Covid-19 Masseurs and Clients

[Onamission]

I've noticed a fair number of masseurs still offering services here in L.A. Obviously they do so because there are still clients seeking services and masseurs that need money because government benefits for the self-employed are slow to arrive. Without breaking and confidentialities, and names are not requested, I just want to know if any of you are aware of masseurs or clients that have become ill in close proximity to a massage, or been informed by their masseur or client of a positive Covid-19 diagnosis? Just looking for some type of assessment of how prevelant the virus may be in our subset community?

[bendable2019]

I've noticed a fair number of masseurs still offering services here in L.A. Obviously they do so because there are still clients seeking services and masseurs that need money because government benefits for the self-employed are slow to arrive. Without breaking and confidentialities, and names are not requested, I just want to know if any of you are aware of masseurs or clients that have become ill in close proximity to a massage, or been informed by their masseur or client of a positive Covid-19 diagnosis? Just looking for some type of assessment of how prevelant the virus may be in our subset community?

 

Good survey! I’d love to hear the result.

[+ WestGuy]

A provider in NYC who I had texted with before once or twice but had never seen reached out to me and said that he had Covid - 19 already, but it was a mild case and he was fully recovered. He was open to meeting up if I was comfortable doing so, but I am not at the moment so will wait.

[+ EVdude]

Just the opposite, one of my long time regular masseurs decided to get out the business all together. He’d been thinking about for some time. COVID showed up and he left the massage biz, and NYC , for good.

[Dmitri]

Since Covid 19 is so highly contagious in the general population, I think it would be hard for a client who did develop symptoms from Covid 19 to pinpoint if they did indeed acquire it from a massage session. They might have stopped at a gas station before getting the massage and got it off the handle of the gas pump, or there could a million other places they got it before/after the massage session. This also gets tricky, since if an honest masseur as a courtesy contacts the client later to alert the client that they have now developed Covid 19 symptoms, maybe they acquired it from the client during the massage session, and not the other way around. The whole thing gets very hard to pinpoint.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Dmitri

[Dmitri]

Since Covid 19 is so highly contagious in the general population, I think it would be hard for a client who did develop symptoms from Covid 19 to pinpoint if they did indeed acquire it from a massage session. They might have stopped at a gas station before getting the massage and got it off the handle of the gas pump, or there could a million other places they got it before/after the massage session. This also gets tricky, since if an honest masseur as a courtesy contacts the client later to alert the client that they have now developed Covid 19 symptoms, maybe they acquired it from the client during the massage session, and not the other way around. The whole thing gets very hard to pinpoint.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Dmitri

[Onamission]

Since Covid 19 is so highly contagious in the general population, I think it would be hard for a client who did develop symptoms from Covid 19 to pinpoint if they did indeed acquire it from a massage session. They might have stopped at a gas station before getting the massage and got it off the handle of the gas pump, or there could a million other places they got it before/after the massage session. This also gets tricky, since if an honest masseur as a courtesy contacts the client later to alert the client that they have now developed Covid 19 symptoms, maybe they acquired it from the client during the massage session, and not the other way around. The whole thing gets very hard to pinpoint.

I absolutely agree with your point. My point and purpose of this post is not to point a finger, nor even to determine whether or nor it was transmitted at a massage appointment. My purpose in your example would simply be for someone to simply state, I know a masseur or client in this community who has or has had Covid-19. Although I don't personally know a significant number of masseurs and clients, I do know several. Some are still active on both sides of the table, most are not. I know several people who are not members of this community who have or have had the disease. But I don't know any members of this community that have or have had the disease. What I am looking for simply is a tally of sorts, as to how many participants in this community have it? I am in the LA market, though I welcome everyones comments. Be healthy!

[+ EVdude]

I don't know any members of this community that have or have had the disease. What I am looking for simply is a tally of sorts, as to how many participants in this community have it?

That’s the friggn frustration of this situation... we don’t know and for the moment are unable to find out. I may have had it early on. I was horribly sick for almost 5 days with what the doctor said was a norovirus... aka food poisoning, but could not get tested because I didn’t have enough of the symptoms. Maddening!

[+ Brad in NYC]

That’s the friggn frustration of this situation... we don’t know and for the moment are unable to find out. I may have had it early on. I was horribly sick for almost 5 days with what the doctor said was a norovirus... aka food poisoning, but could not get tested because I didn’t have enough of the symptoms. Maddening!

 

@EVdude There are several places in NYC (and probably most big cities) looking for blood donations from people who had or think they had COVID-19. Donating might be a way for you to find out for sure.

[+ Italiano]

Just the opposite, one of my long time regular masseurs decided to get out the business all together. He’d been thinking about for some time. COVID showed up and he left the massage biz, and NYC , for good.

Who is that @EVdude ?...

[+ Pensant]

Perusing Rentmen ads reveals a number of March and April reviews of providers, so there must still be a fair amount of hiring going on.

[+ WestGuy]

Perusing Rentmen ads reveals a number of March and April reviews of providers, so there must still be a fair amount of hiring going on.

 

Same with Rentmasseur, including a number of guys in NYC.

[boiledeggz]

@EVdude There are several places in NYC (and probably most big cities) looking for blood donations from people who had or think they had COVID-19. Donating might be a way for you to find out for sure.

 

You can't donate if you've had gay sex within the past year.

[wklukas]

You can't donate if you've had gay sex within the past year.

 

 

The furor stirred up about Andy Cohen’s denial about not being allowed to donate blood brought to the forefront the fact that the ”rules” have changed from 1 year to within the past 3 months.....still an antiquated policy & approach but a bit better than before.

[Spursy]

The furor stirred up about Andy Cohen’s denial about not being allowed to donate blood brought to the forefront the fact that the ”rules” have changed from 1 year to within the past 3 months.....still an antiquated policy & approach but a bit better than before.

A few more weeks and I'll be eligible, damn it!

[jeezifonly]

I stay in because I can- no work available in my field, have bene’s in my favor right now, a nice home w outdoor space, and plenty food/booze to sustain for a while. I will check into a couple of my fave pre-plague providers once the infection rate goes down. In a way it was easier to gauge with HIV - no fluids = no problem, and that allowed for lots of close contact. Not the case here. (Risk/reward) Stay well y’all

[Onamission]

So, I realize it's only been 5 days since I created this post, but I find it interesting that not a single member has posted that they know a client or a massuer who has had the virus. Especially in L.A.

 

Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

[boiledeggz]

The furor stirred up about Andy Cohen’s denial about not being allowed to donate blood brought to the forefront the fact that the ”rules” have changed from 1 year to within the past 3 months.....still an antiquated policy & approach but a bit better than before.

 

For sure and frankly it's hard to argue anymore that it isn't based on stigma from the 1980s. Frankly the African Americans community is disproportionately affected by hiv and yet it would be an absolute scandal if they were barred from donating. The fact is all blood is tested rigorously now.

[Dmitri]

So, I realize it's only been 5 days since I created this post, but I find it interesting that not a single member has posted that they know a client or a massuer who has had the virus. Especially in L.A.

 

Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

 

 

You are correct. No mention in any posts on this thread, though I do recall a random mention of 1 or 2 in other threads. I think the reason is because whether it is a client or masseur, being infected in this pandemic is a personal health matter, one that most are not willing to share, except with a select few they are super close with. Especially in a situation as massage, where whether you are the client or the masseur, since it is such a close contact service, disclosing you have/had Covid 19 is not something you are willing to share for personal and/or privacy reasons. It is one thing in this forum to disclose it with anonymous people, but to mention it face to face is a whole other story. None of my friends who hire masseurs, or masseurs who I know have mentioned it to me face to face for the reasons I mentioned, mostly privacy and discretion issues.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Dmitri

[Onamission]

I totally understand your point. I was hoping that those massuers or clients who've had it would simply say, "yes, I know a maasuer/client whose had it." Not indicating it is them, nor naming anyone, just an indication of it's presence in our circle.

 

Still, I am encouraged by the lack of yesses in this post.

[LivingnLA]

Given the very high asymptomatic rates (from 25-50%), the only people who will know they had it are those who had severe enough symptoms to notice and seek out medical help. In the USA, they will also need to be sick enough to qualify for testing since it's still limited in many areas.

 

I edited to update the asymptomatic range since it's changed some as new data comes out.

Edited May 16, 2020 by LivingnLA

[jeezifonly]

Suppose an asymptotic provider or client did reveal a positive result from a recent c-19 test. Or that the family of a favorite client was getting ill...Does one do this before or after the encounter? How long after? Would this info halt the proceedings then and there? or bring odds of repeat encounter to zero?

Would really like to hear views on these realities about everyone viewing their personal risk.

 

For me this echoes HIV in terms of the mass simultaneous learning curve about the virus itself, its symptoms, and the behavioral role in its transmission, except now it’s all in fast forward... as is life...

 

Until we know more, maybe it’s every man for himself.

Assume everyone inside the 6’ radius has the potential to pass it on?

Except for that one hot hairy daddy with those eyes and a perfect rugger ass...

 

Risk/Benefit

 

Pease stay well

[Redwine56]

A few more weeks and I'll be eligible, damn it!

Blame it on social distancing!

[+ Kman]

Working in healthcare I have worked with patients and fellow coworkers who have ended up testing positive with the virus so no doubt I have been exposed. Because I had on PPE I had a low risk of exposure according to the facility I work for so therefore have not been tested...coming up on 4 weeks since the first case and I haven’t seen a masseur or escort since mid February.

Edited May 2, 2020 by Kman

[MmM]

You can now get the antibody test at your local CityMD.