Federal Aid Package for Massage Therapy Industry
Across the country, the need for social distancing has impacted many industries. One industry in particular stands at high risk for both economic catastrophe AND infection, and that is the community of massage therapists.
Many licensed massage therapists are self-employed, and rely on clients' appointment fees to pay both business and personal bills. Our families are facing a long list of economic catastrophes: losing our homes, retirements, extreme debt/bankruptcy, inability to provide food for our children and/or pay for much needed health insurance. Cancellations, rescheduled appointments, and loss of child care during this novel coronavirus outbreak {COVID-19} are cause of grave concern to all who work in the massage therapy business as incomes plummet. Fear, anger and dread are being felt by all as our families begin to understand the monumental cost to help save our nation from the spread of the virus.
There is already no paid time off/sick leave for self-employment, so many are forced to choose between potential bankruptcy or struggling to remain open, which puts the community as a whole at risk for infection. The very nature of our industry is close contact, in small studio spaces, where despite using our above-average knowledge of sanitation practices, we are exposed to airborne transmission with every possible cough or sneeze from our clientele. Any massage therapist infected with COVID-19 has the ability to transmit the infection quickly to his or her full book of clients on every given day, even before symptoms arise.
The need for an Economic Hardship package is immediate and should include the following;
-Emergency Medicaid Health insurance for those who are uninsured
-$100 billion in government-backed, low interest loans, to help support the the self-employment income that is disappearing
AND
-Equal relief/aid funding of self-employed massage therapists, as we are not covered under the current proposed relief bills being voted on at the Federal level
We the undersigned plead with our elected officials to hear our warnings and cries for help as we not only see our own economic plight but also the sacrifice of our livelihoods as we struggle to keep our communities healthy.
Respectfully,
Leslie Titus, Sole Practioner
Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist
