California to allow hair salons and barbershops to reopen in majority of state’s counties, Gov. Newsom says

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Gavin Newsom, governor of California, speaks during a news conference in Sacramento, California, on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

Rich Pedroncelli | AP | Bloomberg via Getty Images

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that he would ease the state’s restrictions on barbershops and hair salons for some counties in the state that meet certain health criteria. 

The state, which issued one of the earliest statewide stay-at-home orders in mid-March, has been reopening its economy statewide in phases. The state is currently in phase two of its reopening plan, which has allowed for the resumption of retail businesses and manufacturing jobs with modifications. 

Counties in the state that meet certain health criteria, including less than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days or less than 8% testing positive in the last week, are allowed to move further into the state’s reopening plan. 

Newsom said 47 of the state’s 58 counties have “self-attested” to meeting the state’s criteria to move further into phase two, and starting today they will be allowed to reopen barbershops and hair salons with modifications, he said, including enhanced cleaning protocols and face covering requirements. 

“Those counties will begin to allow for those kind of operations with meaningful modifications, with the appropriate protective gear, particularly face coverings that are so essential in that environment, sanitation requirements and the like,” Newsom said. 

So far, those 47 counties have been allowed to reopen dine-in restaurant services with enhanced sanitation practices and modifications. Newsom has yet to lift restrictions on nail salons, bars and wineries, nightclubs and theme parks, among other businesses. 

“We are advancing conversations with the legislature in particular supporting efforts to put out guidelines on nail salons and personal care, personal services,” Newsom said. “The issues there require, I think, a little bit more specificity, a little bit more nuance and details in terms of the guidance to satisfy our health experts.” 

Some of California’s largest counties, however, like San Francisco and Los Angeles County, have yet to move further into the state’s reopening plan. Newsom has allowed cities to follow their own stay-at-home orders and ease restrictions when officials felt it’s safe to do so. 

Both the Bay Area and Los Angeles have issued their own stay-at-home orders. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County department of public health, has indicated that the county’s stay-at-home restrictions will likely remain in place in the county through August, according to reports from NBC Los Angeles. 

Newsom said that the hospitalization rate for Covid-19 cases in the state has remained stable and there’s now more intensive-care unit beds available, although he said the number of people in the ICU remains “stubborn but stable.” 

“All of these numbers are part of those indicators that have to turn yellow to green so we can continue to march forward and indeed, they are turning yellow to green and we are marching forward as it relates to these modifications to the stay-at-home order,” Newsom said. 

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