The CMTO (College of Massage Therapists of Ontario) is committed to keeping the public, including RMTs safe and healthy. As such, RMTs providing massage therapy treatments during the Covid 19 pandemic are expected to follow infection prevention and control practices at all times, in all practice settings to protect themselves and the public – including their massage clients.
*** Registered Massage Therapists in Ontario must adhere to CMTO’s COVID-19 Pandemic – Practice Guidance for Massage Therapists. (https://www.cmto.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-19-Pandemic-Practice-Guidance-for-Massage-Therapists.pdf).
Receiving Massage Therapy Treatments During The Covid-19 Pandemic
When booking a massage therapy treatment, clients can expect the following:
- Massage therapy clients will be screened for COVID-19 twice – once before arriving for their massage therapy appointment, and again upon arrival. The RMT is responsible for ensuring the screening is documented in the client’s health record. If immediately before treatment, the client or RMT does not pass screening, the RMT must not provide treatment. The RMT is also expected to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms continuously using the COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms at minimum twice daily.
- The RMT must instruct the client to come to the appointment wearing a clean disposable or reusable mask to be worn throughout the treatment. If a client arrives and is not wearing a mask, the RMT should provide the client with a new surgical mask to wear for the duration of the appointment. In either case, the RMT should advise the client how to properly put on and take off the mask to limit possible transmission of COVID-19. If the client cannot wear a mask (e.g. due to a health condition), the RMT must use their professional judgement to assess the risk of providing or continuing treatment.
- The RMT will wear a mask. They may also wear a face shield, goggles, gloves or other PPEs (personal protective equipment).
- Clients (as well as staff) are required to wash their hands or sanitize upon arrival. RMTs must ensure there are enough supplies within the practice environment for proper hand hygiene, pump liquid soap, running water, and paper towels.
- As with routine practice, the RMT will thoroughly wash their hands (including forearms and elbows) with soap and water between clients. The treatment room and massage equipment must be cleaned and disinfected after each use and between clients.
Registered Massage Therapists and Vaccine:
The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario strongly encourages Registered Massage Therapists to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Individual employers (e.g., private clinics) may also implement vaccination polices and CMTO encourages RMTs who are employers to do so.
The Ontario Government has already issued a directive that promotes vaccination by mandating hospitals, home and community care service providers, and ambulance services employers to have a COVID-19 vaccination policy. Long-term care settings have similar policies in place.
Upholding and communicating evidence-informed public health measures is critical, both in person and online. Registered Massage Therapists who publicly communicate anti-vaccine, anti-masking, anti-distancing and anti-lockdown statements or who promote COVID-19 treatments unsupported by science will face review, investigation and/or disciplinary action by CMTO. Before posting anything online, RMTs should consider how their post may be perceived by the public, and whether it contains false or misleading information.
source: https://www.cmto.com/covid-19/
For more information, please visit:
The CMTO Client Resource for Massage Therapy: https://www.cmto.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Client-Resource-Massage-Therapy-and-COVID-19-1.pdf
RMT Resource: Massage Therapy and Covid 19: https://www.cmto.com/assets/RMT-Resource-Massage-Therapy-and-COVID-19.pdf
COVID-19 Pandemic – Practice Guidance for Massage Therapists: https://www.cmto.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/COVID-19-Pandemic-Practice-Guidance-for-Massage-Therapists.pdf
