vaccinated, and boostered.

Learn More. Want to learn more about the environment in the massage studio and the current procedures I follow? Check out the latest covid precautions here.