Florida barbershops, salons begin reopening with safety standards, restrictions
ORLANDO, Fla. - Barbershops and salons across Florida -- except in Miami-Dade and Broward County -- can officially reopen with limited capacity after being shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Governor Ron DeSantis posted a video Friday, featuring Orlando barbershop owner John Henry, announcing the reopenings. He stated that while we are ready to get back to work, "we want to be safe to continue to wear gloves, wear masks, bookmark appointments and continue to keep the community safe. I know everyone is happy to come out and support the barbershop, and we want to continue to keep one thing in mind, safety is always first.”
Henry was just one of several barbers and cosmetologists who sat down with DeSantis last Saturday to push for their professions to be included in the reopening. They highlighted advanced cleaning protocols for work stations and tools, along with in-store physical distancing requirements for customers.
MORE NEWS: When will Florida enter phase 2 of reopening and what will it include?
At the time, the Governor said that more review was needed about safety standards for people who have direct contact with customers. However, with the help of the state Department of Health and physicians, he decided they can reopen with safety in mind.
The businesses that reopen must practice appropriate social distancing and precautionary measures that are outlined by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. For example, the following restrictions must be followed by barbershops, cosmetology salons, and cosmetology specialty salons:
- All customers need to be by appointment only
- Allow at least 15 minutes between the conclusion of an appointment and the beginning of the next appointment for proper disinfecting practices
- No group appointments are permitted
- Masks must be worn by all employees while performing personal services
Coronavirus hotspots Miami-Dade and Broward counties are the only remaining Florida counties left out of phase one of reopening, as Palm Beach County will be included in the phase starting Monday. However, he believes that these counties could possibly join the rest of the state on May 18, as they have had good trends in efforts to control the virus.
Governor DeSantis has not yet said when Florida will enter Phase 2 of reopening.
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