The Next Normal: Longview spa takes extra precaution for massages during pandemic

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - With the world the way it is right now, you might be looking for something relaxing, like maybe a massage. But just how does that work right now with social distancing?

Hailey Davis owner of Copper Tree Retreat in downtown Longview and Rachel Rowe say things are different, as soon as a customer walks in the door, in the world of massage.

“If they don’t have their mask on we do offer them one. We take temperatures at the door,” Davis said.

Clients fill out a form asking questions about recent health, and if that is good they go to the next step.

“We offer them hand sanitizer and then find out what service they’re here for. And as long as no one is in the waiting area they get ushered into the waiting area,” Davis said.

Or an unoccupied room, or the assigned massage room itself if it’s been prepared. Massage Therapist Taryn Nolte says COVID-19 has changed preps.

“We didn’t wear a mask before. We didn’t wear gloves before,” Nolte said.

But they do now. There are plenty of rooms for the service so only the client and therapist are in a massage room. They have several lengths of time they’ll do a massage, but if:

“They ask to do an eighty-minute massage we check with our therapist because doing an eighty-minute deep tissue is very difficult when you’re wearing a mask,” Davis said.

Davis doesn’t want her people passing out. The actual massage goes the same way as it did pre-COVID-19. And once it’s finished and the client leaves, the work begins.

“We strip all the bedding, it’s sprayed down with sanitizer, then we use the cavicide wipes to clean everything. Fresh bedding is put on, then you’re ready for your next client,” Davis said.

That adds about 15 minutes of turnaround time so appointments are adjusted accordingly. It also adds some expense to their overhead.

“Since Lysol and those types of things are really, really hard to find. We are lucky because we some other resources where we can order medical grade cleaning supplies, and so that’s where we get our stuff,” Davis said.

She says they also sanitize doorknobs, light switches, and counters between clients. They say they’re taking extra care since they just don’t want to rub anyone the wrong way in the Next Normal.

Copper Tree Retreat operates by appointments and will take clients who are older or at a higher risk outside normal business hours to limit contact with other clients or employees

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