risk their health by going to work, or put their work life on hold to take care of family members. The unemployment rate in November 2020 was 6.7%, up from 3.5% a year ago. 3 The pandemic created an increase in unemployment early in 2020, spiking to a peak of 14.7% in April and declining in the following months. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 21.8% of employed people were working remotely due to the pandemic, and an additional 14.8 million people were unable to work due to their employer closing or losing business. The Federal Reserve predicts that, absent additional economic relief from the government, economic growth could continue to be sluggish or stagnant altogether. Due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on every aspect of both the American and global economies, the Federal Reserve indicated that it is planning to leave interest rates at 0 in order to help stabilize the economy.4 Due to economic uncertainty affecting every sector of the economy, many consumers are spending only what is absolutely necessary for housing, food, and other essential supplies, saving the balance of their income for an unknown future. Discretionary spending on top of essentials has been very low throughout most of 2020 as people are unsure about their own economic stability. If the COVID-19 crisis ends in the near-term, there will be many consumers that have large amounts of savings, and this pentup demand may help speed up the economic recovery. The Consumer Price Index grew by 1.2% over the 12 month period ending October 31, 2020, meaning that consumers are spending slightly more on goods and services than in the previous 12 months. 1C. How has COVID-19 impacted consumer use of massage therapy? Because of the COVID-19 crisis, massage use in the US has been at a standstill at points. Every week that massage therapists didn’t work equated to roughly $270 million leaving the massage profession. Consumers want to get back to having regular massage. Forty-nine percent of massage consumers stated that they have had to cancel their plans or appointments for massage because of COVID-19. Of consumers that have ever gotten a massage, 92% expect to get a massage in the future, with most expecting to get a massage within the next year.6 Beyond time, consumers are looking at the status of COVID-19 and being comfortable with safety procedures as the most prevalent factors for them to go back to getting massage. 53% 49% 34% 21% 27% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% The status of the COVID-19 Crisis When I'm comfortable with the safety procedures massage therapists use Once a vaccie is available for COVID19 Once widespread testing is available for COVID-19 Will look into it once state/city lifts restructions on massage Other than time, what factors would you consider when getting your next massage? Figure 1. Considerations consumers would have when getting their next massage Highlights from Figure 1 The majority of consumers would factor in the status of the COVID-19 crisis when getting their next massage. 9 What massage looks like today and might look like in the future is vastly different than it was before the COVID-19 crisis began. When asked about what precautions consumers may want to take or ask about, the following were the most prevalent. Asking the therapist about sanitation standards 56% Wearing a mask during my massage 44% Requiring the therapist to wear a mask during my massage 42% Asking the therapist if they have been tested or had COVID in the past 41% Arriving exactly on time to my appointment or waiting outside the facility if I arrive early 25% Requiring the therapist to wear gloves during my massage 18% Asking about digital or contactless payment options 16% Only doing chair-type (clothed) massage 15% Requesting modalities or massage techniques that have less touch 6% Figure 2. What precautions would consumers want to take, or ask about before their next massage. Highlights from Figure 2 More than half of consumers would want to ask about sanitation standards before getting a massage. Over 40% of consumers would want to wear a mask and have their therapist wear a mask. 10 1D. What drives consumer use of massage therapy? Consumer use of massage was down in the first months of 2020. The 2020 AMTA Consumer Survey results show that: · Twenty-one percent of all adult Americans had at least one massage in the 12 months ending June 2020. · Thirty-eight percent of adults reported that they have had a professional massage in their life. · Consumers who received massage by June 2020 received an average of 3.5 massages. · For the 12 month period ending June 2020, 21% of consumers received a massage. Consumer use of massage in calendar year 2019 was 28%. Consumers continued to believe in the efficacy of massage: · Ninety-two percent of consumers agreed that “Massage can be effective in reducing pain.” · Ninety-three percent of consumers agreed that “Massage can be beneficial to your health and wellness.” · Eighty-three percent of consumers agreed that “Massage therapy should be considered a form of health care.” · Sixty-eight percent of all consumers said they have or would recommend massage to a relative or to someone they knew in 2020. 11 1E. Who gets massage? Gender, age, education, and income all affect the likelihood of consumers