August 18, 2020
In the last couple of weeks, FSMTA has been working to address Palm Beach County’s Emergency Order 15 prohibiting some massage therapists from practicing. This was a result of the county’s interpretation of the Governor’s Executive Order. Palm Beach County chose to interpret the executive order as not including massage therapy in Phase 1. Due to the efforts of our Legislative Team and Lobbyists this has been corrected. Licensed Massage Therapists ARE PERMITTED to work in Palm Beach County at this time. In addition to this the incorrect terminology referencing Massage Establishments as “Massage Parlors” has been corrected as well. As always we will continue to work on behalf of the Massage Therapy Profession.
https://discover.pbcgov.org/PDF/COVID19/PBC-EO-18.pdf
May 27, 2020
Important Massage Therapy Updates for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the DOH
http://flhealthsource.gov/pdf/05272020-massage-email-communication.pdf
May 21, 2020
On Wednesday May 20, 2020, the Florida Board of Massage Therapy had a conference call to share information and the FSMTA Legislative Chair was in attendance on that call.
Here is a summary as related to 'return to work':
Florida Board of Massage Therapy director, Kama Monroe, definitively said massage therapists can return to work. Her suggestion regarding PPE (personal protective equipment) is to follow the guidelines recently presented by FSMTB (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards). If you are not familiar with the FSMTB , it is an organization that is comprised of representatives from all the state boards across the country. You can find these suggested guidelines and more at fsmtb.org.
May 14, 2020
According to the Florida Department of Health, the State Surgeon General has confirmed that Section 5 of the Governor's Executive Order 20-112 (see below) applies to massage therapists.
EO-20-112.pdf
May 11, 2020
CDC has interim guidance to help prevent workplace exposures to COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings. This guidance also provides planning considerations for community spread of COVID-19. Visit CDC's COVID-19: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers webpage for the most up-to-date guidance and more information. CDC continues to update this interim guidance as additional information becomes available.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website also provides information on how to protect workers from potential exposures and guidance for employers, including steps to take for jobs according to exposure risk.
Businesses are strongly encouraged to coordinate with state and local health officials so timely and accurate information can guide appropriate responses. Local conditions will influence the decisions that public health officials make regarding community-level strategies. Contact your state or local health department for guidance specific to your area.
Additionally, here is information regarding recommendations for healthcare providers we hope you find helpful.
Limited information is available to characterize the spectrum of clinical illness associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). No vaccine or specific treatment for COVID-19 is available; care is supportive.
The CDC clinical criteria for a COVID-19 patient under investigation (PUI) have been developed based on what is known about COVID-19 and are subject to change as additional information becomes available. Current criteria can be found on CDC's Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html.
The COVID-19: Information for Healthcare Professionals website also has the following guidance available for healthcare professionals:
- Infection control guidance
- Clinical care guidance
- Home care guidance
- Guidance and Resources on Healthcare Supply of Personal Protective Equipment
- Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure Guidance
This information is continuously being updated. Please check the CDC website periodically for the most up-to-date guidance.
For more information, please visit the following CDC websites:
CDC Resources
Coronavirus Disease 2019: Information for Healthcare Professionals https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/
Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html
COVID-19: Resources for Businesses and Employers https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesses-employers.html
Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
COVID-19: Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html
COVID-19: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
COVID-19: General Business Frequently Asked Questions https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/general-business-faq.html
Prepare your Small Business and Employees for the Effects of COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-small-business.html
Health Department Governance https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/sitesgovernance/index.html
External Resources
Coronavirus Disease 2019 U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/novel_coronavirus/index.html
Directory of Local Health Departments National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) https://www.naccho.org/membership/lhd-directory
May 6, 2020
Remember the FSMTA is not a regulatory agency and these links are resources to utilize for when you decide to return to work. Massage therapists are healthcare providers under Florida Law and the decision to return to work is a personal, professional and ethical one that each individual needs to make for themselves based on their health, environment and clientele.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Recommendations Re-opening Facilities to Provide Non-emergent Non-COVID-19 Healthcare: Phase I https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid-flexibility-reopen-essential-non-covid-services.pdf
CDC Re-Opening Businesses Flow Chart https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/fs-reopening-america-workers-at-risk.pdf
CDC Infection Control Recommendations https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html
CDC Hand Hygiene Recommendations https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hand-hygiene.html
CDC Guide to Using PPE https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/using-ppe.html
CDC Strategies for Optimizing Facemasks https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/face-masks.html
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