Reopen Salons, Barbershops In Yellow Phase: Montco Lawmakers

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — A group of Montgomery County lawmakers are pushing for personal services businesses, like barbershops and salons, to be permitted to reopen in the yellow phase of Pennsylvania's coronavirus mitigation plan.

State Reps. Melissa Shusterman (D-157), Joe Ciresi (D-146), Steve Malagari (D-53), Tim Briggs, as well as State Sen. Maria Collett (D-12) joined several other area lawmakers in signing a letter sent to Gov. Wolf. It requests he issue an executive order permitting the personal services businesses be permitted to reopen with enhanced safety measures.

“As restrictions begin to loosen and small businesses take steps toward reopening, salons and barbershops could easily be included in yellow phase hase guidelines with industry-specific safety protocols in place,” Rep. Shusterman said in a statement. "This (reopening outdoor dining) is the kind of creative solution that should serve as an example moving forward and help get Pennsylvanians back to work as quickly and safely as possible."

The letter references a plan for reopening of the personal service industry used in neighboring Ohio. That plan includes a list of requirements, such as maintaining six feet of social distancing (except between the client and employee when appropriate), requiring employees to wear facial coverings (with some exceptions), requiring businesses to clean high-touch items after each use, and requiring employees to wear gloves and dispose of gloves in between tasks.

“We know that we can eat outdoors without fear and should be able to do so," Rep. Malagari said. "I was happy to see a more clarified process of reopening defined for our dining establishments and a light at the end of the tunnel for hair salons and barbershops."

Sen. Collett said she's heard from many hair, nail, and tanning salon owners in her district and the majority of them are women- and minority-owned. "It is important that we continue to generate and propose creative solutions and compromises so that businesses in yellow phase counties can begin to resume operations and rebuild while we continue to protect the public health."

In the letter to Gov. Wolf, the lawmakers say many of these types of businesses are already reopening in violation of the order.

"We are concerned with the health risk associated with such activities as they may or may not be undertaken in accordance with the protocols outlined above. In our view, it would be better to allow businesses in this sector to operate in the yellow phase so that their practices could be regulated by state and local authorities, thereby giving health officials a better chance to mitigate the spread of COVID-19," the letter said.

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