Hair salons, barbershops in Arizona poised to reopen

PHOENIX (AP) — Hair salons and barbershops in Arizona shut down a month ago to stop the spread of the coronavirus will look quite different when they reopen Friday.

Operating for the first time since Gov. Doug Ducey ordered them closed, many hair dressers and barbers will incorporate social distancing measures into their routine. Some businesses trumpeting their return ahead of time on social media warned of several changes. Among them are barbers and stylists wearing masks and clients having to wait in their cars.

Ducey cited a downward trajectory in the percentage of positive tests along with declines in hospital visits for coronavirus symptoms in making his decision on reopenings. He ordered hair and nail salons, barbers and other businesses that provide personal services to shutter on April 3 after receiving criticism for not doing so earlier. He refused for weeks to clarify that shops where clients and staff must be close together like salons, tattoo parlors and tanning salons needed to shut down to protect public health.

The Republican governor had repeatedly said during a town hall that salons and barbershops were not included in his list of “essential services” that could remain open under a March 23 executive order. Yet, the actual order didn’t specifically name those businesses. It barred cities from acting on their own to close them down.

Also, on Friday, retail businesses will be allowed to resume full in-store sales. Restaurants will be permitted to offer limited dine-in service with precautionary measures starting next week.

Ducey’s current stay-home order is set to expire May 15. Some GOP lawmakers have been angered at the extended closure order because the economy has tanked.

The number of COVID-19 cases across Arizona is nearing 10,000 and deaths have reached 450, state health officials said.