‘I'm feeling safe’: Physiotherapy clinics, massage therapy cautiously reopening - The Kingston Whig-Standard

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K-Town Physiotherapy was among the health services providers to open their doors last week. (Matt Scace/For The Whig-Standard) jpg, KI


KINGSTON — When the provincial government said the health sector could restart, all Scott Fraser had to do was open the doors.

Fraser, co-owner of K-Town Physiotherapy, said he’d been preparing the clinic in the month leading up to the announcement, implementing more hand sanitizing stations and stocking up on personal protective equipment. Now, with their measures in place, he said that even for a primarily hands-on profession like physiotherapy, a sense of normalcy is returning to his clinic.

“Everybody was a bit nervous on Day 1 and 2, you don’t know what to expect,” Fraser said. “It’s kind of the new normal with everyone running around with a mask … we’re cleaning the equipment like crazy. But yeah, it seems to be business as usual with the exception of cleaning of the hands and masks.”

Fraser is currently one of many health-care providers getting back to work as the province works to reopen various services.

On May 26, the Ontario Ministry of Health released a document regarding operational guidelines for the health sector in its bid to restart.

Among the types of services allowed to open for in-person appointments are physiotherapy and massage therapy clinics, as well as dental offices.

With many sectors providing online consultation during the closures, the guidelines encourage health-care providers to “implement a system for virtual and/or telephone consultations” when possible.

As well, they list a “hierarchy of hazard controls,” which provide ways businesses can control the risk of spreading COVID-19. The document says elimination and substitution — which includes not having patients physically come to the clinic and conducting treatment virtually — is the most effective means in the hierarchy. However, it also recognizes that this may not be possible for all businesses.

They also recommend instituting physical systems such as plexiglass barriers, personal protective equipment and active and passive screening.

Active screening is being used to ensure patients haven’t potentially been in contact with the virus. Health-care providers are expected to ask patients if they’ve been in a high-risk area or if they have any COVID-19 symptoms. Meanwhile, passive screening includes posting appropriate signage to ensure patients perform all the necessary preventative measures such as wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer.

According to the guidelines, health-care providers may offer clinical assessments to patients who screen positive but must be placed in an isolated room and use all the appropriate available PPE — including gloves, an isolation gown, surgical mask and eye protection — as does the clinician.

At the moment, Fraser said there is no definitive protocol if an employee tests positive for COVID-19. He said the employee would have to self-isolate for 14 days and would allow for contact tracing, but the clinic would remain open.

Since last Monday, massage therapy clinics have slowly reopened with many of the same guidelines. Jennifer Clarke-Gargaro and Alyssa Green, partners at More to Life massage therapy, said they feel safe re-entering the workplace given the guidelines they’ve been provided. Clarke-Gargaro said massage therapy requires “longer contact” than physiotherapy.

“I’m feeling safe for (my clients). I’m not as worried for myself, so I will be taking all the necessary precautions,” Clarke-Gargaro said.

Similar to physiotherapists, massage therapists and the clients will be required to wear a mask to avoid the spread of droplets, which is the primary concern with regards to spreading the virus.

Clarke-Gargaro said they had their first client on Friday as a test run, and that the process went smoothly. In the coming weeks, they expect to take approximately three clients each per day and, over time, slowly get close to their previous average of around eight clients. Of the numerous factors at play, ensuring the room is sanitized after each client adds more time between clients.

While the requirements will limit their capacity over the coming weeks and months, Green said they’re just happy to be open. Because they work as contractors and provide space to other massage therapists, they were ineligible for government benefits outside of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

“We were kind of falling through the cracks in terms of financial support with the way our business is structured,” Green said.

Green said that alongside the financial relief, they’re pleased to be able to serve the community again.

“We’ve had emails, we’ve had our hands tied this whole time … that’s been really challenging for our clients when their health is declining … and we can’t actually help them,” she said.

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‘I'm feeling safe’: Physiotherapy clinics, massage therapy cautiously reopening