Why is medical massage not an essential NYS business?

Many people in WNY count on medical massage to help control chronic pain caused by car accidents, injuries, disease and surgery.

But medical massage is not considered an essential business during the Covid-19 crisis.

REOPENING FORMILLIONS OFAMERICANS MEANSGETTING BACK TOWORK.BUT FOR SOME - ITGOES BEYOND THAT.THE SHUT DOWN OFONE LOCAL BUSINESSHAS LEFT THE OWNERWITHOUT A JOB... ANDHER PATIENTS IN A LOTOF PAIN.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ED REILIS WORKING TO MAKESURE THE STATE ISDOING WHAT'S RIGHT..TO HELP THOSE INNEED.YOU ARE MANDATINGTHAT WE SHUT DOWNBUT YOU ARE NOTHELPING US.

I ALMOSTFEEL LIKE WE HAVEBEEN FORGOTTENABOUTFOR 17-YEARS LISAPLASTER HASOPERATED A SMALLBUSINESS CALLEDADVANCE MASSAGETHERAPY.CONTRARY TO THEPERCEPTION THATMASSAGE IS JUST FORRELAXATION .

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90%OF HER 175 CLIENTSHAVE PRESCRIPTIONSFROM LOCALDOCTORS TO USEMASSAGE TOCONTROL CHRONICPAIN.WITH ADVANCEDMASSAGE CLOSEDFOR TWO MONTHS -THOSE PATIENTS AREHURTING.IT IS DEBILITATING FORPEOPLE.

THEY ARECRYING.

THEY ARE INPAIN.

THEY NEEDS USTHEN THE PAINSHOOTS DOWN YOURLEGS.

SO THEN YOUARE HOLDING YOURBODY IN AWKWARDPOSITIONS WHICHAFFECTS ME.

MYUPPER BACK HURTSAND IT AFFECTS MYNECK AND SHOULDERSWE TALKED WITHCAROLYN FROM WESTSENECA WHO HAS ALOWER SPINE INJURY.MASSAGE ALLOWSHER TO AVOID USINGOPIOID PAIN KILLERS.BUT THE 54-YEAR-OLDWOMAN IS GETTINGDESPERATE AND ISPLEADING WITH NYSTO LET MEDICALMASSAGE THERAPISTSREOPEN.IT IS JUST VERY HARDTO DEAL .

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VERYHARD TO LIVELISA PLASTER FEELSSHE CAN OPERATESAFELY WITH MASKS,GLOVES ANDTEMPERATURECHECKS.KNOWING THATCHIROPRACTORS AREBEING ALLOWEDOPERATE .

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.THERE ARE A LOT OFPEOPLE WHO CAN'T GOTO THE CHIROPRACTORPLASTER HAS TRIEDMULTIPLE TIMES TOGET A WAIVER TOOPEN.I HAVE SENT AAPPLICATION JUSTABOUT DAILY AND IHAVE NOT HEARDANYTHING YETHER FRUSTRATIONALSO EXTENDS TOUNEMPLOYMENTBECAUSE SHE HASBEEN UNABLE TO GETHER BENEFITS ORTALK TO ANYONEABOUT IT .THERE WAS ONE DAYWHERE I CALLED 48TIMES.

IT EITHERHANGS UP ON YOUR ORDISCONNECTS OR JUSTTELLS YOU IT IS BUSY.MAKING THINGS EVENMORE CONFUSING .

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.SHE CANNOT GETANSWERS ABOUTWHAT PHASE OFREOPENING NEWYORK WILL INCLUDEMEDICAL MASSAGETHERAPISTS.IT IS NOW 9 WEEKSWITH NO INCOMEWITH BILLS TO PAY .

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.AN OFFICE TOMAINTAIN .

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ANDPATIENTS CALLINGDAILY FOR HELP WITHPAIN .

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LISA PLASTERIS NOW HOPINGSOMEONE WILL HELPHER GET SOMEANSWERS.YOU FEEL LIKE YOURHANDS ARE TIED.

YOUCAN'T CONTACTANYBODY OR TALK TOANYONE ON THEPHONETHE STATE LABORDEPARTMENT TOLD USIT IS GOING TO LOOKINTO LISA PLASTER'SCLAIM FORUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.

AND WEARE STILL WAITING TOHEAR FROM EMPIRESTATE DEVELOPMENTABOUT WHAT WASPHASE OF REOPENINGMEDICAL MASSAGEWILL FALL UNDER.

EDREILLY 7 E