By Robbin Blake

Currently, Monkey Pox (MPV) is in the news and WSMTA has received quite a few questions about it. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has a website page that provides very thorough information about the virus – you can see pictures of what it looks like, read about how and where it is spread and what to do if you are exposed. Fortunately, the virus has very defining characteristics and is mostly transmitted with direct contact. From the information on the DOH website you can create intake questions if you feel that you have the possibility to be exposed. If you feel that the person on your massage table may have MPV then do exercise your pathogen protocols that you have in place for handling linens the person came into contact with, disinfecting equipment in the room and washing your hands and forearms. As we are required to wear masks during massage still at this point, this protects against the smaller possibility of airborne transmission.

For details about the monkey pox virus, please see the following websites:

DOH: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/monkeypox

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html