COVID-19

Patient Guidelines: Returning to Seeing Your Massage Therapist and Acupuncturist During COVID-19

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At Toronto Bodyworks our full team of Massage Therapists and Acupuncturists as well as our Managers and Reception Team are compliant with all government directives to maximize your health and safety.

Here are some of the new additions to our studio and policies to help keep you safe. For detailed information about screening and booking please scroll down:

Preparation Before you Arrive to your Appointment

Be sure you have the following:

• a clean mask, cloth or surgical / procedural (Level 1) is fine – please wear it before entering the building (see video on safely donning and removing your mask below)
• facial tissues (tissue boxes are a high contact surface that people reach for when body fluids are running, please bring your own)
• a closed bottle of water (we cannot provide water on site at this time)
• anything you would like to have for the session – an eye pillow or facial mask, etc.

We ask that you leave behind anything you don’t need for the session to reduce the risk of contaminating more surfaces. If you carry a bag but don’t need it, please consider not bringing it along for your session, if you can. 

Please note that if you develop any of the symptoms described in your required Covid-19 screening form that you received with your booking confirmation email that you cannot be treated. Please take an online self-assessment and contact your MD or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0007.

Toronto Bodyworks COVID-19 Photo Gallery

Only one sink for use at a time in the bathrooms for physical distancing.

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Arriving for your appointment:

Passive Screening 

• When you arrive there is signage on the door of the suite and immediately upon entering with some hand sanitizer or signage offering the option to hand wash. Please read and follow the instructions on the signage
• When you have read through the signage and sanitized your hands proceed to reception (wait by minding the physical distancing decals on the floor if necessary)
• You will be screened and we will collect information for contract tracing
• Your therapist will be with you momentarily

Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes early to your appointment.

At Toronto Bodyworks we have: 

• Installed signage and rearranged the layout and flow for safe two metre distancing
• Installed a sneeze shield at the reception
• Implemented a high level screening process in compliance with new standards from the Minister of Health
• Removed replaceable fabrics and other high contamination surfaces and replaced them with healthier alternatives
• Paperless options for payment and receipts
• Increased cleaning and disinfection protocols to meet the new standards in place from our Colleges
• Staggered staff to create more flow in the studio
• Increased the amount of time between sessions to implement disinfection protocols
• Appropriate PPE for staff + PPE available for purchase for patients who have forgotten theirs
• Created a safe patient schedule in regards to timing
• Educated all staff with new return to work practices and requirements

If you arrive with a fever (and/or possible positive COVID-19 symptoms) you will be required to pay for the appointment and be immediately sent home where we will ask you to take the COVID-19 Self Assessment and follow their directives. We recommend you also contact call your MD or TeleHealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 for further guidance. If you don’t have access to internet proceed with a call.

Please arrive for your appointment no more than five minutes early. This will decrease the number of people in the space and allow for best physical distancing measures and be received by your therapist as soon as possible.

Arrive alone.

We ask that you please comply with the following measures to keep everyone safe during this time:

• Do not bring anyone with you who doesn’t have an appointment at the exact same time
• Refrain from asking anyone to wait for you in the reception area, with physical distancing measures in effect we don’t have enough space to allow people to hang out in reception at this time
• Complete your business at reception after your appointment and leave as soon as you are done
• Bring your own clean mask, cloth or medical will do
• Wear your mask at all times in the studio, even before you enter the building
• If you forget your mask we are trying to keep stock to have some for sale. Please do not rely on this as PPE is in short supply and we are doing our best to be able to provide for everyone
• We recommend you bring facial tissue. If you forget we are trying to keep little packets for sale at the reception desk
• Bring your own bottled water, but no other food or drink
• Do not bring any bags, if possible
• If you like to have an eye pillow or covering over your eyes during your session please bring your own. We will not have any available.

Quiet Tables (less talking) – Patients and therapists alike may respectfully request a quiet table at any time. Quiet table sessions may offer deeper relaxation and a safer environment.

When at the office we ask that you:

• Maintain physical distancing whenever possible – two metres
• Wash or sanitize your hands upon entering the clinic and as you leave. It is highly recommended to wash your hands after your appointment and again as soon as you get to your home
• Use contact-less payment and limit the exchange of paper (i.e. emailed receipt) – no cash payments accepted at this time. We take Visa, Mastercard, Debit and E-Transfer (to info@torontobodyworks.com)

Physical Distancing

Everyone should remain two metres apart from each other when in the office. Appropriate PPE (e.g. surgical/procedural mask) will be used by all therapists when providing your examination or treatment at all times including any time there is less than two metres of distance between you.

Hygiene

Hand hygiene is the most effective way of preventing the transmission of infections to patients and staff. Hands should be washed or sanitized when entering the studio, and after leaving the studio.

We reserve the right to refuse service for anyone who does not cooperate with our safety protocols. Any persons not following protocol will be kindly asked to leave. 

To return to treatment, there are some guidelines that you, your therapist and our team must follow for everyone’s safety.

Booking an Appointment

1. Before reaching out to book an appointment the Minister of Health mandates the following screening. We verify and update this list of symptoms daily as new information becomes available. Please be aware that it is subject to change. We ask everyone to conduct the following self screening:

Do you have any of the following:

• Fever (37.8 C or 100.4 F)
• New onset of cough
• Worsening chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Decrease of loss of sense of taste or smell
• Chills
• Headaches
• Unexplained fatigue/malaise/muscle aches (myalgias)
• Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
• Runny nose or nasal congestion without other known cause

Have you:

Tested positive for COVID-19 or had close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 without wearing appropriate PPE?

In the past 14 days have you:

Traveled outside of Canada?

If you are 70 years of age or older, have you been experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Delirium
• Unexplained or increased number of falls
• Acute functional decline
• Worsening of chronic conditions

If you have experienced any of the above or do so between the time of booking  and before your appointment please take the COVID-19 Self Assessment, call TeleHealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or your MD for further guidance.

If you have been directed to get tested and self isolate please cancel your appointment immediately and proceed with the recommendations provided to you.

If you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 you must be properly cleared according to the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance before coming in for a session.

If your answers are No, then please proceed to contact Toronto Bodyworks to make an appointment

Active Screening

Will be conducted four times:

1. Over the phone or by email at the time of booking.
2. 48 hours before your in-person visit by email – if we have not heard back we will contact you by phone. You must respond to hold your appointment.
3. Upon your arrival at the studio. Reception will also take your temperature before your appointment.
4. Your therapist will also follow their directive to complete the COVID-19 screening when doing your intake, before your session begins.

Your Massage Therapist / Acupuncturist will: 

• Follow the protocols of the Ministry of Health and Public Health Ontario for screening, disinfection and the use of PPE
• Change into clean clothes upon arrival to the studio
• Wash their hands up to their elbows after each patient visit and before starting with the next patient
• Track and Complete a thorough disinfection of the treatment room between all sessions

Disinfection

Your Massage Therapist / Acupuncturist will follow the cleaning and disinfection protocols from The Minister of Health and the directives of their Colleges. This would include disinfection of all diagnostic and treatment tools and treatment surfaces between each patient visit. Times between appointments have been increased to allow for the disinfection process to be thorough and successful.

Continue to conduct ongoing regular screening of your health.

If you exhibit symptoms of COVID-19, please follow the advice of public health officials before infecting others. Your Massage Therapist / Acupuncturist is required to report any confirmed cases.

Resources

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Public Health Ontario: Handwashing Video with Soap and Water

Public Health Ontario: Handrub Video with Sanitizer

Public Health Ontario Facial PPE: Masks and Eye Protection

Hamilton Health Sciences: The Right Way to Cover Your Cough

Treatment Rooms and Studio Disinfectant MSDS: Concrobium Broad Spectrum Disinfectant II (scroll to bottom right of page for downloadable data sheet)

We thank-you for your co-operation to keep everyone safe during this time. We look forward to seeing you soon!