COVID-19

May 29, 2020

Hello, Dear Ones!

Although I don’t have definitive information at this time, I want to update you on the status of massage therapy in Kitsap County, as many of you have had questions about your massage therapy appointments as our county moves into Phase 2 of the Safe Start Washington plan.

As you know, Kitsap County has just been granted a variance to move into Phase 2 of the Safe Start Washington Plan, and many personal service businesses will begin to open up again under the governor’s guidelines. However, services such as massage therapy are not considered personal services as they are regulated by the Department of Health and are currently in a “Contingency Care” Phase.

The Washington State Massage Therapy Association is working diligently with the Department of Health to clarify when it is appropriate for massage therapists to treat non-urgent medical needs and in what setting (massage therapy environments can vary greatly from hospitals to spas) during this Contingency Care Phase. You can read the full proclamation by Governor Inslee at https://www.governor.wa.gov/…/20- 24.1%20-%20COVID-19%20Non-… which describes the guidelines for health care facilities’ criteria to treat.

I feel the current necessary and weighty requirements and liabilities for health care facilities defined in the proclamation above are not appropriate for my practice setting. I won’t burden you with the details here, but if you want to know more about those requirements, please reach out. I will keep you updated with changes and insight into when I feel I can resume business in a way that is beneficial to you and the greater good.

As always, I will do my best to navigate this in a way that supports your health and wellbeing. Please reach out if you have any questions or to let me know how you are doing!

Be well and powerful,
Lesley Bush